Ramsay High School - Rams Horn Yearbook (Birmingham, AL)

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PRESIDENTS ADDRESS (JANUARY) Classmates and Friends ok Ramsay High School: Today we arc met in a final session to take our leave of each oilier am! of the institution which, in the course of four important years, has given us both pleasure am! profit, ami has gained from us in return our earnest co-operation am! devout reverence. As a result of its endeavors, we are being sent forth today, not as students who have completed their education but rather as an ambitious yet unselfish group, who conscious of its new importance in life, will strive to uphold the high scholastic reputation already established by Ramsay graduates. ProbaMy the most outstanding significance of our graduation is the parallel between our senior class and our Nation. Four years ago we were both wrapped in darkness: ours the darkness of ignorance ami incx|icrieticc; our Nation’s, the darkness of a hitter crisis. Our first sensations were those of uneasiness and self-consciousness; we were in a fever of uncertainty when suddenly there came to us the realization that co-operation is the essential element of all human endeavor. We worked and strove to attain this virtue and its benefits. Now we arc emerging into the light, ami with confidence and optimism we push forward toward new goals. We find ourselves in the midst of epoch-making decisions of a changing world. Our capable statesmen, under the dominating guidance of our President, have challenged the foundation on which we have lxren building our economic structure and have denounced its principles as inadequate, wasteful, and unworthy of our destiny. During the past few years those leaders in whom the country hail placed the utmost confidence in the management of its finances, liad taken unwarranted risks with their own and the public's resources for the sole purpose of accumulating ast personal fortunes. What immediate legal step could have Ixrcti taken against such ends? None. The obsolete codes used by the judicial departments required that the decisions of a trial l c based on technicalities rather than principles; so the politicians with their artificial prophecies of enduring prosperity eluded the courts on every hand ami stained the country with their debased practices. Through their alliances the country was locked in a conflict of party prejudices, during which time the inefficiency of overlapping departments caused the steady increase of state and federal expenses. In a word, none of the institutions of our national life has escaped the challenge of these times. Business, politics, education, even the courts have been subjected to criticism. The responsibilities set forth by the New Deal require that we adapt ourselves to these new am! varying conditions. In this role of adaptation we must look to education for leadership. Surely in times like these we need not a less, hut a greater emphasis upon education, which Dr. Kiipatrick defines as life itself creatively facing its novelly emerging problems. But if social licttcrmcut is to lie our final achievement, our efforts at education will have to be directed toward all ago at once, instead of the hahitual method of child instruction. The acceleration of political and economic changes has made it absurd to think that any education can ever Ik- completed. One oi the most significant of our social changes is the sudden increase in our leisure time. We must, therefore, seize every opportunity to educate ourselves in the conscious and interested enjoyment of self-expression, if we arc to be trained for the complete living of tomorrow. Fellow classmates, in thr light of all these tremendous social and economic changes which America is facing, my final word to you must l e in the nature of a wish. My wish is that each of 11s individually may attain a vision of the larger life and fit ourselves through a more intelligent discrimination, a broader tolerance, and a more generous sportsmanship to play our part in this inarch of civilization. —John Davis.

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 SF.NKER. REGINA. “Ginm Ambiturn: To aee all four corner of the WfM, Antvilirs: President French Quit Mis Vice Pre»i-dent French Clab T2;; Marabal Ml. MJ. SKELETON. LAURA. BtonJie Aeth-itUt: Mu»ic Club MO; Sport Club MI. M2: Operetta Ml: Entre Nona M2: Ihnkct M3; Mac-•Ual M3. SMITH. CAROLYN NANCE Ambition: To atrive for tbe beat. SMITH. DAISY l F.AN. Ihtit Ambition: “To be able to out-talk tovaelf A-in itift: International Club Ml; Muralial MO: Gym Captain MO, Ml; Adelphian Club MO. Ml. M2. SMITH. PRESTON, Pm' Ambition: To wander »imlc» ly through life to a definite end. Attkitki; i’renident Seaaion Room MO. Ml: Council MO. Ml: Marshal MO. Ml; Ranker MO. Ml: Sec-retan Aviation f.lub M3; Cheer louder M3: Spurt -manahip Committee M3; Annual Staff M4. TRAMMELL. MARIE ELIZABETH. “W Ambition: To lie a Joumaliat and horiron cluiaer. Aettntia: Mimic Club MO; Girl Keacrve MO; Literary Club Ml M2. UPSIIANV. ROY Ambition: “To graduate. WfflGO. ALLAN. H'imffo Ambition: To find an original one. WOOLVKRTON. WILLIAM H., Billy Ambition} To have no ambition, AcItijUn: Scout Club MO; Science Chib MO; Court ul lidnor 32. 33: MarahnI J3; StMitt nu nihii Committee 'JJ. AAA CULP. MARY HEWITT. HERMAN

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PRESIDENTS ADDRESS (JUNE) Friend . Faculty and Classmates: Sever until today have wc Ixrcu able to realize or to picture with such a vivid imagiua-tion the meaning of the expression, The parting of the ways.” For four happy years we have worked together and have enjoyed the pleasures of comradeship in all the activities of our school. A spirit oi loyalty has prevailed throughout our school career. No one has sought individual advancement, but each of u has worked, side by side, for a common cause— tlic good of all. As we leave this sheltered life and step out into the future of uncertainties, we realize that individual aggressiveness in seeking private gain docs not advance the public welfare. Long ago our forefathers were taught that education was accommodating the future to the past. All action was based on traditions and prejudices. Now wc know that if wc arc to solve our social and economic problems of today, we must utilize the past only as a resource in developing the future. Traditional lore must lie supplemented with experiment. In recent years there has been a marked increase of interest in the study of government. Much has been written about our national government from a newer point of view to give us a lictter jicrspectivc of its development. The public has licconic aware of the fact that a solid foundation for the prosperity of the country can come only through national planning and co-operation of the people as a whole. If we are to face these serious problems and to secure social changes without disorder, we must interest ourselves in social relationships. We may profit much by the mistakes of others. Wc have been busy learning the experiences of the race tor thousands of generations. and now wc must make the application. As we go forth, let us keep lief ore us the ideal of unselfish service. It i' the meaner soul that makes its own success the goal; the nobler spirit rejoices to lie able to help his fellow men. Our greatest leaders have l een those who served mankind best. In an address to a graduating class President Wilson asked, Do you covet honor? Do you covet distinction? You will get it only as the servant of mankind. Perhaps, as wc have studied the lives of those great men and women who have distinguished themselves by their service and accomplishments, wc have despaired that wc could ever lie of great service as we have analyzed our own qualities and found that wc lack many of the things that constitute greatness. The biologists tell us that no one has ever used his brain even to one-third of its capacity, and wc are told that we have reservoirs of powers which few of us rarely tap. Darwin held the opinion that men differ less in capacity than in -cal and determination to utilize the powers which they have. Newton narrowly escaped being an unknown farmer; Pasteur, a tanner; Farady, an obscure bookbinder. There must have been many other men of equal ability who failed to recognize the opportunity of broadening their lives. Hut. friends, easy lives will hardly arouse our dormant powers unless we Have the urge ami determination to press onward. With the leisure time and the financial security which wc hope the new order of things will bring to us, we should make the greatest progress in the arts and sciences that civilization has yet known. Classmates, wc must go forth into this new epoch into which our nation has lieen so suddenly thrust with eager stride, with youth’s pride and hope, and with no fear of the future. 1-ct us accept the challenge that has been given to intelligent leadership to solve the problems of unemployment, economic security for the masses, and the many related problems of which society lias become so acutely conscious since the liegioniitg of the New Deal. They are too big to lie Solved in a day. and the jierfcct solution may, necessarily, l e evolved through the trial and error method. For centuries the principle of industry has lieen rugged or unrestrained individualism, hut in tile next era the keynote will lie cooperation for the welfare of the whole. As this evolution takes place, let us keep the pace and endeavor not to fall behind the march of progress. Bobby Burks.