Girard College - Corinthian Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

Page 8 text:

A Parting Expression of Appreciation is Extended to Miss Vera L. Goodrich Mr. John A. Lander Miss Ann M. Haid Mr. John R. Kleiser If anyone deserves appreciation for the work done for us, it is our hosts, hostesses, and Miss McGhee. Without them our social affairs would have been very uninteresting and unguided. They added the spark that has made our class the complete success that it has enjoyed. As long as any part of the Class of January ' 51 remains, the remembrance of their helpfulness will live. THE CORINTHIAN January

Page 7 text:

DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF STEPHEN GIRARD CABIN BOY - MARINER - MERCHANT - BANKER Class of January 1951 HUMANITARIAN . . . who five times between 1783 and 1820 led the fight against yellow fever epidemics in Philadelphia and in 1831 left nearly $7,000,000 to the people of this city for city improvements, the relief of poor widows, and the maintenance and education of their orphaned sons. PATRIOT . . . who during the War of 1812 helped save the United States from bankruptcy by arranging for the purchase of $8,000,000 in bonds above substantial subscriptions of his own. FOSTER FATHER . . . who has maintained and educated the boys of this Class and over 15,000 others. On this day of graduation from Girard College we salute him with deep gratitude, fer¬ vent admiration, and undying love.

Page 9 text:

To the Class of January 1951 : One of the most difficult lessons which a young man has to learn as he grows to maturity is that an acceptance of responsibility is the price paid for the blessing of freedom. As youngsters we have a natural inclination to seek and to cherish freedom. At first it is personal freedom we want, the oppor¬ tunity to do the things we like to do, the avoidance of tasks which are dis¬ tasteful. Later, our concept becomes more general, less personal, as we sub¬ scribe to the Four Freedoms of the Atlantic Charter and similar definitions of freedom. Here at Girard College, as you passed through childhood to young manhood, you discovered that your individual freedom was limited by the rights of others and by an obligation to assume certain responsibilities. You were held responsible for studying your lessons, for following the rules of acceptable behavior as members of a group, for conforming to the code of athletic competition. These were restraints upon absolute freedom, but ones which you came to recognize as necessary for mem¬ bers of a large social unit. Some of you developed a high sense of responsibility and became leaders of your fellows. You learned that leadership imposed even greater restraint on personal freedom. In working for the good of your class and of your school you willingly accepted the burden of responsibility, too busy to grieve over the loss of a freedom which somehow grew to have less significance. Now you are leaving Girard to enter into the life of a nation which, like you has but recently matured to a position of great responsibility. Neither you nor this nation can ever again return to a state of childish freedom, selfish and free of respon¬ sibility. For your sake, for the sake of the nation and for the sake of the family of nations, I hope that you have learned well this lesson. May you have strength to employ this knowledge wisely and unselfishly for the survival and advancement of the great nation of which you now become active, young adult citizens, jealous of your freedom, proud of your responsibility. Sincerely, W. B. WOLCOTT, JR. Director of Secondary Education 1951 THE CORINTHIAN