Westminster High School - Warrior Yearbook (Westminster, CO)

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Life, Libertm and the Pursuit of appiness The Land of Plenty Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present generation, to preserve your Freedom! I hope you make a good use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in Heaven that ever ltook half the pains to preserve it john Adams 2nd President of the United States Philadelphia, 1777 Let us all, during the coming months study carefully the character, study the qualities of the men who founded this Nation. Let us try to grasp the stuff that was ins ide of each of them and all of them collectively. And then, let us release, if we can, the same spirit within ourselves. We have the same capacity for unity, dis cipline and sacrifice. Let us show the world that the character and qual- ity of the American people has not changed in 200 years. Gerald R. Ford 38th President of the United States Philadelphia, 1974

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100 years ago in Colorado territory Rocky Mountain News September 21, 1876 President Grant coming to Colorado again. Long Branch, September 20, --President and family will leave here in a special car on Thurs- day next, and go directly to Denver, Colorado. Colorado's First University The cornerstone of the University of Colorado at Boulder, was laid yesterday, by the Grand Lodge, A.F. and A. M. , of Colorado. All the of- ficers of the Grand Lodge were present. A major- ity of them, with about 40 members of Colorado Commandery No. 1 Knights Templar, for an escort, and a large delegation of citizens, swelling the number of excursionists from Denver to at least 150, left here at 8:15, and were joined at Golden junction by quite a good sized delegation from the mountain towns. The programme previously arranged was not carried out entirely, because it was impossible to do so. The attendance was not as large as it should have been, in view of the excellent arrangements made, nor as it would have been, had the weather been more propitious. As to the weather, it is only necessary to say that it was irascible, and with that dismiss the subject. The streets were fear- fully muddy, and it rained or snowed, or both, all the time. 200 years ago in the colonies Late September 1775-- King George III of England, upset over events in the Colonies, issued orders to his subordi- nates in the Army to secure the services of mercenary troops to bolster the small British forces stationed in North America. This was a shocking action on the Crown's part as the practice was going out of style in Europe and even Frederick the Great of Prussia viewed it as intolerable. The mercenaries hired came from the small Saxon States fGermanj whose rulers emulated Louis XVI and needed the British money. The total number of mercenaries hired was 29, 875, two thirds of whom came from Hesse- Cassel and from Hesse-I-Ianau -- hence the name Hessians applied to these troops by the colonists. The total cost of this trade in human flesh came to either 850, 000 or 1, 770, 000 pounds sterling fboth are official figuresj between cost of initial rental and blood money . Over 1, 200 men were killed in action and 6, 354 died of non-battle causes. In addition, be- tween 5, 000 and 6, 000 deserted, most in America, many joining the American Army. This trade in German lives was not par- ticularly profitable for Britain. Many of the troops recruited in this fashion were extreme- ly poor. Desertion rates were high. Indeed many troops deserted en route to Hanoverian ports, but the loss was made good through the immediate kidnapping and enlistment of anyone the officers could lay their hands on. ln addition, the hiring of such mercenaries for service in the war did nothing to enhance Britain's prestige in the eyes of the world.

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Qt 37370 W THE FIRST 200 YEARS A knowledge of American history is an invitation to experience the ac- complishment, drama, tragedy and hope of an infant nation struggling to grow up. Sturdy, determined pioneers hacked away at the edges of a raw continent and, with blunders and achievements alike, modeled a country with a spirited nature and a united commitment to individual liberty for every one of its citizens. Americans, great and not so great, have given us a heritage to carry on and improve upon. Farmers and soldiers, industri- alists and merchants, dreamers and leaders, are all there in two centuries of progress. But the maturing isn't finished. You'll find the boundaries of growth as endless today as when our forefathers first envisioned them. You can seek out your own destiny with the wisdom and judgement which comes with re-creation of the past. Your knowledge, dreams and industry will carry on through many more centuries of living history. is