Westport High School - Herald Yearbook (Kansas City, MO)

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QISNQF ha s :vibe . sf, N . safes s, '- 5.- ff S4 'V fi ' fag? 5 use .5 a 5 - sas I Ark 1 Qs if . Jail 23? s 4 N765-375 nu ,, fs f THE WESTPORT HIGH SCHOOL HERALD. 9 SALUTATORY. WTHE GRAND OLD NAME OE GEN- TLEMANF, VICTORINE EGGLESTON. All of us, since childhood, have had an ideal of what a gentleman should be. The boy of three or four, when he 'takes his first lessons in deportment, is told to be a little gentleman, and the model held up be- fore him is always the father in whom he sees no fault and from whom he knows noth- ing but kindness. It is natural for us to be- lieve in the gentleman and the term is always associated in our minds with those men near- est and dearest to us, and this very associa- tion of the name- with those we love, and who are kind to us, teaches us to measure the standard of a gentleman by his kindness. As we grew older our ideas broadened and we learned that there were other qualifica- tions 'neeessary to perfect, as Thackeray says, the ideal of agentlemanhoodf' In the days when the knights lived and flourished, they were supposed to be unblemished gen- tlemen and the title then meant birth, fam- ily, courtliness in manner, bravery in battle and a heritage of wealth. But kindness was their motto and this implied kindness to all -ladies especially. History and literature have given a long list of these who embodied in themselves many of these characteristics, but fe-w that could lay claim to all. In the register of kings and monarchs who have occupied the thrones of Europe, so few can be found that they might be told upon the fingers. But Anglo-Saxon literature has furnished three delightful types of the gentleman-Sir Rog- er de Coverly, the simple, loving old man, Sir Charles Grandison, the perfect Christian, and Sir Philip Chesterfield, the model of eX- quisite manners. Even at presen.t many of these requisites of knighthood are still retained abroad to justify the use of the epithet, but in this country there is nothing so Kkingly as kind- nessj' and if to this be added self-control and refinement of manners, it may be said of each man: . Thus he bore without abuse, The grand old name of gentleman. lt is certainly desirable to bear without abuse this honored name which has been misused under many circumstances. The unrefined man may veil his ill-breeding for a time but the ego in him will assert itself, try as he may to keep it hidden. It is far from the strength of any man constantly to act a part 5 he cannot keep up a chain of de- eeits and the observant person can readily detect the artifices that any real gentleman would consider beneath him, for, as Sir Philip Sidney says, A churlls courtesy rarely comes, but either for gain or false- hoodf, V The reason a true gentlemants courtesy al- ways comes is because he has so many de- lightful memories to reflect -upon. He has the recollection of a happy childhood and the softening influence of a mother's love and training always before him. A man never forgets them p The men who have not had this early training have tried various ways to deceive the world, but they have never succeeded and have only shown the beauty and the strength in the name. In practicing the de- ception they have tried the effect of fine clothes and of elegant manners, and some- times by the seeming possession of knowl- edge they have tried to pass themselves into the society of gentlemen, but they always fail . - - With the name gentleman the name lady is always associated and the names are simply inseparable. You can not think of one without the other any more than you can think of a king without a queen. A knight of old would not have been very romantic or chivalrous if it had not been for the Uladie faireu he had to defe-nd. And the title lady coming to us with all the associations of old brings with it as much grandeur and honor as the name gentleman does. It is true of ladies as well as of men that ill breeding cannot be hidden under false manners and fashionable dress very