Catholic Central High School - Shamrock Yearbook (Detroit, MI)

Page 14 text:

ga fl: er FATHER J. W. EMBSER, C.S.B. Principal Father Embser chatting with a group of students and an alumnus on furlough. I Cmbaer 'J Jileuage .... For twelve years, most of you have been in Catholic schools and already many of your number are in the armed forces and you will follow them very soon. There you will find boys, great numbers of whose training is not what yours has been, they think differently than you think, they value but little some of those truths which you value highly. They seek other things than what you seek. They are different-or shall we say that you are different, because of your home and your training. Now there are two courses open to you. You can let them change you or you can exercise an infiuence on them. They can pull you down or you can lift them up. You can take the lead or will you permit them to lead you? I think I can say that many of us are afraid to take the lead. We are afraid that some one will scol? at us, will laugh at us and will make sport of us. We are timid. We have our convictions, we have been well instructed, but we do not have the courage of these convictions and we do not have the moral strength to lead the way. True, it is difticult to lead, but does not the Master give us the example, was He not derided, made sport of, laughed at and scorned? He knew what was true and what was right. He never hesitated, He never compromised. He led the way and you must follow. You cannot expect any different treat- ment at the hands of godless men than He received. And now how can you lead the way? It is not too difficult. You scarcely have to say a word. Your life, the way you live it, the way you speak and act, the way you pray and attend Mass, all this will speak so eloquently and much more effectively than anything you may say. Others will notice you and admire, some will follow you. There is an idea which is so false. It is the principle of the man who lacks character, we must do this because everybody else is doing it, because we won't be one of the gang unless we do. They will laugh at us if we do not. My dear boys, you have your principles engraven deep down into your souls, you have your ideals. They are not the product of any human mind. They are divine, they are those things which endure. A man of character will never do what is wrong because others are doing it. I challenge you to take the lead, have others honor and love God because you do, have others say their prayers and go to Holy Mass because you attend, have others keep their souls pure and beautiful be- cause you are making an effort to keep your soul full of grace. These things endure. If you do this, you will be a man of character, a Christian man of character. We shall ever be proud of you. May God bless you. J. W. EMBSER, C.S.B.

Page 16 text:

eniow . . . If 3 . i I JOHN PETER BABCOCK-Blessed Sacrament- Bala come to Central with the sole purpose of acquiring knowledge. How well he has accomplished this end is evident after a glance ut his record. ln his leisure moments he peruses the virile art of coquetry. The results may be substantiated by the many damsels who have fallen under his spell. Perhaps, in the near future he will rank proudly among the Boyers and Barrymores. FRANCIS ASCENSION BADALAMENTE-Gate of Heaven-It is very seldom that such an all-around athlete as Frank can be found among 800 boys: for he is truly a versatile student. Besides having played intramural basketball for four years and baseball for two, he has associated himself with several social groups. With the rudiments of Spanish and engineer- ing ot his fingertips he plans to help build a better South America after the war. ROBERT ANDREW BEACH-St. Matthew-An honor student since his arrival at Catholic Central, Bob has successfully finished a brilliant high school education. Although he main- tained a fine scholastic record, he did not confine his interests wholly to intellectual pursuits. He found time to play reserve football and to donate his talents to intramural basketball. With chemistry as his favorite subiect, Bob intends to gradu- ate from college as a Doctor of Medicine. CARL GENE BECKER-St. Agnes-Treading his way leisurely down the path of his high school career, smiling and un- perturbed, Carl has managed to make o name for himself as one of the leading chemical minds in the school. ln spite of his carefree manner, he has graduated high in his class, since he is well fitted both in temperament and training for his career as one of our better physicians. THADDEUS ANTHONY BELKOWSKI-St. Augustine-Reticent but sedulous, Ted overflows with the qualities and zeal that connote an unwavering student of the arts and sciences. Throughout the post four years he has led his class with an A average. While he does spend a great deal of time studying, bowling and roller-skating suffice for recreation. Along with his amiability they will surely teach him bonitatem et disciplinam et scientiam, DONALD GERARD BERNER-Visitation-A competent scholar as well as an accomplished athlete, Don is one of the out- standing graduates of his class. His casual wit and winsome smile have transformed many social embarrassments into entertaining encounters. The fact that he is the tallest in the class does not prompt him to look down on his fellow students, for Don considers one true friendship worth a thousand fickle ones. From such a philosophy felicity must result.