Agawam High School - Sachem Yearbook (Agawam, MA)

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20 AGAWAM HIGH SCHOOL The Oration It was a warm sunny afternoon in early summer. The ocean breeze brought with it a tang of salt air as it swayed the curtains of a darkened bedroom on an island estate off the coast of Maine. Within that room lay a man stricken with a strange disease, a disease which had paralyzed his body from the waist down. A month before, he had held the state senate at Albany spellbound by his power as an orator, and now he lay on his bed, a helpless Cl ippie. 11 is physicians informed him that there was a meager chance for his regaining enough strength to move around if he was willing “to pay the price.” Franklin D. Rocsevelt said, “I will pay the price,” and he did. For a decade he fought a dogged fight to regain control over his paralyzed legs by exercising them each day. Today he is able to stand and walk in his braces. He was a man who could not possibly afford to fail, for he had made careful plans for life, and it was his duty to fulfill them as best he could. He fulfilled them to the utmost degree, to a degree of obtaining the highest honor and position in the land, because he had courage, determination, and above all ambition. Some of his oldest friends were deploring this degree of ambition as almost indecent. But certainly no man without it could have become the third democratic president since the civil war. Ambition is not a sudden fancy or caprice that disappears when confronted with opposition or failures. Real ambition is a longing for something you want, something clearly and fully visualized so that it generates the energy called determination and the attitude called courage. Ambition then, may be defined as a goal clearly seen, plus determination, plus courage. These commencement exercises in which we are taking part tonight, are wrongly named, it may seem, for isn’t it the end of school? Yet from another point of view it is a commencement, a commencement of responsibility and hard work. We, the class of ’34, are going out into what people say is a difficult situation, a situation in which only the best can be successful. What do we mean by the best? The person with the greatest ambition, one who will keep trying regardless of the setbacks, one who will tackle a job no matter how great, and one who has the grit and determination to succeed. It is time for us to look upon life seri- ously and earnestly. We have made the climb to graduation; now we must fortify ourselves to move out into real life with its countless hardships, discouragements, and sorrows. If we lack ambition we can hope to become only another unfortunate, an- other one of the millions in this world who sit back and hope for better conditions, and who fail. Ambition is not necessarily born with the individual, but it

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1934 YEAR BOOK 19 President’s Welcome The members of the Class of ’34 extend a sincere welcome to all the parents and friends gathered here for the eleventh commencement exercises of the Agawam High School. We hope that you will enjoy with us our class night program. To you, parents and other citizens of the town, we are indebted for the privilege of having been able to attend a school of such high standing, created by you that we might learn how to become better members of the community. We shall try hard to prove that your efforts have not been in vain. Mere words cannot express our sincere gratitude toward Mr. Phelps, Mr. Williams, and to our faculty for their patient guidance and instruction. However, we appreciate all they have done for us and we hope that we shall be able to prove our- selves the citizens they have endeavored so hard to make us. Friends, once more we extend a hearty welcome and hope you will enjoy these, our class night exercises. RONALD JOHNSON Pioneers The pioneers of yesterday Had grim determination. For years they braved great dangers To build a mighty nation. Across the land long trails they blazed; The rushing streams they forded; For all their deeds of courage With freedom were rewarded. Today we still have trails to blaze; We still need hearts as brave. The trials we face in this great land Our country’s life must save. And now we start our journey, For time has swiftly flown.— “The past is gone forever, The future’s still our own.” JENNIE WHITE.

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1934 YE R BOOK 21 can be cultivated. As our knowledge of some subject expands, our ambition should increase accordingly. Some of our famous men, Lincoln, Franklin, and Edison serve as striking examples of this. As boys, these men did not imagine the honor and the fame that was awaiting them. Lincoln was a clerk, Franklin a printer, and Edison a newsboy. As they grew older they realized the necessity of courage, persistency, and hard work if they wished to become famous. These men were not afraid to tackle a complicated task, they did not falter when difficulties arose, they were determined to win regardless of how long or how hard they had to try, and they undertook their duties with resolute confidence. What kind of a reputation have these men today? They are looked upon as geniuses, as idols, and as personalities which every boy and girl should try to emulate. We too can cul- tivate ambition by asking ourselves, what would 1 like to be, what plan must 1 follow to obtain this position, and what policies must 1 adopt, and which ones must I avoid in order to be successful. Although we cannot all be Lincolns and Edisons, and although we cannot all become famous, we can all be successful by develop- ing to the fullest the talents we have and by being the best in whatever field chance or choice puts us, no matter how humble the position. The townspeople have certainly done their share in main- taining a modern and an efficient high school which is ranked with the best in Western Massachusetts, and in chocsing a capa- ble school committee who, with Mr. Phelps, have chosen an expe- rienced and a well-trained faculty. The principal and the teach- ers have done everything in their power to place this school in the Class “A” ranking by giving extra help to these who find the going rough, in order to uphold a high academic standing, and by devoting much of their time to the various clubs, and staffs, and other extra-curricular activities. The reason they have done this is obvious. They were training us so that we can more easily meet and overcome the harassing situations outside of school. We, the class of ’34, must show them that we are worthy of their efforts. The varied training they have given us we must use to conquer greater and more difficult obstacles, and to accomplish deeds that will bring more honor and fame to ourselves, to our school, and to our community. In going on to larger undertakings, whether they be in col- lege or in business, we may well profit by the advice in the poem of Edgar Guest called “It Couldn’t Be Done, But He Did It.” There are thousands to tell you that it cannot be done There are thousands to prophesy failure There are thousands to point out to you one by one The dangers that wait to assail you.