Thomas Jefferson High School - Aurora Yearbook (Brooklyn, NY)

Page 9 text:

PRELUDE TO MORE THAN HOPE 1 F there were hills aloof enough to raise An armored shoulder in a shrug, we might Eyade the armies stalking through the night, The Terror pounding at the door, the blaze Of fumbling searchlights whose numb fingers glide Through dark to curl their hands around the threat. There are no hills. and the unyielding bayonet Of circumstance is close. YVe cannot hide. No chance. no refuge for the man alone, None huddled in the cellar with the cowed And broken ones. Let from the stammering crowd A granite word be quarried. crude as stone, The core of mobs. the core of angry power That masses grip until the flinging-hour. II He may not bead our wants upon a chain Of little notes that hope of what will be YVhen fire-tongues of change have finally Licked up the wrong. There is a dumb, deep path Hungry for more than meagre harmonies Piped from a fluent and falsetto flute: A sort of blundering query at the root Of men no easy counterpoints appease. Hopes will be hard and firmly learnt by heart- A rearing music: prelude to the toil Of draining from the feryor under soil Hot bravery the musics counterpart: The heayy-booted chords stride out their theme And action-echoes amplify the dream. CL.-HLA BRUSSEL

Page 8 text:

PRELUDE N zleclc of the good yaehl JEFFERSON staizfls a young jiroiifl sea-eajilaiii reafly for his iiziaifleri voyage. As he gazes at the comjiass above the steering wheel, his buttons shine orange in the dawn, against a hlile uniform. As he peers through the misty fog, he sees only eiiiveloping ohscurityg ahozre hiin, the slcies looh gray aml forlorn, while one seirilillalirig star farles over the horizon throwing tan- talizing gleams on shiji ahfl cafitaiii. The hoat steaiizfs out of jyort hearlerl for strange seas. In the cabin below, a harifl is jilayifiig the IIRRLUDE to an aiiiiiiatefl military .syirzijilioiify The shijr hegiiis lo roel: wililly, the eajilairi .striggers from sifle lo sirle zvliile tiiuiiilliioiis wiwes lash f'll'l Z.01t.S'ljV at helm afnrl extirigiiisli the St1g'tll'I-OIIS siiiile from his fame, Bon VU.Y!llLfI', Cajrlaiiif Bon lvl?-Ytlgl' and Au Revoir! M. w.

Page 10 text:

OFFICIQ UF THF PRINCIPAL April 1, 1938 Dear flmfllmlesz At this writing there is a slight lull in the European turmoil. Nothing is at present settled, but the unwillingness of Furopean countries to start a major war has resulted in an armed armistice which assures a semblance of peace. How long this will last we cannot tell. The clash of philosophies and ideologies current in Europe may perhaps be reconciled without bloodshed. I earnestly hope so. From an American viewpoint it is more important than ever that we understand our own government as well as our obligations and our privileges as citizens. I cannot think of any country in the world that respects the dignity of the human spirit to the extent that ours does. Our constitution guarantees freedom of assembly. freedom of religious worship and freedom ol. speech. Nowhere in the world. except in a few of the democracies still left. is it possible to voice criticism and protest and to work toward changes both in government and in the economic order to the extent permitted here. The inference from all this to you as graduates is strikingly clear. Your point of view must be dominantly American and in your think- ing you llltlst take cognifance of what our precious Americanism means. The solutions to our problems Qthere is no denying that we have themt will come in an American way and must not be dictated to us by any of the 'Aisms popular abroad. If you are a realist and can appraise things as they are. you can afford to be optimistic. You know something of the cycles of history ancl you will not subscribe to the belief that bad conditions can remain the same for any length of time. There is a better life and a better era coming. It has been ever thus and it will be so again. Wfith best wishes for your personal happiness and success. Your friend and principal, , , W c 'A 'lf-1.f' '6 ,