American University - Talon / Aucola Yearbook (Washington, DC)

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UNIQUE AMONG CLASSES IS ONE THAT SPANS IN FOUR YEARS THE AVERAGE EXPERIENCES OF A WHOLE LIFETIME— LIFE TO DEATH— PEACE TO WAR. AS UNWILLING POSSESSORS OF THIS DISTINCTION, WE HAVE SEEN OUR CLASS DECIMATED TO THE CALL OF WAR— RETURNING ONCE MORE TO THE ADJUST- MENTS OF PEACE. THREE DECADES AGO ANOTHER CLASS FOUGHT A WAR— THAT TIME TO END ALL WARS; THE COLLEGE YOUTH OF THE TWENTIES SPENT HIS TIME TRYING TO FORGET; THE THIRTIES DID FORGET AND CALLED HIM FRIVOLOUS; AND FRIVOLOUS YOUTH FROM 1941 TO 1945 FOUGHT THIS PAST WAR. WE COULD BE BITTER AND SAY THAT WE HAD BEEN CHEATED OUT OF WHAT WAS RIGHTFULLY OURS— GAIETY, LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY, AND CON- VERTIBLES OR WE COULD RESORT TO ROSY-GLOW OPTIMISM AND SAY THAT OURS WAS A GREAT HER- ITAGE, AND THAT ALL WE HAD TO DO WAS LOOK AROUND THAT EVER-BECKONING CORNER — AND THERE — WERE OUR NEW WORLDS TO CONQUER. BUT HOW CAN WE SAY THAT WE HAVE BEEN CHEATED WHEN ALL THE REST OF THE WORLD FACES POV- ERTY, DEATH, FAMINE AND PESTILENCE? YET BIT- TERNESS IS EASY AND THERE ARE ALWAYS THE SELF- DELUDERS WITH THEIR EASIER-WAY-OUTS. WE, THIS COLLEGE, AND THIS NATION MUST CHOOSE A DIF- FERENT WAY — FOR BITTERNESS LEADS TO SELF- DESTRUCTION. THIS MUCH IS CLEAR. WE OWE A RESPONSIBILITY TO THE REST OF THE WORLD. THE COLLEGE MEN AND WOMEN OF TODAY HAVE ILLUS- TRATED THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS RESPONSI- BILITY AND HAVE DEFINITE IDEAS ON WHAT MUST BE DONE. WITH THIS AWARENESS, WE MAY BE SURE THAT RATHER THAN A FEELING OF BITTERNESS, THERE IS GRIM DETERMINATION TO SHAPE THE FUTURE TOWARD THE SORT OF LIFE WE WANT FOR THE WORLD. FOREWORD

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1947 1DC0LA F S3 ■■ n ■■ i 1-:. Lt - Canaries (JS. i (orris C ailor [fid in »• ■ B A. J tuart iK.ick (Ouiineii fVlanaijer

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