City College of New York - Microcosm Yearbook (New York, NY)

Page 11 text:

(Lite (Cullrxjf of ihr Ulitij of Xeiv ttorlt (Office of the jJJrcoiiYent IT NICHOLAS TERRACC ANO ONC HUNORCO THIRTY NINTH STRCET December 17, 1923. To the Class of 1924: Maeterlinck, in his Life of the Bee , tells of the young naturalist who v as rapidly nearing the critical stage in his researches. Years of exacting labor were about to bo put to the test. The strain of the last weeks of feverish work proved too great. The young man’s sight suddenly failed him. Doomed to a life of eternal darkness, he nevertheless took heart. He was seized with a passion to mako others see what he saw. The young naturalist set his own wortc aside, and sought a fellow student rrade of similar stuff. In the succeeding years he trained his assistant in the technique of his chosen subject and imbued the younger man with the scientist’s courage and passion for truth. Then, they both v ent back to the unfinished tasks, the older scholar soeing through the oyes of the younger. For years mankind has sought to evolve a society solidly founded and guaranteeing international peace. Students the world over were consecrating themselves to the task of discover!rg the foundations of this new order, based on understanding and justice, and, as nearly as might bo, ending war and all its horrors. It seomed as if they were reaching critical stages in their researches. But suddenly mankind lost its sight. Even thoso of us who do not preach the gospel of despair are dismayed to find that distrust, envy and ugly hate possess the hearts of men. You, young men of tlie Class of 1924, who were not active participants in the great struggle to provent the enthronement of might, must be the new seekers of truth and goodwill. Your sight is keen; your training hero has given you, surely, a love of service. We look to you to complete the unfinished tasks. V e look to you to bring to rich consummation the earlier aims of th ihumano arts and sciences. We look to you to cariy