Canandaigua Academy - Academian Yearbook (Canandaigua, NY)

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THE ACADEMIAN lst Prize-Phelps and Gorham Prize Speaking Contest 'Ilime, moving ever forward with mon- otonous, relentless, perpetual regularity. Progress, variable, desultory progress. Progress retarded by the agressions of an oligarchism advanced through the importation of Utopian ideals. Prog- ress, recorded upon th emilestones of republics. Within the system of this institution of education, these milestones have been 'passed annually. known to those acquainted with the functi-ons of Can- andaigua Academy, as the Phelps dz Gorham Speaking Contest. At no other time during its magnid- cent existence of 130 years, have the democratic liberties of this nation. vis- ioned and wrought into the reality of our forefathers, been so seriously threatened. But for what worthy pur- pose did these men, interested solely in the welfare and stable economic devel- opment of a growing democratic repub- lic, have in instituting into this Acad- emy a prize fund suitable for fostering into our curriculum an activity worthy of confirming the democratic ideals of its creators. 'Perhaps it was to test the eloquence of those students wishing to become public orators, but upon peering far- ther into the moral standards most outstanding involved in the personali- ties of Oliver Phelps and Nathaniel Gorham, I discover beyond all shadow of doubt that it was for the supreme purpose of vesting in the minds of the students participating, an incentive to gain a more wholesome and enriched understanding of the necessities for maintaining the idealistic summits es- tablished through the Transcendent Excellence of a Genuine Representative 'Republican Form of Government Effec- tually Securing Equal Liberties Founded on the Rights of Man. Before endeav- oring to understand the problems threatening our American ideals, it is first necessary to become acquainted with the true dennition of a democratic republican regime. If asked to define Democracy, most people would say it was a government of the people, by the people and for the people. Yet before it is 'possible to comprehend the true meaning of this definition, there are several fundamental essential factors which must be considered. A State is a body of free persons as- sociated together for the common bene- fit. It has three essential elements- first, a community of people socially united: second. a political machine or government administered by a body of officials, and last, a Constitution either written or unwritten, under which a government operates. Our government is composed of forty- eight smaller factions or states union- ized under one supreme head. each fac- tion securing equal liberties through representation in the three depart- ments. These departments were estab- lished by the 'Constitution in such a manner that each might maintain a check or balance upon the other two. However, in spite of all perfection and suggedness vividly characterized in the structure of our government, political, social and economic oo-operation is absolutely essential to the progress of a democracy. Communism, Nazism, Fascism and several other isms offer an immediate obstacle to the future of the republics. But it is not the tangible, brutal c-omponent of force that ob- structs the stability of our future: rather it is th-e invisible element, name- ly. the lack of co-operation and inter- est of the individual citizen. If this condition is allowed to become too prev- alent we will gradually slip into a leth- argy in which Mr. Average Citizen will be unconscious of political operations and will allow himself to be easily led astray by propaganda and false incrimi- nation that the road of progress directly ahead of our democracy will be blocked by an obstacle iplaced there by the bel- ligerent foreign powers. It is not for- eign wars nor political propaganda that will bring about the defeat of our dem- ocracy, rather it is the lack of the ac- tive, exuberant and unprejudiced inter- est an-d co-operation of the individual citizen. -Richard W. White

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First Prize-P. T. A. Prize Speaking Contest In the large room of an old home- stead in Virginia, an old lady sat slowly rocking back and forth. Sh-e was waiting for her grandson for he had promised to com-e to see her. Suddenly, the door opened and her grandson walked in. He was tall and strong and the old lady watched him with pride in her eyes. Come in, my son, she said. Take the low stool by my feet. Her grand- so nobeyed her order smilingly. Now I have something to give you. I hold it in my hand here. Tell me, what do you see? Why, nothing, grandmother, her grandson replied, There's nothing in your hand. I thought that would be your an- swer, the old lady smiled wisely. 'But now, let me tell you a story, and then I think you will change your mind. Listen carefully. About three hundred years ago to- day, a young man landed at Jamestown, Virginia. He was among a group of people who intended to make their homes in the new world. As he walked along the dock he caused quite a flutter among a group of women who were talking there, and also the men cast envious glances in his direction. And now let us look ahead in our story a hundred years or so. We lind the great-grandson of this same young man. He is young, only about ten years of age, but as he grows older he begins to see the bitter hate between the American Colonies and Great Britain. And now we find him outside the town bulletin board. He is reading a Proc- lamation just pasted there. The crowd is wild with approval of what they have just read there. Listen, here are parts of it: 'We hold these truths to be self- evident: that all men are cr-eated equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unallenable rlghtsg that among these rights are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to se- cure these rlghts, Governments are in- stituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the gov- erned. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it.' THE ACADEMIAN Then came a long list of grievances against the King. But th-e young man dldllb need to read those, he and every- one else knew what they were. His eyes travelled onward-'Thse United Colon- ies are and of right ought to be, free and independent states,' and finally to the end, 'And for the support of 'th.s Declaration, with a firm reliance upon the protection of Dipine Propidence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lipes, our fortun-es and our sacred honor! The young man fought in the war -between the American Colonies and Great Britain, and when the war was over, he returned to his home, and he gathered his children about -him and he said to them: 'My children, your father has fought in a great war. He has fought with hundreds of other men for the same things-freedom, the right to live and be happy, and while you have life in you, I want you to remember that you are an American, that it was a long and bitter struggle but We won in the end. And now, each of you must promise to uphold America in anything she does,' and they all solemnly prom- ised. And that, my son, continued the old grandmother, is what you must prom- lse to me. Now do you see what I hold in my hana? No, you can't see it, you can't feel it either. But you can hear it. The mountains anh the valleys re- sound with it. It's a strain, an Amer- ican strain surging against yocr ears until you can't shut it out. And, it's the same thing that makes you stand up straight and take your hat off when you see your flag pass by and hear the strains of your National Anthem. Yes, my son, there are those who do not stand up straight and bok reverent heads to their Country's Flag. Pay no attention to them, my son, they are false, the unbelievers. Heed them not. And that is what I'm giving to you, America, your country gained for you by your grandfathers. And now will you promise me? The young man sprang to his feet. Yes, grandmother, I will promise you. I will promise you that I will uphold America in anything she does. That I will keep up the old traditions, those which make America the wonderful country she is, and that as long as I live, I shall be glad that I am an Amer- ican and that I live in this, my coun- try, America. -Elaine Kerskie