Windsor Locks High School - Herald Yearbook (Windsor Locks, CT)

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THE HIGH SCHOOL HERALD 29 At a meeting of the Foreign Policy Association in New York, Eus¬ tace Seligman said that wars are caused by barriers to international trade. Moreover, many people believe that the international effort to obtain new war machines is the chief cause of war. In almost every country in Europe, there are millions of men ready to fight, such as in Italy where chil¬ dren of six years are trained for war. At times of real crisis the youth of any nation would respond to the call of arms, as they have always done in the past, but youth is beginning to realize the hopelessness of war. Youth wants nations to decide their difficulties in other ways less costly to human life and sacrifice. It is «aid about five hundred thousand students in schools are now conducting strikes for peace. To some of these rumors.Mrs. Frank- iin Delano Roosevelt’s name has been linked. The Brooklyn College strike is an example of one of these movements. Many of the students after a meeting on the college steps paraded through streets displaying banners announcing that Brooklyn mothers d ; d not raise their sons for cannon fod¬ der. Though we may not commend this method of spreading the peace propaganda, it shows hat youth is serious and in earnest upon this question. It has been predicted that we will not solve the problem of war until we have converted the whole human race and returned to individualism. However, now that we know ' what youth wants and the World needs, (not War—but Peace, peace with security, peace with national honor, peace w ' ith Christians, peace w r ith non-Christians), let us strive for Peace, and see if Youth cannot point the way to Peace and greater security in the future than have the past generations: for as our motto indicates “Res non Verba” or the time has come for “deeds not words.” Helen Jenkins, ’36. YOUTH FACES THE CRIME QUESTION Youth starts out in life with a soul l ' ke a sword, keen, bright, and uncompromising. Then comes w r hat Shelley calls “the contagion of the world ' s slow stain. Crime.” That comes to many young people because they begin with a banner inscribed “Excelsior.” but graduallv the dust of battle obliterates everything but the second syllable, “cel.” They feel that truth, honor, and steadfastness do not mean as much as they had thought; for discouragement, unemployment, and disappointment tend to low’er ideals and standards until the youth falls a victim o,f crime. Therefore age is a most important factor, for practically all crime falls in the active period of life. The average age of criminals is twenty-three years, while the age of arrests is nineteen years. To be sure much of this is due today to the fact that 3,000,000 American youth between the ages of sixteen and tw ' enty-five are unemployed. Thus idleness breeds crime. The tendency to crime comes from many sources. Conditions con¬ nected with family life have a great influence on crime; indeed, inasmuch as the family is the chief agency in society for socializing the young, per¬ haps domestic conditions are more important in the production of crime

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28 THE HIGH SCHOOL HERALD some officer speak to careless pedestrians or drivers through a loud speaker. Then in the Pennsylvania State College, Professor Neyhart has introduced a driving course into the college •‘‘which will teach the students the correct way to drive. This method will serve to eliminate a number of accidents caused by ignorance of traffic and driving rules. In our own state, Connecticut, the State Board of Education is com¬ piling a course of study in automobile safety instruction for the high school student. Such a course, which will instruct the student in the art of intelligent driving, is to be introduced in our own High School, in con¬ nection with the American History Course. This shows that the school officials are eager for the youth of Windsor Locks to become Safe Drivers, and therefore, help in the fight for Highway Safety. We know that the officials of our government have done a remark¬ able job in their campaign against highway accidents. Now it behooves every driver to do his share by adopting as his motto, the word “THINK.” DRIVERS: Lose one second to “THINK” and save one life—It may be your own. Margaret Moore, ’36. YOUTH STRIVES FOR PEACE Peace is the one ideal upon which all races of young people, whether white, red, black or yellow agree, for Peace is the most popular single idea in the world today. It i the only theory that no one openly dares to mock. The personification of peace, usually depicted as a beautiful lady in flowing white rpbes carrying an olive branch has been kept sacred in the memories of all youth throughout the Western Hemisphere through cele¬ brated works of sculpture and art, poetry and music, and praiseworthy teachings of church, school, and state. The influence of peace is so powerful that no man running for an office of any kind would dream of saying, “Ladies and gentlemen, vote for me, for I recommend myself to you on the ground that I shall take you into war.” On the contrary. Hitler says, “I would be happy if my only memorial monument were of the histor cal recognition of my labor for peace, not at the sacrifice of German honor.” Similar words are in the mouths of states¬ men of every country in the world. Anthony Eden, regarded by the British as their spokesman and in¬ spiration, wants peace with security—not just for the present, but for all time, and by international agreement.. Vladimir Potemkin, of Russia, made the statement that the uncer¬ tainty of whether or not all the League members would act together puni- tively against an aggressor was the chief cause of war. President Roosevelt addressed a message to the ladies of the D. A. R., stating that America would never engage in a war of aggression; but on the other hand, the size of the army and navy would be determined by the size of other armies and navies.

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30 THE HIGH SCHOOL HERALD than any other set of causes. Industrial conditions also have a profound influence upon criminal statistics. Economic causes, hard times, strikes, unemployment are all productive of crime. Furthermore, increase in the cost of necessities of life is very likely to increase crime of certain types. Educational conditions have undoubtedly a great influence upon crime. While education could never in itself stamp out crime, defective or insufficient education greatly increases it. This is shown in the fact that illiterates are much more likely to commit crime than those w T ho have a fair education. The defects in our educational system which especially favor the development of crime are chiefly the lack of facilities for indus¬ trial education and the want of specific moral instruction. These things are necessary in a socialized school system. It is evident that this problem of crime is in no way an insoluble one in human society. What law r cannot accomplish or even safely attempt, educaton and social standards can. Social education of individuals is the key to the reconstruction of society. It is essentially a process of acquir¬ ing certain habits, ideas, and standards as a preparation for life. In the ideal home young people are taught by their parents the importance of respect for school, church, and law, and the disastrous results of crime both to the individual and the state are explained; but in the less desirable homes, youth must learn this same lesson from clubs and different organi¬ zations which aim to inspire young people to become worthwhile, law-abid¬ ing citizens. Often youth becomes so interested in the activities of such a club that there is no time or desire to commit crime. The national government has tried to give temporary relief to, youth through the Rehabilitation Act, Educational Aid, the Citizens’ Conserva¬ tion Camps, and Youth Hostels. Thus young people must not be discouraged, for society is trying to help them over these difficult times. Dr. Walton in a recent radio address to the Youth of the nation gave this advice: “Continue education for the days ahead. Do not give up. Never admit defeat.” Most important of all if the young people of America are to face the perplexing problem of crime squarely, they must have faith in themselves, be loyal to their country, and have faith in God. Doris Tambussi, ’36. VALEDICTORY YOUTH FACES INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS One of the major problems facing American youth today is what course the United States should take in international affairs. If our coun¬ try enters into world politics and endeavors with her superior military strength to prevent aggression upon weak states, she will be subject to severe criticism on the Lart of imprrial-minded Europe. On the other hand if she attempts to remain aloof, other countries will be quick to take advan-