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

Page 13 text:

ValedUctoA, r ’J ' ' HREE years ago, when we of the 1952 graduating class entered this school, each one of us probably said to himself. My. M. : won ' t it be a relief when we re all finished ttm three or four long years from now! That Kt will be a red letter day! How glad I’ll be to finish school! This evening, on be half , $$££§ ' £k of those same students 1 have come to tell you how sorry we are to leave and that those three long years have been altogether too short for many of us. I say that, most sin¬ cerely, for whether we, the graduates, are entirely aware of it or not, we shall come to realize that these three years have been strong, firm foundations for the careers that . we are presently to pursue. §. 4’;$?. When we recall those first two or three months in Grade Ten, we remember the diffi- culties encountered and the barriers scaled, all symbolic of a new environment and of the hard way to success. We have had pleasant experiences too, football, games, track meets and plenty of laughs in class. And we have had trials and tests of character, a few unpleasant moments, perhaps, which have, we hope, contributed to the building of those firm foundations mentioned a moment ago. We cannot forget the practical benefits that we have enjoyed while in Central High. For some this has meant a big step in academic achievement, for others, newly-acquired athletic skills and for still others an opportunity to develop certain flairs along special lines, such as photography, music and news¬ paper work, through the clubs to which the teachers give most generously of their time. But primarily, we will never forget the good basic education that Central High School has given us, the type of learning that lays the blueprints for the Canadian leaders of tomorrow. We have truly learned obedience, co-operation, and the value of knowledge. For those great benefits we are indebted to the members of the faculty. We are indebted to them for their patience, continued faith and goodwill. They have constantly shown these attitudes towards us and have, ultimately, instilled something of those fine qualities into each of the one hundred and twenty-nine graduates present here tonight. You, the teaching staff, have been our guides on a voyage on the seas of mental adventure. You are the ones who have molded and shaped our foundations and are responsible for their hardening into structures of solid Canadian citizenship. To you we owe a debt of gratitude that can never be fully repaid! In our future, each of us will be able to look back on a clear, cloudless picture of Central High. We shall always be proud of our associations with (Continued on Page 46)

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Valedicto-tuf, .—. = ' r HEN we, as trembling youngsters, first converged upon this venerated struc¬ ture, graduation seemed to us a nebulous event of the far distant future. Its current arrival is all too real. Our sojourn here has been more than a mere three or four years spent in attempting, with carying success, to solve the mysteries of chemical equations, trigonometry identities or Latin prose. We have been drawn to¬ gether by a common feeling of elation when our teams were victorious or of deflation if they were not. New experiences have con¬ fronted us but it took us only a short time to discover that our school has an uncanny skill for producing a friend in any need. We are all proud to claim Central as our alma mater even though, I daresay, there are any number of us who have vowed, that on accumulation of their first million, they would donate a new heating and insulating system, not to mention a fume-proof chem. lab., to the school. However, no physical shortcomings can overshadow the benefits which we have derived from our high school education at Central. That we have been able to absorb at least a little of the sincerity, honesty, and true enjoyment of life, which is the very essence of this school, has been, and is, our sincere desire. When we review this brief, but so memorable period of our lives, there is one group to which we must give special thanks for its success. Our teach¬ ers. That these few should have so much to give each succeeding class, has always been a source of wonder to us, for it is constantly evident that no student, however inconspicuous, leaves this school without conveying through its portals something of the essential spirit of those teachers with whom he has had the good fortune to become acquainted. Traditionally, each graduating class leaves school with the belief that it is exceptional. We are no different. In modern times such a belief does no one any harm for it requires considerable courage and confidence to face the future in our unsettled and challenging world. Soon we will be biddng farewell to the school days of our youth and our ways will become widely separated as we go forth into fields of business or on to institutions of higher learning. Yet, whatever the future may hold for us, let us hope that each in his or her own way will try to make ours a better world in which to live by carrying into it the Central High motto, “Lux Sit”, “Let There Be Light”, and by remembering that— (Continued on Page 46) 10

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= 9 i AfifL ' ieciation HE 1952 Analecta, carrying with it the achievements of Central High School in the past year, is now completed. May this book in the years to come provide many pleasant memories of your happy years at Central High. To the staff of the Analecta I give my sincerest thanks for your unfailing co-operation in making this publication a success. I must add a special Thank You’’ to Mr. Weir and Miss Calder for their kind assistance on all problems which faced the Analecta Staff. I would also like to add a word of praise to Miss Kerr, our school secretary, for the small but important jobs that she did. To the firms whose advertisements have made this book possible, we extend our sincere appreciation. Now that the 1952 Analecta is comple d, my job as Editor, one that I consider both an honor and a pleasure to hold,, has come to an end. Working in close association with the Faculty and students during this past year has shown me the co-operation and spirit of unity which makes Central such a fine institution. To you, the Grade Ten’s, whose job it will be to uphold the high tradi¬ tions set down by the preceding students in the history of Central High School, I dedicate this book. —DON MACPHERSON, Editor. 12