Weymouth High School - Campus / Reflector Yearbook (Weymouth, MA)

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Reita Ger. ldine Colligan Builders of Destiny

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IAN WEIR, ' ocational School Class President ROBERT HIPPLER, Vice-President FRANCIS NADELL, Secretary-Treasurer ARTHUR VINAL. Class Marshal

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ON this our Graduation Day, we the CMass ol ut H. cxtciul a (ordial uclcomc to all who are gathered here. Mothers and lathers, we greet you affection- ately and hope that in luture years we nia i)e worthy oi the jjride and laith which you have in us to-day. Mr. Pearson and members ol the .School Committee, we welcome you who lia c gi en us such line educational acKantages dining oui years in school. Principal and teachers, we are cleejjly gialelul to you lor your ]jatience and understanding in tiaining us to meet (ourageously the prohlems ol lile. Our large Ameriean cities, wiili iluii tall skyscrapers and scjuat tenement houses preseiU a pictuie ol (oniiasi. a picture which reflects man ' s individuality and Ireedom. The tall buildings, reaching lar iiuo the heavens, are like men searching tor somciiiing abo e. something about whi(h liu y are not cpiite certain. The s(|uat buildings seem siuidiei and moie reliable. I hey are the foundations upon which theii more lofiv sisters depend. Behind this |)icture there is a story— the story of men who create, the sU)i ol men who build. Financiers, whose e er mci e is outlined lar in adxaiue, ha e amassed huge loitiuies by building sie|) i)y step. Thex ha c ' become i)uilders by carelul |)lanning. The first cave men who accidenih disioxeied fue. were builders. These men were builders l)y accideiu. Other men ha e become builders through necessity, (lir- (umstaiues beyond their contiol lorced them to build and create. Ihey are l)uilders ol destiny. The need ol a stiong staple go eiiimeni to leplace the .Articles ol (lonleder- ation brought a group ol the leading men ol the colonies to l ' hiladel|)hia in the spring ol 17H7. (Congress, under the .Articles, had proved inefficient. The currency and (ledii ol the countrN were worthless at home and abioad. (ionnnerce. among the states and with foreign nations, was hopelessly nuiddled. The states, like inde- pendent nations, levied taxes and collected duties. It was to remedy these ills that the (lonstiliuional Ccjnvention had lieen called. From the chaos of the inlant republic these men were destined to fjuifd a nation which was to surpass all others and become the greatest democracy in the woild. Foremost among these delegates was deorge ' ashington, the father ol his country. By the unanimous consent ol the members he was elected president ol the com em ion. During the time given lo ilie actual framing of the Ccjnstilui ion, Washington made but one speech. Vet his inffuence on the delegates was great. Under his careiul guidance the Constitution, • as we know it, took form. He lavored a stiong central government and urged the formation of one which would assure this. In later years as President, he laid the fjasis ol our foreign policy in his Neutrality Proclamation. He warned the people to keep out ol European affairs, and urged them to love and preserve the Union. Benjamin Franklin, a delegate from Pennsylvania, was now in his eightieth year, but his mind was still as active as ever. He was the great conciliator ol the convention. He accomplished more at one friendly dinner party than the others did in a week of furious debate. On one occasion when the members were becoming overwrought, the good doctor rose and said: In the beginning of the contest with Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayer in this room for divine protection. Our prayers were heard and graciously answered. .And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend, or do we imagine that we no ' onger need His assistance? With these stern words, the doctor moved that 14