Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-12-31
OPTIMISM Is
KEYNOTE AS
YEAR CLOSES
Grand Forks Has Made
Progress in Many Lines
During Year.

Aon!6Iit 0idilu FORKS Will emerge
from it's first year of the war. 1t is
the same little old Grand Forks as it
was one year ago, and still there is q
very decided difference. The differ
ence Is that last year Grand Forks,
with the rest of the country, was
strictly and inpartially neutral, and
that 1t now is effectively and unani-
mously belligerent. During the past
year the city has realized that it is at
war. 1t has sent the blossom Of its
manhood to. training camps and bat
tlefields, and it has experienced the
proud and pathetic feeling of sending
its sons away to war amid smiles,
hurrahs and quiet tears !.
So Grand Forks is.a bit different
from what 1t was last year. But al
though the city is at war there is no
sadness. no foolish pessinlism pre-
valent among its people. 1t is a clti-
Of the tasks with which it is con-
fronted. j..
Grand Forks has always known in a
general way hat it was an American
city, but that fact has never been
brought home to it as wildly, as
sternly as during the year of 1917.
A e Americanism has been created.
The ideals of old are the same, but
they have all become more conscious.
more GIllpIldIlC LNdu ever UclOTc.
The people of Grand Forks are con-
sidering all these things today as they
take stock of the events of the past
three hundred sixty-five days. They
realize that the city has gained by its
new OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, perhaps not
in a direct material way; although,
for that matter, no losses have been
recorded in m direction-but gained
ideally, gained in loyalty, in unswerv-
ing patriotism. in Americanism which
has become superior to everything
city.
So dear little old Grand Forks sits
down tonight at his dinner and looks
back over the past ear with a certain
degree of satisfaction and with some
quiet of pride. He has done
we'll. and what has not been accom-
plished during 1917, will certainly. be
accomplished. before 1919 begins.
The keynote struck by a number OF
citizens today was Optimism.
1t wasn't that Kind of stupid optim-
ism which shuts it's eyes to facts and
lets it go at that. 1t was an optimism
built upon a basis of solid facts. And
it permeated the atmosphere. First
Of all. the patriotic aspect of h mat
ter could not but influence sound
optimism. The American flag floats
on the European battlefelds. and
Grand Forks boys have enlisted in &C.
humanity. If they. are not coming
home in 1918. they will be here in
1919 with the laurel wreaths of vic
tory wound round their shoulders.
and that day of return is confidently
anticipated as the first year Of the
war GIBBS out into the unseen realms
of eternity.
Then, also. Grand Forks has made
progress in many other directions. in
business. in education, along the lines
of constructive work. etc. One thing
stands out clearly, and that is that no
step backward has been recorded in
Grand Forks during 1917. There has
been plenty of movement. and it has
all been in a forward direction. So
why worry? Why o be in h right
New Years mood?
The events Of the year were dis
cussed among citizens today. Tonight
they will be talked over once more:
"reminiscences of days before the
war; will be snapped across tables in
hotels, restaurants and private
homes, and a general feeling of good
fellowship will spread all over the
city when the midnight whistles an
nounce tina a new year has been
born.
Upon the experiences of the past
year will be founded the hopes for
the next. No foolish hope it will be.
1t will be built upon the solid foun-
dation of actual experience. and that
experience has been the greatest
teacher in the history of the city. 1t
will instruct the citizens to steel
themselves for whatever is to come.
And hat which is to come may be
triumph, victory-or it may be dis
appointment. Defeat it can never be.
Relying on that the citizens of Grand
Forks ear bid the new year welcome
with an easy conscience. but with no
dulling sense Of responsibility as to