Albany College of Pharmacy - Alembic Yearbook (Albany, NY)

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i urrpsa The great secret of success in life is to be prepared when opportunity knocks at your door. There is nothing quite so persistent as that inward voice ever reminding us, ever persuading us to improve those opportunities that are prevalent throughout our entire life. Then you must be prepared at all times to forge ahead, to grow up and reach out. That man who asserts that he has no opportunity within his scope must be miserable, fighting his own conscience and crushing that voice within him. Now is the time, when youth favors you, chances await you and ambition calls you to grow strong in knowledge and make good every chance in your path. It is the one great opportunity of your whole life, and if you improve this one many others are bound to follow, but if you disregard it your chances are simply lost forever. Some people are of the opinion that an opportunity is a goldcti thing, untangible in a way, and its forthcoming is announced by trumpet blasts. .Such people wander through life indifferently awaiting that chance to come and lay itself at their feet. To such people that chance will never come. They do not seem to realize that these “ chances ” always exist and that an eligible person is the chief requisite in filling the bill. In other words, one must “ produce the goods to hold down the job.” There are so many “ live wires ” these days that you must continually go ahead, learn something new, keep up with the times or you will be forced to retreat into the hazy background. Once you stop, remember, someone else is catching up with you or else getting ahead of you. If you wish to he a success in the twentieth century, you must elbow by your competitors in the alleyways of life. We men of the twentieth century are divided into three classes: Those who are horn rich, those who acquire riches, and those who have riches thrust upon them. Generally those who are fortunate enough to be of the first class invest their fortune profitably under the supervision of their wise fathers, who perhaps accumulated the wealth ; or else squander it and, having no available means of acquiring a similar fortune, the door of opportunity is barred against them. The second class comprises the man of the hour. The man who is sought after. The progressive, energetic man; the alert, wideawake man, to whom all in turn must bow. He is the man who believed the great reward was not 22

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to tlie advancement and upholding of a high standard in the pharmaceutical world. Some of you may use the knowledge acquired here as a foundation for more advanced work in this or closely allied lines. All must realize that the end of your present work is only the beginning of a broader and more extended field of labor. You cannot remain stationary, you must either advance or fall behind. There may be some who are of opinion that they are not by nature or surrounding conditions on an equality with others, it is not always those who appear to, and in fact may have advantage over others, who succeed to the greatest extent. The world is wide; the outlook and opportunities are greater than ever; in all probability just as good in your environment as in some distant locality. The race is not always to the strong and swift. A consistent and persistent purpose, slow in pursuit it may he, will in all cases bring no small measure of satisfaction and success. Allow me to urge you to hold fast what ydtf'have obtained, and deter- mine to add to it. always bearing in mind that your Alma Mater stands ready at all times to aid in every possible way. A. B. H. 21

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for him who strived to lighten his burdens, but for him who acquired strength to endure them. He is the man who was prepared when opportunity knocked, and success was the reward. Then the third class is considered by many “ the lucky fellow,” but the greater majority of this class play minor parts on the stage of life. They have plenty of the “ filthy lucre,” but no means of obtaining it honestly. What do they contribute to the world '1 Nothing much, but invariably the spendthrifts’ evil influence, which spreads and prevails, unfortunately, throughout the lives of some men, whose success would have been clever bad not jealousy and false pride led them into competition with these muddle- headed. dough-burdened, third class spendthrifts. This class, indeed, we must pity. But we arc not classed with them. We have our field to culti- vate. We must listen to that voice. Watch! Listen ! Lost once, it is lost forever. It knocks but once. Tf you disregard it, you will loose all. Ambition is the rising star of fame. “ Hitgh your wagon to that star.” Remember this is a free country in which the highest positions can be ob- tained by the lowest on the ladder of success. Some of our very executives at Washington have risen from the ranks. This only proves the oppor- tunities this country affords. There is no reason why you cannot surmount the pedestal of your desires. Tf you have not heeded the voice the first time, train your efforts for the next, and when an opportunity looms before you, seize it and others will follow in its wake. G. E. G. '17. 23