Christopher Columbus High School - Anchor Yearbook (Bronx, NY)

Page 8 text:

ADMINISTRATIVE ,TXNDRE c. FONTAINE To lhe June gradualing class I wrole lhal il was leaving school al one ol lhe lragic momenls ol hislory. Every day since lhal slalemenl was made, il has become lruer and lruerg lhe issues al slalce in lhis lragic momenl ol hislory have become clearer and clearer. They are, Will democracy or diclalorship be lhe ruling power on lhis earlh? Will all men be able lo work and live in lreedom or will some be reduced lo servilily? Will democracy, lhal social lailh buill on lhe lolliesl conceplion ol lhe nalure and desliny ol man, be lrod under lool by lhe rulhless bool ol lyranny? These queslions more lhon any personal consideralion ol your immediale lulure, should be loremosl in lhe mind ol all ol you, boys and girls alike. Overlopping all your individual plans lor Iile should be lound a physical, an inlelleclual, and a moral preparalion which will enable every one ol you lo say, I will become an elificienl cilizen ol a dynamic democracy: I will give conslanl allegiance lo lhe laws ol inslilu- lions organized in a democralic way, I will always allempl lo have my aclions guided by sound lhinlcing and nol by emolional impulses or inheriled prejudices, I will do my duly lowards my lomily, my counlry and my lellow man humbly, unsellishly, bul wilhoul lear. You musl nol enler inlo lhe world, greedy or lrighlened. We wanl no more Ameri- cans who glorily malerialism-who lry lo save lheir lorlunes, even lheir souls, al all cosls, compromising wilh power, wilh lalsehood, wilh dishonor. Always and al any. price you musl be learless Americans lor whom lhe lreedom ol lhe human spiril is lhe very reason lor exislence. Andre C. Fonlaine 4

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JOHN M. LOUGHRAN Principal The boys and girls who are leaving school +his year are enfering fhe world during a heroic age-an age when mankind is baffling clesperafely fo refain wha+ has been gained in +he long sfruggle of 'rhe pos+ and +o perpeluale all fhal' was besl among lhose gains. We feel confidenf of 'rhe oufcome, no ma'Her how long and despera+e fhe presenl' s+rife may be. However, in an age of s+riking figures and spec+acular evenfs, we are ap+ fo overlook fhe value of fhe individual. We forge+ momenfarily, as resounding names ring in our ears, fhaf +he persislence and devofion of each anonymous worker, each nameless soldier, cumula+ively is more laslingly eliledive lhan fhe power of any one person. As you approach your work in fhe world, whafever if may be, do noi' minimize your own imporlance io lhe whole. The +ask you do honeslly, sincerely, and eFFicien+ly will assure your happiness in +he beH'er world we are frying +o make. John M. Loughran 3

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SIS'lAl4TS SA G.BECKER l Chrislopher Columbus High School will, I hope, always call up for you a ioyous piclure of friendships made, subiecls and skills learned, parfies, plays, and dances. Buf, l hope lhal, as you fhink more mafurely aboufl' your high school days, you will see lhem closely relaled lo evenls of world imporlance which mark our age as lhe beginning ofa new era. Your spirilual and in+ellec+uaI growth here has laken place in an environmenl' lhaf admilled no superiorily excepl on lhe basis of service and l'alenl'. You have been free lo lhink and lo speak, +o meel openly, +o worship God according lo lhe dic'l'al'es of your conscience. Here you found feachers in+en+ above all on your personal developmenl' and success: you found facully and fellow s+uden+s helping 'lhe less forfunale among you 'oul of a spiril' of brofherly love. Surely you will associa+e 'lhese daily manifeslafions of fhe democralic ideal in CCHS wilh all lhe ioys and privileges of 'lhe American way of life. And you will leave Columbus 'Filled wilh a deep concern lesl' democracy be losl in l'he presenl' slruggle. Lel your concern be of a conslruclive kind: lhe kind 'lhal' makes you avoid fulile hysleriag +ha+ decries a'H'empls lo sow seeds of racial, re- ligious, and class hafreds among you, lhal' makes you recognize for 'lhe enemies lhey are lhose who lhreafen democracy. Lel yours be a concern 'lhal' expresses ilself in fhinking wifhoul prejudice and in acling courageously on lhal lhinking. Con- cern of fhal' kind is lhe dynamo lhal' will keep 'lhis beloved democracy of ours alive. . Elsa G. Becker 5