Ware High School - Limelight Yearbook (Ware, MA)

Page 9 text:

DEDICATION The Class ot 1951, dedicates its Nenameseck to the progress of international relations throughout the world. Because all nations and tribes, no matter how savage, reverence a Creator and respect righteousness and truth, we dedicate our Nenameseck to the loyalty of all peoples to these ideals. The following passage from an ancient Iroquois Indian War chant has been translated by E. S. Parker. Listen, O Creator, with an open ear to the words of Thy people as they ascend to Thy dwelling! Give to the keepers of Thy faith wisdom rightly to do Thy commands. We thank Thee for the increase of the earth For the rivers and streams, For the sun and moon, For the winds that banish disease, For all things that minister to good and happiness. We pray for a prosperous year to come. Lastly, we give Thee thanks, our Creator and Ruler! ln Thee are embodied all things! We believe that Thou canst do no evil Hearken to our words as they ascend- May they be pleasing to Thee, our Creator! Preserver of all things visible and invisible!

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F OREWORD Through a green New England valley fiows a river, the Ware, which has given its name to the largest of the several communities scattered along its banks. The word Ware , at first thought a queer name for a town, has an unusual meaning. It is a translation of the Indian word Nenameseck which means fishing basket or fish trap . Long before the white man strayed into the wilderness, the Quabaug Indians had found good fishing at the falls of this broad stream, and yearly came to camp beside it during the salmon season. ln addition to spearing the fish as they leaped the tumbling waters, the Indians built traps of twigs and branches at the foot of the falls. Nenameseck, they called these traps, and Nenameseck, they named the river. The sturdy settlers who presently chose our township for their pioneering translat- ed the indian name Nenameseck into weir , the word they had used in the Old Country for fish trap, but being Scotch lrish, they pronounced it ware . Hence came Ware, the white man's name for the river and then for the town on its banks. It is a name with an Indian back- ground. It is a name with a history. Even as the Town Seal preserves the figure of an indian spearing his salmon, so the title of our high school annual keeps alive the ancient and beautiful name of our river - NENAMESECK.

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OUR THEME Our yearbook, Nenameseck , Takes iTs name from The river which flows Through our Town. Linked wiTh The history of The sTream is The Legend of Nenameseck , a Tale from Indian folklore. According To This legend, Grey Eagle, a young warrior of The Mohican Tribe, which long ago had a seTTlemenT in This valley, slew in self-defense his rival for The aFfecTion of an Indian maid. Because The slain warrior was The son of a renowned chiefTain, Grey Eagle, Though noT To blame, was senTenced To be bound hand and fooT and seT adrifT over The 'Falls in his Tiny canoe. The lndian maid, WhiTe Dove, could noT bear To see Grey Eagle die alone, so aT The lasT momenT she sprang inTo The canoe wiTh him, and TogeTher The Two wenT over The falls. However, deaTh did noT keep Grey Eagle away from The river ThaT he loved, for iT is whispered ThaT his lonely spiriT reTurns aT Times To haunT The sTream. So, as we view our modern Warriors and Maidens of Ware High School, let us noTe The conTrasT ThaT Grey Eagle would Rnd berween his life and ours, if he were To reTurn To earTh Today. Nor is This unlikely, for rumor says ThaT on brighT nighTs The warrior in his canoe can be seen, silhoueTTed in The moonlighT, drifting silenTly down The river Toward The falls.