Bedford High School - Talisman Yearbook (Temperance, MI)

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Presiulc-:nfs Address Fasten your safety belts, please. We of the 1956 class of Bedford High School are about to make a routine landing. Our travels were made most enjoyable by the effi- ciency of our crew. We began our journey with Pilot John M. Conat and Co-Pilot Reid Stout at the controls. Under the expert maneuvering of these able officers, our flight progressed with the greatest accuracy and ease. About two-thirds of the way, our crew was relieved by Pilot Charles Scheltema and Co-Pilot Wilbur Facklam, and the rest of our trip was as capably handled as it began. As we all make our final preparations to land, we cannot help thinking back over the journey which will soon be behind us. During this voyage, many of us have met difficulties and hardships. Others have encountered pleasures, enjoyments, and mem- ories which will be treasured, always. Some have dropped along the way as the trip pro- gressed. These we parted from in regret, and now that our journey nears its thrilling climax, we only wish that they could be here to see what they have missed. Soon we will reach the runway of life with its network of highways leading away in every direction. As we glance about at our co-travelers, we wonder about the path that each will take. Who will take the lesser roads and little traveled by-ways, and how many will seek the higher roads of learning to go on to greater heights? We can see the airport very clearly now and our long-awaited destination is at hand. The fact that we must soon say goodbye and go our separate ways gives us a feeling of nostalgia, and we feel regretful that such a wonderful flight must end. Then the thought occurs to us. Must it really end? Why should it? Surely there are wonders unheard of to be explored and vast horizons for us to soar above. Let us, as we say goodbye, determine to immediately set into motion plans to take another flight. There are many well-trained persons all over the world eager to command flights of youth such as we, to heights of higher learning. They will counsel us through the atomic age and other new fields of endeavor opening to the youth of today. We know that no man need lack the opportunity to succeed. Let us rise to the challenge, set ourselves on our course, and fly to endless heights. With our ideals high enough, our principles Christian enough, and our incentive never to be found lacking, we will find ourselves united as the future citizens of a nation whose wonders and oppor- tunities have never before been equaled. So, now, classmates, counselors, teachers and parents, let us make a safe landing. I congratulate all of you on the successful part you have played in our flight. I offer a special thank you to our stewardess, Miss Kams, and our steward, Mr. Hale, who have performed their duties with perfection. As we go our separate ways, may we always fondly remember our high school days and our friendships acquired here. May you go forward with God's blessings and may life's fortunes smile on you. Happy landings, Kent Kubitz, President

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0rati0n With the ropes of the past we ring the bells of the future. In choosing this as their motto, the seniors of 1956, I believe, showed understanding of our nation's very foundation. Statesmen, teachers, writers, laborers, all have toiled not for themselves and their time alone but for usffor what to them was the future, The fact that their bells are still ringing out against communism, oppression, bigotry, greed and bloodshed, proves without the shadow of a doubt that the fibres of their ropes were strong and durable and that they were carefully and skillfully woven. Richard Horne in his poem, THE PLOUGH, said, Ye rigid Ploughmen! Bear in mind . Your labor is for the future hours. Advance! spare not! nor look behind! Plow deep and straight with all your powers. Yes, the Washingtons, Jeffersons, Lincolns, and Franklins of the past plowed deep and straight that our fields might be smooth and sweet and ready for our tilling! Would that we can do as much for the future generations. Would that we may do our tasks well and thus strive to lift humanity to a higher plane of existence for all the ages of the future. If we hope to do this, we must first be sure that our ropes are of the finest workman- ship. How can we do this? As you know, a rope is made up of small fibers twisted into cords which are then twined about each other in an orderly fashion to make it strong. In just such a way, so are our lives formed by days of learning, both in school and out. The strength of our rope is in the ideals we have been taught by our parents and teachers. Such ideals as honesty, fortitude, courage, perseverence, and a genuine interest in and love for our fellow men! We now have a firm foundation, therefore, it is up to us to use what we have learned to learn more, as none but the very foolish ever stop learning from life itself. However, each of us must learn the secret of coping with the many barriers-such as temptations to take the quick and easy way, to walk over others in onels shuffle to the top, or to follow the teaching of the multitude rather than the dictates of one's heart and intellect-that are sure to blockade our progress as we strive to increase the strength and tenure of the rope wc have thus far woven. Then and only then will the lessons we learn from lifefregardless of vocation or profession we choosewbecome usable knowl- edge that we can use for the betterment of mankind. And so, to you, classmates, to you who face the future resolute and confidentg to you who strive in spirit of brotherhood for the betterment of our nation, to you who gird yourselves for this great fight in the never-ending warfare for the good of man- kind, to you I say, Your bells will ring loud and long in the future's undiscovered land. Thank yon, Marla Miller, Orator

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l . Class lllstory Parents, Faculty, Classmates, and Friends: Tonight we will relate the happenings of our four years of' high school together, for soon we shall part. Little did we think when we were freshmen, that we would ever be ringing the bells of the future, but there were times when we were surely tangled in the ropes. Our freshman year was spent, in part, at the old high school in Lambertville. Because of the large classes and the limited amount of classroom space, school was held in half-day sessions. In January, 1953 after much eager anticipa- tion, we moved to, this, the new school. That year we elected Norman Brown as our president to start us on the path that will wind to its end in just a few more days. Our first major project was selling magazines, our goal was 31700 and triumphantly we surpassed it. We set a record for magazine sales. The money was reserved in our class treasury to start us on the way toward our class trip. Miss Kams and Mr. Kirker were appointed our class advisors. Mr. Kirker has since taken a position at another school. June ended the first lap of our journey on the path of our high school life. In September of 1953, we settled down to undertaking the tasks of worthy underclassmen with the distinctive title of sophomores. We elected Barbara Bert, as our first and only feminine class president. Throughout the year Miss Kams and Mr. Paquette devoted much of their time and interest to acting as our class sponsors. To enable us to meet the expenses of our junior and senior years, we sponsored another magazine sale. One of our most outstanding entertainment projects was our Bunny Hop. This was a tremendous success. The main attractions were the live rabbits we presented as door prizes. Later in the year we selected as our class colors, navy blue and white and for our class liower, the pink carnation. - Then came the day during which we were to choose our class rings. We were particularly thrilled at this because of the fact that our rings are the first to have the new Bedford High School crest. The crest consists of a banner on which Bedford is written in gold letters, placed diagonally across a gold shield. In the upper and lower corners of the shield are placed the lamp of learning, and graduate's cap and diploma. Across the top is written our school motto Multum Pro Multisf' which translated from Latin means, Much for Many. We began our junior year by electing Ed Zak as our president. Soon after, one of the events most looked forward to by all junior classes took place. This event, of course, was the arrival of our class rings. We were very excited. Then we hegan working on plans for the Junior Carnival. After much preparation, the carnival was held in Oc- tober, 1954 and it was, we are very proud to say, one of the best ever. It took a great deal of effort and co-operation. The highlight of the carnival was the crowning of the king and queen. In March, the potential Garbos and Barrymores were summoned to the footlights and the grease paint, and the Junior class proudly presented our play, a comedy, Our Hearts Were Young And Gay, based on the lives of Cornelia Otis Skinner and Emily Kimbrough in a 1923 setting. Barbara Bert and Beverly Kinney portrayed the title roles. April 15 was the date of the J unior-Senior Prom which was held in our gymnasium, which was beautifully decorated. The theme of the prom was A Garden In Spring. Once again we were delighted with the wonderful results. In May we honored the Seniors at the J unior-Senior Banquet. The room depicted an Indian scene and we were entertained by authentic Indian dancing. In basketball season, we sponsored the dances after the home games. In June, we bade farewell to the Class of '55. We had now reached the top-most point in our high school years. As the Seniors received their diplomas and became alumni, we became Seniors. In the autumn of 1955, we began the last chapter of our history as a graduating class. To lead us in our achieve- ments this year, we elected as our senior class president, Kent Kubitz. Our advisors have been Miss Kams and Mr. Hale. Some of our most prominent class money-making projects have been, selling Christmas cards, sponsoring a paper drive, and taking charge of the dances after the home football games. It was decided that we could reach our financial goal by functioning as groups of ten or more students. Some of the projects carried on in this manner were, dances, sale of mums at the homecoming game, bake sales and selling pins and miniature pennants. The Curious Savage was the three act serious comedy we presented in November. The play related the curious things that happen to a Mrs. Ethel Savage, during the time in which she is falsely committed to a mental hospital. Mrs. Savage was played by Barbara Bert. The proceeds of this two-night presentation were added to the amount needed for our trip. We planned as our senior trip a tour of the Nation's Capitol. We left for Washington May 6, by train and returned May 10, by the same means. Included in the trip was a tour of our government buildings and also a moonlight cruise on the Potomac. The junior class honored us with a prom and banquet at the Women's Club, in Toledo, on May 19. There is now only our Commencement, that will serve as the last event in our history as a class together. However, as we take our places in a greater part of a complex society, we will treasure this memory-bound history. The history that has prepared us for a future as an individual in a growing and prospering nation. Thank you, Carol Paeth and Carolyn Stiles