Battle Creek Central High School - Paean Yearbook (Battle Creek, MI)

Page 12 text:

Opportunity is a thing of the present and stands waiting for those who truly seek it. Whatever your work may be,-whether you think you are be- neath your work, or that your work is beneath you, -do your best. The employee who makes it a business to mind his business and do his best soon finds that he has the opportunity to see that others mind their business. Above all things, dowft My to fall into at soft smtp. Too many have tried, and are trying right along. The man who tries to fall into a soft snap generally falls far and lands hard. Be ambitious. Have a purpose in life, for, The whole world turns aside for the man who knows whither he is going. Battle Creek High School owes more than can be expressed in mere words to Mr. Hinman for the impetus he has given to oratory. Five years ago oratory was unthought of-almost unheard of in the school. Now, the annual oratorical contest is looked forward to throughout the entire year. We feel sure that in the future there will be some of the country's gifted speakers who can look back to their high school days, and say that for the first awakening of their interest,-for their start ln speaking,--they are indebted to the oratorical con- test, and to Mr. Hinman. We extend a most hearty greeting to the Class of 1916. Next fall you will begin four of the most enjoyable years of your life. Make these years mean something to you. Do something in High School. Don't wait until you are a Junior or a Senior,-then it will be late,-we might almost say, too late. Do what you can when you are a Fresh- man. Make Battle Creek High mean something to you, then you will mean something to Battle Creek High. t

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D2 r l ll L l Chl Vial H Q, ,IL ,A ,3t- . xi' V jk? M W' K PK ' Q :: gr For years our character has been moulded and formed under watchful supervision. Now, while it is still plastic, while every touch leaves its iin- pression, good or bad, we are going forth into the world. Let us round it out with strength and firin- ncss, with high ideals and noble principles, so that the World may say, this is in truth a man. Let us guard our character jealously 1'6l'llGl11lJC1'lllg that we alone a1'e responsible for it. No one can sully it but ourselves. Slander may be heaped upon it, but in the end it Will. eome out triumphant, putting those to shame who seek, through petty artilices to taint it. It is ours-the very ego, and no one can take it from us. Witlioiit character our whole life would rest on a foundation of sand, and at the 'lirst storm would totter and fall, to be blown about by the unpitying blasts,-a battered and worthless direlect. Let us be conhdent, but not over-conli- dent, bold, but not over-bold. Let us look for the good in life,-for the beautiful. Let us cultivate appreciation. Let us learn to live. The man who waits for opportunity to knock is generally so busy knocking otl1e1's that he fails to hear the rap himself. Opportunity isn't luck-- there is no such thing as luck. Today there are a thousand opportunities where yesterday there was but one. It is only necessary to realize this and to profit by the realization to be successful. Henry Van 'Dyke has given us the very essence of success and it is well worth quoting: 'f7lhe shallow hgu my hngcr cast Divifles the future from the post: Before fit, sleeps the unborn hour In flurhuess, and beyond thy power: Hehjhrl its fIli7H'IfhIlI'7lt7Z-lj Zine, The Quuzislierl hour, no longer thine: One hour alone is in thy 7mnd.s,- The NOW on 'whfich the .slmclow slumls. , '

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