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

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THE HIGH SCHOOL HERALD 27 THE VALUE OF THE EDUCATED MAN TO THE STATE At this time of year when the youth of our nation attracts the attention of the country by its commencement exercises we are brought to realize that millions of young people enter the portals- of our schools and colleges each year. Upon graduating from high school most students are fast approaching the age when the will have the opportunity of that great democratic privilege—the right to vote. How will they use this privilege when it is granted to them? Will they be able to exercise this right in a manner intelligent enough to preserve our Democracy? The answers to these questions depend upon the degree that education has fitted these yciung people for their places in the state. The primary aim of public education should be to enable a citizen to get such a clear understanding of public problems that he is able to act intelligently with respect to them; for the greatest enemy of democratic government is civic ignorance. A man need not think that he is doing his duty every two years if he votes, for real citizenship means he must have an understanding of the society in which he lives and a desire to im¬ prove it. Especially at a time like this when changes in our political system comie much faster than usual, we cannot afford to take chances in training our youth fn the ways of Democracy. In this w r orld today torn by the conflicting forces of Communism and Fascism, every citizen is in need of the type of education w r hich will give him an honest insight of the realities of Democracy showing him both the failures and the achievements of Democracy. He must also under¬ stand the machinery of other governments in order to realize the full value of his own government. Communist and Fascist schools do not hesitate to use their educa¬ tional system to indoctrinate their types of governments in the minds of children. Surely w’e cannot even attempt to make adherents of Democracy unless we teach thoroughly the structure of our government and its national history. In past periods of American History the common man has had much less power than he has today. Because of this he must be taught to live up to his obligations rather than let himself become of the rabble. If he is well trained, he will not become the slave of newspaper propaganda, to be influenqed by every demagogue to whom he listens. He will be able to judge from his early discussions and studies which political and economic philosophies he should accept. Since we understand, therefore, that the preservation of our Dem¬ ocratic Governmnt depends upon the creating of an intelligent responsi¬ ble citizenry, it is tow r ard that end that w r e must now make rapid strides. Along this read lies the way to peace and security. Delay in mov¬ ing in this direction may mean the decline and decay of American Democ¬ racy. As Horace Mann declared, “We need general intelligence and in¬ tegrity as w r e need our daily bread. A famine in the latter would not be more fatal to health and life, than a dearth in the former to political health and life. Misgovernment can more than cancel all the blessings of science and the bounties of Heaven.” Raphael Boyle, ’37

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THE HIGH SCHOOL HERALD 26 THE VALUE OF THE EDUCATED MAN TO THE COMMUNITY What have educated people done for their communities in the past, and what are educated people doing for their communities in the present? Without hesitation we can safely answer that they have done a great deal. Educated people make good citizens, and as gootl citizens they perform many tasks that are of benefit to the community. What are some of the qualities of a good citizen? First, he is in¬ telligent. He learns what is going on in his community and is interested in its affairs. Second, he is open-minded. He sees the viewpoint of others and does not act in a stubborn, prejudiced fashion. Third, he is courageous. He stands up for what he believes is light. Fourth, he is honest. He keeps his word and anyone can trust and depend upon him. Fifth , he is unselfish. He is thoughtful of the rights of others. Sixth, he is coopera¬ tive, that is, he is a good companion and tries to get along with people. He gives as well as receives. These are only a few of the qualities an edu¬ cated person possesses. Even Abraham Lincoln had these qualities in mind w ' hen he said, “I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but 1 am bound to live up to what light I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right; stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong.” The character of any community is determined largely by the people who dwell in it. As a member of the community, an educated person is more interested in its welfare. He knows its problems and what sort of voters decide its elections. He helps a great deal to improve his com¬ munity, to keep it clean, and to give it a good name. He is more friendly and courteous. He takes pride in his community. He boasts about it, tries to beautify it, and stands up for it. Benjamin Franklin was such a citizen. He was always on the watch for ways in which to better the place in which he lived. He was the first person to put up a street lamp in front of his house to aid passers- by fn the night. He emplove d a man to keep the street clean in front of his home. He founded the first hospital and helped to establish the first tree library in the city. He also played a part in organizing a fire depart¬ ment, a police force, and an academy. Another example of such a citizen was the late John D. Rockefeller. “His religion was to advance, extend that kingdom here on earth, and to do it through the foundations which he established and the institutions which he generously supported.” In the past, educated people have done a great deal for your com¬ munity, and the educated people ctf today should continue with the good work which they have left unfinished. Horace Mann once wrote, “If ever there was a cause, if ever there can be a cause, worthy to be upheld by all of toil or sacrifice that the human heart can endure, it is the cause of education.” Stephania Andrik, ’37

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28 THE HIGH SCHOOL HERALD HORACE MANN, THE GREAT EDUCATOR It is necessary today, that everyone should have as fine an educa¬ tion as possible to enable him to survive in this complex civilization of ours. The world is depending on the future generation to solve some of the difficulties of the present. Thus, we must have educated men and women qualified to meet these puzzling problems of our times. No doubt, Horace Mann, whose hundredth anniversary we are cel¬ ebrating this year, is the most inspiring example in the history of American Education. Almost a century ago, he tried to impress upon the people of Massachusetts, the need for a free public school system, for with¬ out free education, many children of poor families we,uld be unable to re¬ ceive any schooling, and our nation could not exist half ignorant and half educated any more than it could exist “half free and naif slave.” As Horace Mann suffered from bad health, he realized the need for schoolhouses to be made livable and comfortable places. He tells the story of a visit one rainy day to a little schoolhcuse which had an enormous leak in the roof. He spoke jokingly to the teacher, asking if some of the children wouldn’t be drowned. She replied, however, that this would be impossible, because the floor leaked as badly as the ceiling, and as soon as the rain fell from the ceiling, it drained out through the floor. Today we are not confronted with conditions like that, but we should remember that school children should be housed in buildings which are comfortable and which provide the environment necessary to good habits of work. The results of Horace Mann’s untiring efforts in beihalf of education certainly prove the truth of the motto “He conquers who persists.” As a lawyer, Horace Mann came in contact with many criminals, who he learned had become criminals through the lack of education. Thus he tried to correct this condition. There is an interesting law in Iceland that says when a minor child commits a crime, the courts should find out whether or not the parents have given him a good education. If it is proved that they have not, then the child is acquitted, and the parents ai 4 e punished. Perhaps that law should apply to other countries too , for very often, children are taken out of school by their parents, or allowed to leave school unnecessarily to go to work. In addition it has been proved that education has a market value. Business men and manufacturers, who employ thousands of workmen, tell us that the work of the educated person is much superior to that of the uneducated person. Uneducated people find it more difficult to get po¬ sitions today, and the uneducated person is always among the first to lose his position. Bsides the educated person advances steadily in position antt earning power, while the uneducated jobholder can look back ten or fif¬ teen years, and if he is still holding the job at all, he will find that he has not advanced in his work in the same degree as the better educated individual. Thus, from the standpoint of dollars and cents, education pays.