Barringer High School - Athenaeum Yearbook (Newark, NJ)

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A t h e n a e u m BARRINGER HIGH SCHOOL NEWARK NEW JERSEY

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THE YOUNGER GENERATION Once there were children who played, and laughed, who were unconcerned as they took life by its tail to wrangle out its joy. and laughed at its seriousness, who sat upon the earth's green grass composing odes to distant stars, who smelled the sweetness of summer breezes, were stupified with the wonder of each new day. and thought nothing more beautiful than the morning sun on a cloudless day. The children grew, their bodies experiencing metabolic change. Their minds broadened, their scopes enlarged, their sense of values changed. And with their purposes directed, they set out upon the path of life determined to make their marks on the pages of history. High schools, technical and preparatory schools, colleges and other institutions of higher learning will, at the end of June, give to the world a new generation upon whom the future of mankind may very well depend, to whom many new and exciting things will be offered, and by whom grave responsibility and challenge will be met. It is upon our integrity, stamina, character, leadership, foresight, intelligence, and ingenuity that the future of civilized society will rest. The future of the world is in highly capable hands. Never before have the young been so educated. Nearly forty per cent of American youth go on to higher education—usually to specialize in some particular field, the number of which has vastly expanded. More and more members of our highly independent group take advantage of these opportunities which afford them as a group unprecedented affluence. Then again there are those who realize our value, who recognize our accomplishments and give merit and credit where it is due. They are the teachers who take time out to help us when we need them; the parents who leave us to our own devices—to find our own answers—but are always in the background just in case; the old man next door who stops us on the street because he knows we'll listen; the young mother who trusts us with her children; the policeman who helps us out of trouble; and many, many people like J.F.K.. who believed in us and didn't fail to let us know it. These people and innumerable others gave us strength, courage, and a renewed faith in our fellow man. Enough so that we could go on to complete our education, to join the Peace Corps, to fight for the rights of others—in the South and in Viet Nam—to stand up for our rights and decisions and to keep our morals high at any cost. Ours is the job to cure all the ills of the world and make important discoveries. We'll do it. We re determined. We can't fail! You may think us strange, we hope unique, but we shall be satisfied if at least you think of us.