Natick High School - Sassamon Yearbook (Natick, MA)

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THE SASSAMON 7 1941 when forty-eight nations' united to win the war. At subsequent international conferences more and more was said about uniting for a permanent peace. Finally, in the summer of 1944, forty delegates from Great Britain, China, Russia, and the United States convened at Dumbarton Oaks to discuss the desire for a new inter- national peace system, and to compose a document, which was later known as the Dumbarton Oaks Proposals. Finally, in April 1945, little over a year ago, The United Nations Conference on International Organization opened in San Francisco. The delegates from forty-eight nations, with the Proposals as their guide, began work on the United Nations Charter which blueprinted the main governing bodies. There were more than a few differences among the many representatives, but there was no bitterness. Concessions were made by both the large and the small nations, many disputes were settled by compromise. At last, two months later, the completed document was signed by fifty-one nations. The world had made another advance toward peace. Since then, there have been twoiiineetings of the United Nations: the prepara- tory meeting in London, and the first session at the Qgporary headquarters at New York. Already a great many difficulties have arisen, Izhid we have found several imperfections in the Charter. Yet when the Constitution ofgthe United States was completed in 1776, one of the most eminent of its '-fotmdiiig fathers, Benjamin Franklin, saw its many flaws and he uttered this comment, l confess that there are several parts of this Constitution which I do not approve, butii am not sure that I shall never approve them .... Thus, I consent, Sir, to this Constitution, because I expect no better, and because l am not sure that it is not the best. That same document is the living basis of our democracy today. Therefore we must not be discouraged! The United Nations already has two great advantages over the League in thatlit has the power to use force against an aggressor, and that the United States is a charter member, pledging itself to support and maintain an active interest in the orgainizationqt has laid the groundwork for a practical and workable permanent peace. XVhat the final result will be-whether the United Nations will work or not depends on us. No official delegate can make the Organization work unless the people he represents are convinced that it is the only way to insure lasting peace and that they must work for peace. Then, and only then, will the United Nations succeed. . DOROTHY ELIZABETH CJLSON. 4 1 4 FAREWELL ADDRESS Never before in the history of the World has there been a generation charged with so great a responsibility as the one borne by our generation. lVith us. and especially with the youth of America, lies the task of keeping alive in the minds of the peoples of the world the stark tragedy of war and the necessity of a lasting peace. Ours is the task of seeing that the world never forgets the wasted youth, the vast destruction of property, and the great corruption of morals that is synonymous with war, -

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6 T H E S A S S A M O N ADDRESS OF WELCOME--GRADUATION Parents, Teachers and Friends: It gives ine pleasure as president of the Class of 1946 to welcome you here this evening. We are gathered here tonight for the last time as a class. Soon we shall take various paths along life's highway. XYe feel that we have been very fortunate to have enjoyed the privileges of this great democracy and we pledge ourselves to keep America truly the land of the free and the hotne of the brave. as A glorious heritage is ours, Our native land with freedom bright Make strong our hands, G Land of Ours, To guard, protect, defend thy might l 1' 1 sf THAT WE SHALL REMEMBER Twenty-tive years ago today, anofh class, graduating from Natick Hi School, faced a great many problems not unlike those which we, the class of 19 face today. They were also at the beginnitfg of a postwar era. They too were puzzled and skeptical about our foreign policy, about the coal situation, the world court, prevention of war, and the League of Nations. And somehow during the few years that followed, people lost interest in these things.. They forgot what war was like, they forgot what the rest of the world was doing. Consequently, when the shadow of the aggressor began advancing across Eastern Europe and in the Orient, the League of Nations was powerless to arrest their progress. England, France and the other nations refused to impose economic sanctions as long as the United States was not committed to such action, for they feared that we would take advantage of the situation to increase our own commerce. Who can say that our participation in the League would have prevented war 5 but there are those who say that our lack of interest precipitated the war. ,4 Today, as we go forward, may we remember what.has h ne and what is more important, why it happened. Then let tts resolve'to do s g about it. Let us work toward unity with the nations of the world. The unify of which we speak is international cooperation through organization -the main purpose of the lfnited Nations. lt seems, then, only logical that this organization be encouraged as the medium for attaining world harmony. Not only should the work of the Lfnited Nations be encouraged, but it must be given whole- hearted, active support by every nation to prevent the degradation of humanity. The lfnited Nations did not develop suddenly. The desire for a new inter- national system was mentioned as early as the Atlantic Charter and then the idea began to mature. The title l.,'nited Nations' s first officially used in January v I

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8 THE SASSAMON Education is the first essential in fulfilling this responsibility, for only through universal education can the world hope to gain international understanding and cooperation. Education prevents the blind exercise of political power which was a primary factor in the I-litler campaign. lt offers the individual an opportunity to find out for himself, to examine both sides of a question intelligently, to form his own opinions on an issue, and to make his views felt through his political repre- scntatives. llere, then, is another task for .-Xmericau youth--the creation of an educated world. llow can we attempt to solve such an overwhelming problem? There are many ways in which we can help. First and foremost, we must strive to eliminate doctrines of suppression and censorship from the educational systems of the world. NYe must endeavor to form an army of well-informed world citizens whose main weapon of defense will be the fact that they know what is going on. These individuals will familiarize themselves with public affairs so that they may work for the good of the majority at all times. We must endeavor to have the knowledge of the common individual approximate the knowledge of his leaders so that he may understand the problems of society. The world must be brought to realize the importance of the individual, for the common man is a source of unlimited power, and he must be prepared to use this power intelligently. The only way to prepare him is to afford him the opportunity to study, to read, and to counsel with others on matters of public policy, to hear all points of view, and to examine and discuss every issue. Lastly, we must insure freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear for the whole world. If we strive to achieve these noble objectives, we shall truly attain greatness, for NVHAT IS OUR GREATNESS? lYhat is theqiracle in man? lt lies Y Not Not in his power to lift great INature's chain- in the strange shapes rising from his brain- Not in his radios, ocean cables, cries Heard 'round the world. Ah, not in these, This gossip with the locked antipodes: But Nor Nor Our Our Our The in the heart's call when the heart is wise. is wealth greatness flook for higher themeslb is it eloquent volumes, noble :irtg greatness is the greatness of our dreams, wisdom is the wisdom of the heart, resolute will to lift the poor, to build Brotherhood, the vision unfulfilled. RITA lli'l:ARY DEANGELIS