Boys High School - Epitome Yearbook (Reading, PA)

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THE EPITOME 51 Opportunity! America, this is thy priceless gift to rich and poor, to native and foreign-born alike. My friends, I, who but yesterday stood at your gate a stranger, thank America for the opportunities which she has bestowed upon me. These privileges, my friends, have ever been yours. Love them, cherish them, defend them as a rich heritage. . I have caught something of thy spirit, Americag I have grasped thy great ideals. Tomorrow I shall join with you in My country, 'tis of thee, Sweet land of liberty, Of thee I sing. Our fathers' God, to thee, Author of liberty, To thee we sing. Long may our land be bright VVitl1 f1'CCdOl11,S holy lightg Protect us by thy might, Great God, our King. V To the Superintendent of Schools, the Assistant Superintendent, and Mem- bers of the Board of Directors: VVe, the Class of 1927 February, wish to ex- press to you our sincere appreciation of the splendid educational opportunities which you have provided for us. VVe thank you most heartily and bid you farewell To our Principal, our Vice-Principal, our Faculty Advisor, and Members of the Faculty: Our words cannot express, much less repay, our debt to you. Your lives have been dedicated in our behalf. Your immortal influence upon us as molders of our character will become more deeply ingrained in our hearts as time goes on. Ere we go forth in quest of the ideals which you pointed out to ns, we linger for a moment to grasp your hands, express our heartfelt thanks, and bid you farewell. Fellow Classmates: Today each one of us stands, as I stood a few years since, on the threshold of a new land, a new life. Time bids us enter. As we journey along, let us ever carry with us those ideals, those bonds of fellowship established among us at the old Reading High. Farewell! SALUTATORY Companions on the Road to Success LE ROY E. SNYDER Ladies and Gentlemen: Speaking for the faculty and the Class of 1927 February of the High School for Boys, I bid you a most hearty welcome to these our Commencement exercises. Prior to the outbreak of war between Spain and the United States during McKinley's administration, it was necessary to secure the co-operation of General Garcia, the leader of the Insurgents in Cuba. There was a message to be sent, but President McKinley found it difficult to secure anyone competent to perform this exceedingly dangerous task. The President was told of a man named Rowan, who had the ability and skill needed to deliver this message. Rowan was sent for and was given the necessary instructions. He did not think of the dangers along

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50 THE EPITOME concerning Austria-Hungary and the immediate vicinity. When the pupil reached the age of twelve, his public school education stopped. There were higher schools outside of Cherevich, but the tuition and other expenses connected with them were beyond the poor man's means. I attended the school regularly, taking advantage of its humble gift. Wlieii I had completed the live-year course, my teacher persuaded my well-to-do uncle to finance my higher schooling. I enrolled as a private student in the nearest high school fabout twelve miles awayj. VV e bought the necessary books there, but I studied at home under the guidance of my grade school teacher. Every semester I went back to the high school for examination. This plan, however, was destined to be short-lived. The deadly influenza came with all tragedy. My .tutor became critically ill, and my father passed away. There was only one th-ing to do now- choose a trade and then become an apprentice. Otherwise I would become a laborer, like my father before me. But though my education was limited, it was extensive enough to give me a glimpse into the future. In that moment I had a vision of myself, a human creature, emerging from the dim places where the torch of knowledge had never been, to a new sunny land in the NV est, where one is judged by what he can do and not by what he has. There I decided to go. I-Iastily I wrote my brother in America, informing him of my desire and asking his advice concerning the trade that would be of most advantage to me in America. He answered that since I was determined to come sooner or later, the best time to come would be at once, while I was young and most eager 5 that America is the place to prepare for a life thereg that he would furnish the necessary expense, amounting to about S200.00. Light ahead! My heart beat with joy as I ran with the letter in my hand to break the good news to my mother. But lo! her smile vanished. My purpose, however, could not be changed. I felt that this was the turning point in my life, and the opportunity might never come again. A few months passed in preparation. I-Ioary winter found me on the ocean on my way to my new horneg the New Year set me on its very threshold, New York City. On the 5th of January I came to Reading. Since no one knew when I would come, there was no one at the station to meet me. Alone I made my way up Penn Street until I met a man, who, after I showed him my brother's address, took me by the hand and led me to the street car station at Sixth and Penn, paid my fare, and explained to the conductor where I was going. I had been in Read- ing but ten minutes and had found a friend! ' Shortly after my arrival I was taken to the night school for foreigners. The teacher, smiling, shook hands with me and welcomed me in words that I could not understand, while I stood there smiling back. From the night school the kind teacher transferred me to the day school. The kindness and patience of those teachers and the friendliness of all who surrounded me made a lasting impres- sion upon me. In every room the American Flag hung on the wall, and every day the pupils salute it. I, too, stood up and saluted my new Flag in words of my native language: O moya nova zastava, moya nova zemlya-tebe pozdravlyam Q O my new Flag, my new land-thee I salutenj until I learned to say with them: I pledge allegiance to my Flag, And to the country for which is stands. One nation, indivisible, - With liberty and justice for all. Six years have passed. I have made many devoted friends, who have led me out of a state of obscurity into an open sun-lit field, where obstacles have thinned and opportunities have crowded to meet me.

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52 THE EPITOME the wayg he remembered only that he was doing his duty. He strapped the mes- sage over his heart and set out. It was, indeed, a dangerous task. Rowan was compelled to travel on foot, for there were no other means of communication. He had to traverse a hostile country. If he had been caught, he would have had to pay the penalty of a spy. During part of the trip he journeyed in an open boat. The land over which he had to travel was marshy and disease-breeding. But Rowan delivered the mes- sage successfully and returned to this country. Let us change these characters into abstract beings. Let us make President McKinley play the part of Opportunityg Garcia the part of Success. Let us think of Rowan's route as the road to Success, and let us pretend that each one of us is Rowan. But Rowan was so unlike us. He never had a High School edu- cation as has been our opportunityg yet he had made companions of abstract things, which enabled him to take the message, strap it over his heart, and over- come the difficulties which lay in his way. As we journeyed through High School we should have made companions of these same abstract beings. Tomorrow Opportunity will challenge each one of you to carry a message to Success. Your most important companion for the trip will be Incentive, for he is the one who will set you out on the Road to Success. VVhen Opportunity comes to you and asks you whether you will carry the message, it is then that your little friend, Incentive, will spur you on. I-Ie will tell you that he will get his brothers and sisters to help you overcome your ditiiculties. He will show you how wonderful and glorious it is to carry a message to Success. He will make you so enthusiastic that you. like Rowan, will strap the message over your heart and set out on a run down the Road to Success. Your road, like Rowan's, will be iilled with obstacles and difficulties 3 but if you have made companions of Incentive's brothers and sisters you will be able to overcome your handicaps. You will need Incentive's two sisters, Integrity and Inspiration, and his two brothers, Intelligence and Industry. The Road to Success is straight, but it is a continual ascend. Soon you will see a cool, shady nook on the way. You will be tempted to stop and rest, for you will be tired and footsore. Your little friend, Industry, will prevent you. He will tell you that this is the place called Rest, and that men who travel on this road must not loiter. He will say, Great and successful men do not know what rest is. I have told you so often, but I will tell you again that 'The heights by great men reached and kept W'ere not attained by sudden Hightg But they, while their companions slept, Were toiling upwards in the night' Your little friend, Industry, has saved you from the place where Laziness and Slothfulness abide. Industry's advice has given you new life, and you again start on the climb upward. The further you go, the more rough your way will become, and soon again you will begin to tire and grow weary. Your spirits will soon brighten, for ahead you will see that the road forks. The one road is smooth, while the other one is rough. As you come to the parting of the Ways, you will turn to go on the smooth road, for on the sign-post you will see the words, A Short cut to Success. Integrity will grasp you by the coat sleeve and say, I have helped you many times before and here again you have need of me. This smooth road is no short cut to Success, for there is no such thing. Those who would reach Success must take the long and rough road. You will continue on the rough road, and soon Despair will throw her shadows of gloom about you. You will be ready to turn back, when you will see your little glowing friend, Inspiration. Inspiration will furnish you with light during this period of Despair.