Benjamin Franklin High School - Maroon and Orange Yearbook (New York, NY)

Page 12 text:

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PLEDGE We, the Seniors of January '48, recaii the obstacles we encountered in surmounting the barrier of the first hill on the continuous, upward climb to education. With faith and the never-ceasing encouragement and iniiu- ence of our teachers, we have been able to succeed. The path upward has been like a venturesome trip up a mountain by an inexperienced mountain- climber on his first trip with, however, the advantage of an experienced mountain-climber at his side. We were, of course, the inexperienced climb- ersg the teachers, the experienced helpers. Upon embarking on this venture, we were anxious but enthusiastic. We proceeded to climb, gazing iongingiy at the top and imaging how wonderful it must be up there, knowing that once We reached the summit we could ascend even higher altitudes by ourselves. We were cautioned by the climbers at our sides not to rush, but to take our time because the road ahead was treacherous. We went ahead cautiously, oblivious of the world around us. We were concerned only with the immediate task ahead. As we climbed, the road seemed a little easier. We ascended still higher, sometimes iosing our footing but the experienced climbers ever at our side tightened the siack in our rope steadying us. As we continued to climb, we sometimes slipped, we must confess, cutting and bruising ourselves, but the reassuring hands of the ones at our sides kept encouraging us. At times, we became discour- aged and were tempted to turn back but the ever-reassuring hands kept urging us on. Their patience became spent at times at our lack of iaith in ourselves, but nevertheless they remained steadfast. At last, we looked up and just before us in a ring of inviting clouds was the topi This encouraged us to put everything we had in this last lap. We made iti We are at the top now. We shake hands with the help- ful aids without whose guidance we could never have reached our goal. Thanking them, we leave them to start their journey to give some other inexperienced climbers their wonderful help. Now, at last, we can proceed alone. We therefore pledge that to the best of our ability, we will put to good use the knowledge we have acquired as students of Benjamin Franklin High School, the finest community school in the city. WALTER THOMPSON 7

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'Q' - khifxxfji' D , .29 G56 ' se. 2 A GLANCE AHEAD X .X . V. w .QX 5 rf .x-- -RL We Seniors see a hetter future for ourselves in the next few years to come. We know that we will never desert our suffering Iorethran in Xges ranks. We will fight, it necessary, for the ideals and sacredfstiiishnlwei ' :JM ' ' X x the United States of America, both as private citizens and with the Army, if called upon. Towards all races and all creeds, we will ever preach and practice the principles of equality as set down in the Constitution of the United States of America. We will ever guard jealousty the right to freedom of worship, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press. We will respect and ohey our country,s laws and do our hest to awaken a similar respect in those ahout us who are, perhaps, prone to he careless about these duties. We will strive ever to do our full duty as citizens and thus in all these ways to transmit these ideals to our children so that they will he, if possible, even better Americans than we have been. ' Rocco CoRET'r1 9