Angola High School - Key Yearbook (Angola, IN)

Page 33 text:

Salutatory In behalf of the class of 1928, I wish to extend to you, our parents, teachers, and friends, a most cordial welcome and to express our apprecia¬ tion for your efforts in helping us to make the most of a high school educa¬ tion. During the last four years, our teachers have been instructing us, in such a way, that we may be most efficient in the kind of work that we choose in the future. What is efficiency? It is the ability to produce the desired result, or maximum effect, with the minimum of effort, or expense. Much training and practice is necessary to reach the point of highest efficiency. To attain this degree, we must have four traits of character: integrity, obedience to law, clean living, and singleness of purpose, or loy¬ alty. We enjoy doing business with the man who practices integrity,—the man who will be honest with us,—the man who will look after our inter¬ ests as well as his own. The salesman who is honest with his customers wili be in demand much more than the man who is noted for misleading people. The efficient man must, in the second place, be obedient to the laws of of both, God and man, that is, to religious, social, industrial, and govern¬ mental laws. Clean living is a third requisite for efficiency. The workman in a fac¬ tory who is in excellent physical condition can perform his duties much better than the person who has a physical defect. Besides physical fitness, there is moral cleanliness. We should have high ideals and strive toward them continually. Keep reaching for higher, nobler things. True greatness lies in being of service to mankind. The person who has no desire to rise above his own level, can never be a leader and consequently can not be of as much service to his fellow men as a man of better character. Here, too, honesty might be mentioned. No person should want anything that is gained through a compromise with what is right. The fourth requirement for efficiency is singleness of purpose, or loyalty. Choose one occupation. Then study and practice it until you become most proficient. No one can be loyal to competitors. The same soldier never fights for both armies. In the Bible we find, “No man can serve two masters.” Yet, it is fitting for us to know something about more than one occupation. AVe should) be versatile to such an extent that, should we be forced from our chosen occupation, we can still make a living through some other vocation.

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A Valedictory Spring Board of Life As the first warm gentlei breezes blow there comes a certain queer rest¬ less feeling down deep into the heart of all, most every person. This rather odd disturbance we have termed “spring fever. This year spring fever brought a certain very contagious disease of skating and jumping the- rope, which become popular especially with this class of very dignified Seniors. And now, when the warmer breezes blow we turn our minds to flowing springs and spring-boards. Suppose-. There is a great diving raft in a peaceful lake. Slowly and steadily we have climbed the twelve steps which lead to the top of the raft. Occasionally some have been able to ski]) a step or again others have stayed on one rung of the ladder while their class-mates have gone on. When we started at the foot, the great steps were crowded but as we ad¬ vanced higher and higher our number grew less as many had voluntarily jumped into the lake. But to-day, all that have attained the twelfth step stand beside the great spring-board gazing into the lake. What will that strange body of bright smooth water and dark billowy waves bring to each of us? Happi¬ ness? Toil? College? Success? Only time can tell. We glance back to the steps to wave good-by to our teachers, the cus¬ todians that helped us to rise up the ladder. About the raft are our parents who smile with utmost confidence for each has faith that his own dear one will go far on the lake. And the distance—nr success will not be measured by wealth, prestige, or fame, but by service. Looking again into the great depths of the unknown lake we recall the disagreeable themes the monotonous drills, and troublesome problems. Was it worth it? Certainly. Just look, we have reached the great spring-board by which we may dive farther out into the lake than if we had despaired on the third,, seventh or tenth step and attempted to jump from a stationary step. We have had as much fun or possibly more than any other Senior class has ever had, but I think we have realized that the responsibilities will grow heavier and we are not entirely irresponsible. And perhaps, fun will have become such a habit that it will follow us from the spring-board and help us to ride the rough waves and to smile when the storms rage. At last we will walk to the end of the spring-board and balance to test, not the board’s strength and ability, but our own. Then, gathering all our skill, strength of character, and physical and mental ability, gained on the twelve steps, we will plunge into the great sea of human endeavor and theie seek the fulfillment of those hopes and ambitions toward which we have been looking. —MIRIAM L. STEVENS, ’28.

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As to wages, it has been proved that the more efficient of two men will receive higher wage. Any employer will pay more for the man who can do a certain amount of work in a given time than he will for the man who can do only half as much. The efficiency of one worker may depend largely upon every other worker being in his place at the proper time and performing his duties skillfully and conscientiously. The maximum amount of work can not be done, should one man fail to do his part. Education is one of the most important factors which determine the efficiency of a man or woman. At first, education stood only for a higher literary and artistic culture. Later it emphasized the need of a better and clearer understanding of the working of the government. At the present time, society demands, besides culture and the knowledge of the science of the government, industrial efficiency. The increasing interest along educational lines shows that the next gen¬ eration will demand not only cultural development and the call of civic duty, hut it will also demand industrial efficiency. Those are requisites necessary for an ideal life, and, as life is the sum total of all the forces that resist death, it behooves us to improve our op¬ portunities, to the end that we may have a well-rounded useful life. —LORETTA SANDERS, ’28.