Villa Maria Academy - Trumpet Yearbook (Erie, PA)

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Memories 0l0 Thus in the stilly night, Ere slumber's chain has bound me, Sad memories bring the light Of other days around me. Memories! Oh, indeed, who of us does not have memories which we hold sacred and guard in the treasure vaults of our hearts? Memories recorded in tiny books-memories over which we smile and sometimes sigh. With the passing of years-years which leave their imprint upon our brow -as we sail over the vast sea of life, we delight in blissful solitude and in allow- ing our fancies to roam once again through the flower-strewn lanes of youth. Our most beautiful memories are those of our school days-days when we shared joy and sorrow and formed friendships clearer than life. No matter the distance We roam, regardless of the years that intervene, nothing can erase from our minds those happy recollections. With a whimsical smile, we recall ourselves as wee freshiesf' bewildered by the new routine of high sehool5 we recall the lump that arose in our throats and the unashamed tears that gathered in our eyes and streamed down our faces as we bade farewell to our beloved Alma Mater and class- mates, and prepared to set the sails of our little ship that we might embark upon the unknown sea of serious responsibility. J s , '33 69

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to God as members of a religious connnunity. They have had a vision of success, a success which surpasses all earthly achievements--se1-vice to God. After high school what? How often this question confronts the thoughtful student, especially as the last days of her high school career draw near! To some. it is a question of a choice of college wherein they plan to continue their educa- tion, to others it may be the problem of making a livelihood, to secure a place in the world of business or industry, while many young women choose the teach- ing career. . The field of teaching has been open to women since the fifteenth century. ln that period, we find women teaching in the mediaeval universities. This pro- fession, whether pursued by the religious or the layman, has, down the ages, been considered a noble calling. All famous thinkers have stressed the value of an education, and the influence of the true teacher upon his pupil. Plato said, A good education is that which gives to the body and soul all the beauty and perfection of' which they are capable. VVho has, in great measure, the task-nay, the opportunity to implant this beauty of soul? Who, after the father and mother, comes in closest contact with the child? Hence it is, that teaching looms up as a life-work through which We may render the greatest service to God and to our fellowmen. The teacher, more than any other outside influence, helps to mould the character of her pupil. She is the one who directs the activities of the child into constructive channels. She it is who leads the student to appreciate beauty in all its forms. She is the one who attempts to stamp out the undesirable qualities and bring out the good. In truth, she is partially responsible for the character and attitude of every child under her care. The teacher imparts to the minds of her pupils a sense of honor, a spirit of sympathy and broadmindedness, as well as all those other qualities and accomplish- ments which are so necessary for participation in social life. Another purpose of education is to develop social efficiency, the absence of which yields the multitude of social parasites-the criminals and idlers that men- ace onr city life. It is the work of the earnest teacher to inculate habits which produce or establish character, to create in the minds and hearts of those committed to her care an honest. purpose and a keen appreciation of the exalted and Worth-while in life, and above all, to instill an abhorrence of that which is vile and degrading. YVho shall say-she has not achieved true success? She has served her country in training its future administrators-she has served her God-in servving His creatures-making them nobler-stronger-and happier. Carlyle-the great English essayist-has said- It is great-and there is no other greatness-to make one nook of God's creation more fruitful--betterfmore worthy of God-to make some human heart-a little Wiser-inanlier-happier- more blessed-less accursedf' A. MCC., ,30.

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The Descriptive Art of the Aeneid Wf ff if The greatest work of Rome's famed poet, Virgil, is the Aene'id . The fact is generally known that the Aeneid is lacking in originality-for the first six books are modeled after the Odyssey and the last six after the battles of the Tlliad. However, his skill in the coinage of new words and the haunting music of his versifcation are entire- ly Virgil's. i5f'..'bX ,Y fu . - i f ' -4 I Q, aX,Zf' . ' if . , M .nu srl c I 5 Virgil worked at the Aeneid with the utmost deliberation and care, but he did not live to perfect it. He bequeathed it to two friends, Varius and Tucca who edited it with the greatest care. In the form which it thus remived, the Aeneid became immediately the most popular and most highly esteemed poem of the Roman people. - A VVith the adventures of Aeneas, the poet interweaves allusions to the glories of the Julian line of which the Trojan hero was the assumed ancestor. Virgil also includes prophecies of the future splendor of the city of Rome. Although the Aeneid is considered inferior to the great works after which it was patterned and many of the characters seem unreal, especially the hero Aeneas, yet the various scenes and happenings are handled in the most expert man- ner and with a very high degree of poetical depth and feeling. ' Virgil depicts the beauty and sorrow of life as a true artist. He must indeed have delved deeply into the understanding of human nature when he could so authentically paint characters as they underwent various emotions-infinite pity, shadowy hope or flaming exultation. To make many of his passages clearer and more beautiful the poet often applied rhetorical expressions. Virgivs similes are cl-ear both in. thought and ex- pression, His alliteration makes the poem v-ery musical and harmonious. Truly, no poet ever made more effective use of rhetoric in verse. Simplicity, however, was the key to his style. When the Aeneid was first distributed, it became a school book, and as such it has remained for two thousand years. The Aeneid stands as a fitting monument of the illustrious Roman people. Tn conclusion it may he quoted, The Aeneid is the stateliest measure ever moulded by the lips of man. H. C. B., '31, 70 lr-