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

Page 15 text:

ROOKING back on my years at Central High School, I have great pleasure in recalling many experiences of this school which, having taken us into its fold as be¬ wildered overgrown children, has striven ceaselessly to develop us into young adults prepared to face the trials and responsibil¬ ities of the world at large. I am sure it will be proved that Central has been as success¬ ful in its aims for this present group or grad¬ uating students as it has been over its many years. Although we are all proud to have reached graduation night, we cannot, as we remember the enjoyable years spent here, contemplate leaving without some feelings of regret. However, tonight we must, like Janus, look to the future as well as to the past. In our democratic society, individual freedom demands individual responsibilities and much of our success will depend on how well we have learned the principles of individual hard work and friendly relations with our fellows which Central has endeavored to teach us. But we also must recognize our debt to our parents who have devoted much of their own lives to our education and training, abandoning unselfishly their own desires. The future may bring difficulties but we shall always carry with us Central’s heritage of hard work, fair play and good fellowship. One of the outstanding features of Central ' s curriculum is the constant emphasis on an academic liberal arts education rather than an subjects con¬ sidered by some to have more practical value. As a result of this pursuit of academic subjects, the students have an advantage of more disciplined thinking and broader general knowledge than have students taking strictly vocational courses. Again, it must be remembered that much of the success of this ideal results from the great interest which our teachers have taken in us. Their unselfish efforts, although often unappreciated at the time, will be remembered by the students with gratitude for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, I cannot give each teacher the special mention which everyone deserves, but I should like to express the student appreciation of our Principal, Mr. Gordon Foster—friend, advisor and guiding spirit of Central, to whom all students owe a common debt. Sir, may I extend to you, the special thanks of the graduating class. That we shall be glad to leave Central is a foregone conclusion; that we shall have some regrets at leaving is the present emotion. But we shall leave, filled with pride of the old school and with fond memories of the teachers so much a part of it. 13 —JOHN TURNER.