Central Collegiate Institute - Analecta Yearbook (Calgary, Alberta Canada)

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Vale(iuUoA4f, gTEPHEN LEACOCK declares that graduation means “that the re¬ cipient of instruction is examined for the last time in his life, and is pro¬ nounced completely full. After this, no new ideas can be imparted to him. This July, for many of us, may be the last exam of our lives, and our teachers would swear that no new ideas could be imparted to us, but most of us are not completely full. Now, we review the past three years and ask ourselves what we have gained at High School, how we are better fitted for life, and whether our time here has been of real advantage, I will answer these questions, and I am confident that my answers are those of every graduate, this year and every year. We have acquired the spirit of dem¬ ocracy by gaining the one true freedom liberty of mind. Our subjects, although much of the information they gave us is completely forgotten, have formed the mental habits of concentration, logical reasoning, and broadness of view. Some subjects have given us training which will be indispensable in whatever professions we may choose; all of them have helped to mature our minds. We came here from the circus of Junior High, carefree, irresponsible, and rather childish. Under the firm but far from harsh discipline of this school, we have learned to control ourselves, to act more like adults than infants. Our teachers, with immeasurable long suffering and interested atten¬ tion, brought us to t hink seriously about ourselves and our world. Our classes stimulated our minds to further growth. As a result, we have now put away childish things, and are worthy of adult responsibilities. During our stay here, we have both enjoyed and profited from our association with the staff of C.C.I. The interest, hard work, endurance, and tolerance they have spent on us have produced much more good than we have acknowledged. Although our gratitude cannot gush, it will trickle steadily from our hearts throughout our lives. Among ourselves, we have had much fun and merriment, but we have also done much serious thinking. High School students think much more and about much deeper things than teachers or parents realize, as a careful listener around the halls and cloakrooms would discover. Politics, economics, women, religion, military science, women, philosophy, and women, are all discussed. For some reason, the last topic is the most popular. We may be happy that in this year, our last here, thanks to Mr. Churchill, Central has discovered that it has a school spirit. That spirit is not mob enthusiasm, although, as the track meet showed, mob rule has pre¬ vailed—with provocation and on occasion—and wounds—not ours—have been (Continued on Page 45) 11

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■ m f k - f - -THE PROLOGUE is over, the Intro- ■ • duction done, and the music swells to herald the rising of the curtains that will bring to our view a new world, a new realm. But let us stop the music. Let us stay the curtains. Let us, at this, our gradua¬ tion ceremony, look back a moment before we turn to meet the brave new act. We that are young are little in¬ clined to retrospect—our gaze is ever ahead. But it well befits us to pause now and consider that which has gone before, never to return. Gone forever are those strange first days, gone the thrill of the first High School party or the first rugby game; gone the hours of study, fun and friendship. Never again will these halls be “our” halls, or these teachers our teachers in guite the same way. Never will we one hundred and twenty-six graduates be so closely associated one with another as we now are. The days of childhood and early youth are gone; the dear golden years are dead, and we mourn them without pain. We stand now, no longer children, but young adults, on the brink of the future. What will the rising curtains reveal? No one can say; for the Future has a way of keeping her countenance hidden from the eyes of the inquiring Present. We can only guess dimly what shall stand revealed when our roles have been played, our stories finally told. One thing is certain: our paths which formerly ran very nearly parallel now separate, each seeking its own course. For some, the paths may lead into the dark places of war and death, others may climb the steep ascent which leads to University; still others wi follow the paths that lead into the business centres of the world. W may be scattered far over the face cf the earth. But whatever we are wherever we are, let us never forget the splendid training we have received at Central, nor the dreams we have had of the parts we shall play m the building of the brave new world which shall emerge after a just and glorious peace. Now is the time of parting and farewell, and I fancy that as we prepare to quit forever these old familiar halls, the brooding stone building is saying to us “Go forth, young men and women! Stick to your dreams! Fight tor your dreams! You will need patience; for remember that Man is slow to chanqe; that the upward trek of the human race towards that Supreme Per¬ fection is a slow, though steady climb. But remember, too, that yours is the task sublime to build Eternity in Time. Go now. I am watching with pride. We turn away regretfully. But our eyes are shining, our hearts aflame. You shall be proud of us! —ELEANOR WHITBREAD. 10

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