Vergennes Union High School - Blue and White Yearbook (Vergennes, VT)

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BLUE AND WHITE 11 fighting for the only thing left in the world worth fighting for—liberty. The next thing a temple needs is a guard—someone to protect it, someone who keeps out foreign intruders who wish to smash down the temple, destroy its pillars, and kill its subjects. We have that guard—standing majestically in New York Harbor— the Statue of Liberty, holding the lighted torch of freedoms high in her hand. That graceful lady stands for everything I can’t put into words—the power she has to bring tears to the eyes of refugees from war-torn Europe when they arrive in the United States—the power she has to bring a lump into the throat of every loyal American—we the people also have certain Americanisms— little things we say and do every day— little things that stand for America—a baseball game, a coke, the movies, public gatherings, the Church bells on Sunday, the “last” bell ringing at school, the magazines we buy, the newspapers that are printed, the friends we meet—all these things go with a democracy—we need all these things to help keep our democracy democratic— the pillars have to be firmly planted or they will crumple at the slightest touch —our pillars are firmly planted. We do have a whole-hearted democracy. We have the four freedoms guaranteed to us—freedom of speech, freedom of reigion, freedom from fear, freedom from want. They aren’t all definitely stated in our constitution, but they are there—something we can’t grasp, yet we know it’s there if we need it—since the beginning of our history, we have had religious freedom—In “Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers” by Felicia Dorothea Hemans she says— “What sought they thus far? Bright jewels of the mine? The wealth of the seas? The spoils of war? They sought a faith’s pure shrine! Ay, call it holy ground. The soil where first they trod! They left unstained what there they found Freedom to worship God!” We have freedom from want anc! from fear—we know we will be taken care of, fed if we’re hungry and protected from wrong doers—we know we can say what we want to when we wane to say it—as long as it is within reason. Yes, our temple stands for everything we fight for, everything we live for, everything we are willing to die for— I'm sure all of us agree with Patrick Henry when he said—“Almighty God, I know not what course others may take, but as for me, Give me liberty or give me death.” We’re fighting for that liberty now, some of us are dying for it, but we’re confident, as our once great leader. Abraham Lincoln said—“That this government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth.” POST GRADUATION LeRoy Hard So here you are at last, this is what you’ve been waiting for, graduation. Have you thought about it very much, in between the rush of extra curricular and finals? Have you wondered how you can apply all, or a good part of what you have been taught, to your everyday life after you get out into the world? Of course you have, so, though I’m no philosopher, I’ll give a few of my ideas. Some of you may remember the theory in Psychology that there is no such thing as a perfect fit into society. To prove their point, they said that a round peg must be adjusted to fit into a square hole. Personalities are like this peg, they can be adjusted but, to do so means a lot o hard work, the possibilities of failure and at the least a last amount of energy and a transformation of character. Now there will be some adjustments, that is true, but why not hunt

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10 VERGENNES HIGH SCHOOT THE CONSTITUTION—TEMPLE OF LIBERTY Carolyn Chapman, 45 A temple of liberty—the greatest temple ever built by man, insuring some of the greatest rights and privileges in the world, built up by some of the greatest leaders in all history—that is our Constitution, the Constitution of the United States, beginning with the famous words every American knows— “We, the people”—yes, it is we, the people—everywhere, all the time. Perhaps we can call the Bill of Rights our ten pillars, for surely they hold up our temple. They stand for the things we can’t see, the things we accept without questioning, besides the freedom they definitely state. Supported by our pillars is the preamble, the arch of our temple, the backbone ot everything the American people want for themselves and the rest of the world “to establish justice, to insure domestic tranquillity”—or, the right to a decent home in a decent world. Every temple must have an emblem or a standard to signify to whom it belongs or what it means; therefore our Constitution must have a standard. We have it—the flag of the United States, the red and white stripes, the forty-eight stars against a blue field—the flag standing for so much. We know it by many names—Old Glory, the Star Spangled Banner, the Red. White and Blue, but it all means the same thing— the standard of freedom floating o’er a free land. Perhaps Henry Holcomb Bennett best expressed the meaning of our flag, in his poem “The Flag Goes By” when he wrote: Hats off! The colors before us fly, But more than the flag is passing by: Sea-fights and land-fights, grim and great, Fought to make and to save the State; Weary marches and sinking ships; Cheers of victory on dying lips; Days of plenty and years of peace; March of a strong land’s swift increase. Equal justice, right and law. Stately honor and reverend awe. Sign of a nation, great and strong Toward her people from foreign wrong Pride and glory and honor,—all Live in the colors to stand or fall.” Yes, that's what our flag stands for. What makes a man cheer when he’s dying? What makes him fight on when there seems to he nothing left? We ask why, but we know. He's cheering because he knows he’s

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12 VERGENNES HIGH SCHOOL for a place where the peg will fit with few changes? I mean by that, find a position in society and at some occupation where you will fit in, with only minor changes made in you. Look back over your schoolwork, we’ve all done a little griping, that’s true, but weren't there certain things you liked to do just the same? How about English? Yes we know you never liked the grammar, but wasn’t it necessary? You probably liked poetry and story writing, well isn’t the form of your writing important if you are ever to become an author? How about engineering, drafting or any job dealing with mechanics? A lot of you fellows are interested, what could be better if you like construction seeing your work that you’ve planned every inch of, being put up where people will see it long after you are gone? Should you go into the army or the forces anywhere, there is all the more chance for specialized training. The girls that so successfully prepared meals for the Rotary, yes all the Home Economics class, they’ll never have to worry about wasting. Many because they can’t cook, they won’t be helpless, if they want a dress styled smart and different they won’t have to shop all over some city and pay more than they can afford to obtain it. they’ll make it.. Those of the girls who don’t wish to marry and settle down, you must admit you’ve all had the chance to be trained a career woman, you have your typing, your shorthand, you can take Business Arithmetic, you have had a choice of several languages so you can converse with those of different nationalities wishing to do business. Well, you have all had these subjects now the ones you like best, choose a corresponding job so that you will be happy for that is the secret of success. If you choose a job you enjoy, you wi’.l be cheerful, which is a contagious sickness and will soon spread to those about you. Now, I say, we all owe a debt of gratitude to the faculty for the many things they have done for us. I’ve been to exactly six different schools and never have I seen a spirit of friendliness and cooperation such as exists here between students and between students and faculty. Whether or not this spirit is carried out of the school also, I do now know, but it is certainly present in the school. I say we owe a vote of thanks to Mr. Berry, who realizes that the physical side of a student if kept healthy, through organized sports, will keep the mental side up to par. To Mr. Templeton who was ever ready to take on the burden of extra work and cooperate when the students wanted a play or when they needed extra help, or when they wanted their stories and poems checked over. To Mr. Patterson, who was willing to drop in and illustrate a point or to give an easy trick problem out of the vast store of experiences he has collected from practically all parts of the world. It make Geography assume real incidents. To Mrs. Saulters who could and would take over the managing of suppers for a Rotary meeting or the supervising of curtains and make up for any plav or musical. She could do this as well as teach Biology and other subjects. To Mrs. Patterson for passing on her knowledge of French, Commercial Geography and European History to the High School, besides extra work such as teaching Sociel Studies to grade seven. To Mrs. Nelson, for her part in teaching Latin, English and General Science, three subjects which will be a large contribution to the future of many students. To Mrs. Berry for her help in teaching Spanish, Short Hand, Typing and Business Practice to those who wish to become stenographers, secretaries and clerks. To Mrs. Favor for the patience and fortitude which she found somewhere