Gordonsville High School - Tiger Yearbook (Gordonsville, TN)

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THE TIGER SALUTATORY The English language is quite inadequate to express to you how welcome you are at this time. We are glad you are here. As spoksman for this class, I voice its earnest sentiment when I say that we are rich indeed to have so gcodly a number of those who have watched our progress, regretted our fafluxes, kept on having faith in us when we struggled to our feet again, and who are here today to rejoice that we have finally made the grade. If it had been for you our parents, relatives, loyal friends. and those who have been willing to invest thei: funds in great educaticnal institutions for the advancement of civilization, we should not stand here tonight, just inside of the Open Door to Life and its realities. We welcome you here tonight, and we hope you feel repaid for having come, if no more than by the knowledge that we, the Class of 1941, feel highly honored by your interest and presence. We shall go forward always knowing that you are our friends, that ycu will still watch what we are doing, and how well we are doing it, and be ready to rejoice with us when the boys and girls of this dear old school reflect glory upon it by the worthy part we are able to take in the world's work. Oui forward march must be conducted with growing intelligence, and we hope that we shall be gifted with such calmness of judgment and wisdom as has marked the careers of those who are carrying the burden of the worlds work to- day. At one time they stood where we stand at the part'ng of the ways, and they too had their friends, good friends of course, even as we have ours. The leadezs and diplomats of tomorrow will come from the young and ambititous boys and girls. such as we. We are indeed grateful for the start that you, our friends, have given us. We are encouraged and stimulated by your faith in us. The clasp of your hands, what you say and what you feel but do not always express, mean much to us who are going forth to undertake new tasks. We shall strive to make you feel in the yeats to come that these were golden days for both you and for us. And we want you to remember that whatever we undertake will be better done and more cons:ient'ously and intelligently performed because you have been and are our friend. We know full well that we are young and inexperienced and immature. We cannot help that. Time alone will remedy all this and we are not wishing the plecious golden days away, for we love our youth and its privil- eges, opportunities and dreams-even as you did in the days of long ago. We hope that some time we shall gather in this same spot, to talk and laugh over the golden days now drawing to a close. That you may meet with us, for without you, our friends, that gathering would nct be complete. We vselcome you here,,not in a perfunctory manner but from the depth of our heaits. We are going on, and we shall be accompanied by the cheering memory of this gathering and all it stands for. We would bespeak your inter- est and confidence in those who will coxre after. In their name. as well as in our own, we salute and thank you, that you have turned aside long enough to bless us with your presence. -'CORDELL MOORE ..14..

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THE .TIGER VALEDICTORY The time has come for us, the graduating class of 1941, to face the fact that we are going on, and leaving for all time, these teacheis, whom we -have learned to love, and our fellow schoolmates and companions with whom we will never again be associated in just the same way. The thought cf parting, strange as it may seem, brings us feelings of sadness and gladness We are sad when we remember that this chapter of life's book is ended, that we are turning our faces toward new scenes and new associa- tions. We shall always hold in mind tenderly and gratefully, all these years have meant to us all they have brought us, all they have taught us. Never can we get away from the influence, the example, the interest, and the guidance of these years, and in saying farewell to you, our beloved instructors and leaders, we say it with deep gratitude and stirring emotion. We hope that we shall go foxth and do you honor in the years to come and that your 'nterest will follow us wherever we gc. We are glad that we are going forward, for we know that we must make room for those who come afte us. We are glad that further privileges await us. We are glad that we ,have measured up, in some degree, at least to the expectation and hopes of our parents, who have coveted the best for us, and been ready to sacrifice countless times that we might progress this far. And so, tonight we stand on a mountain peak. Four years we labored up the slope and tonight we look, as eveiy traveler does behind us, and before us. Behind us lies the pleasant valley of elementary school and the gentle slopes of high school, which seemed so rough and thorny as we passed through. But now, looking backward, the green leaves and red roses h'de the thorns. Then we look forward. Did we expect to see a valley in front of us? No-more hills to climb, but the journey's climax, when we pick the apples of success on the highest peak, that is our goal. So, we look tonight, backward a shot while, then, eyes fixed on new fields, we set out into the future. What does this future hold for us? Will the gentle breeze of universal love blow away the dark war clouds, and let in the sun of peace? The great men and wise men have put their heads together and reached the agreement that the future looks dark. that civilization will crumble and decay, and war will continue to infest the world. But we, the youth of America, see no such dark picture. We see a new world. a world of peace, of equality, of charity, of op- portunity. We have the vision of the world we want and we here, tonight rc- solve that it shall be a ieality. Do not say in your heart that 'I speak idle words. What I have said is in the heart and mind, and is the aim and prayer of every young American tonight And so to us the future dcesn't look dark, for we know that right does triumph over might, and that the mill of God grinds slow but exceeding fine. We have an unfaltering faith in mankind and we believe in democracy, in our democracy, in the United States of America. We have caught the gleam that fell on Washington and Jefferson, and Patrick Henry. We be- lieve in America. Therefore this class is optimistic as to its future. We know that golden apples don't just fall into one's lap. The way w'll certainly be hard, but we shall succeed. We do not expect too much, and we will not be disappointed by adversity. We know what we want and will labor to that end. We realize that only part of aimor of knowledge has been buckled on, but we glory in the fact that we have progressed thus far. And so, as we go out tonight, our hearts overflow with sadness and glad- ness. Words cannot express our gratitude to each and all of you. Thus, with a tear in our eye, and a smile on our lips, we bid you a heartfelt farewell. -RAYMOND PHILLIPS ,. 13 ,.-

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THE TIGER CLASS HISTORY It has often been remarked that history has a peculiar way of repeating itself, and so to a certain extent the history of this class is much like the history of classes which have gone before, and of others which will follow. So remember'ng that to many people history is a rather dull subject ex- cept to those who have taken part in it personally, as historian of the class of 1941, I will strive to be as brief as possible, and to touch only upon those subjects which are of significance, not only to the class but to others. On September 1. 1937, there entered into this institution of learning forty- one freshmen. Upon entering we were received with wild welcomings and re- joicings, but it came to pass, that we were received with malicious glee and were caused to suffer many things. As we dwelt long in this freshman land, we fell in with the customs of the others, our strangenesses wore away and we became as one among the rest. During this year Mary Wilson served as class president, Charles Vantrease serv- ed as vice-president, and Thcsamene Willey as secretary and treasurer. The experience we gained was an advantage to us in the years to follow. In 1938 we again entered this school, however, our number had decreased to 30. In our studies we did fairly well . In this second year of our dwelling, Britain McKinney served as our president, Macon Thomason was vice president, Frances Gwaltney, secretary, and Mary Davis. treasurer. Our class had not lagged behind other classes in social attainments. Our pride grew and grew and at last 29 became members of the Junior Class. This year found us full of energy sharing work in many worthwhile or- ganizations. This year the honors of holding the class offices were bestowed on Charles Vantrease, president, Raymond Allmon, vice president, and Macon Thomason, secretary and treasurer. During the past three years we had lighted many beacons by the wayside, the lights of which are bound to shine afar. Then came the greatest year of all when twenty-one students entered their Enal year as seniors. The honor was again bestowed upon Charles Vantrease to serve as class president, with W. L. Turner, Jr., vice president and Raymond Phillips, secretary treasurer. During the period this class history covers, ten of our group have chosen to wed. five have entered other institutions of learning, seven dropped out to start work, three students moved to distant places, two were retained in other classes. Six new members were added to the classes from time to time, thus 47 students have shared in the making of the history for the class of 1941. Looking back over our school life we cannot escape the fact that it has been to one and all a great source of blessing and much rejoicing. We trust that the ending of this our first lesson will be the beginning of another life that will enable us to build upon the foundations laid while students of this school. -FRANCES GWALTNEY. - 15 -