High School of Commerce - Commerce Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

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Mr. Ralph H. Lehman OUR PRINCIPAL Across the span of one hundred years, we today salute our pioneers. ln recalling their heroic stature, youth is likely to regret the loss of those days of adventure-sailing across the ocean, rumbling in heavy wagons across the plains, climbing mountains, fording rivers, fighting the red Indians-all to reach the land of gold. But when has there been a greater pioneering age than in this century, now approaching its second half? Soon the air will be charted as fully as are the seas, and an adventurous pioneer may blaze the path to inter-planetary travel. Science has passed from guess and hazard and theory into the realm of exactness, medicine has brought almost a new race in the physical perfection of youth. Health now is not a goal to be desired, it is an accepted condition. But all this has been brought about by pioneers in the field. Once the world has freed itself from the havoc wrought by the late war and peace has asserted itself throughout the world, the entire continent of Asia will eagerly await the young pioneers from the West, who will speed the development of its nations. The land, the water, and the air have been conquered by pioneers. Science, education, religion, culture, have had their pioneers. There is a new field of pioneering which is changing the history of the entire world-this is the field of govern- ment. The political world is now an individualistic world, in which each member counts, not only as one unit of a collective group, but as of himself. Every barrier of color, of race, of religion, is down. No longer is it WHO the individual is, but WHAT he is doing that counts. No longer are you measured by where you have been, but by where you are going. Youth today has the chance of glorious pioneering. lt has been given every opportunity and every advantage, including education free and unlimited, The services of the world are at its beck and call. Each boy, each girl, may carve out the future he or she desires. The responsibility, the opportunity is his- to be the pioneer who will achieve his own destiny. Only, as you go from this school out into the life of the larger world, don't sit on the side lines and watch the other fellow pioneer. Life offers its treasures for the asking, select your plan of life and fulfill it. And that all good fortune and success accompany you throughout your lives is the sincere wish of your PRINCIPAL.

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SUR DEAIXIS To the Graduates: A golden aura led the '49ers, the Argonauts and the pioneers of a century ago, to brave the hardships of the long trek to California and adventure . . . here to overlay as a patina, another civilization on the pas- toral heritage of this remote province that once was Spain's and later, Mexico's. These '49ers for the most part were young and had the hopes and ideals of youth to spur them on. This year from the Mother Lode mining towns to Ports- mouth Square in San Francisco, where the replicas of the first schoolhouse, the first hotel, and the first jail are being erected, the fiesta spirit is on, and you are a part of it. lt is a great privilege for you to be modern pioneers in l949. California today has a lure of adventure and a promise of material success for those who will work for it. There is still gold in the forest-covered slopes of the Sierra, in the more practical white gold, carried along copper wires from the great hydro- electric power plants to the teeming cities the pio- neers founded, in the black gold of the state's rich oil wells, in the brown earth, once golden with pop- pies, but now yielding the gold of citrus groves, or- chards, vineyards, and field crops. All the resources that have made California great in the century inter- vening, are yours . . . to use and to conserve. So, forward-looking young citizens of this great state, and of this, your city on its matchless bay by the Golden Gate, build well for all time, and as the pioneers entrusted this rich glorious heritage to you, transmit it to the future generations, made greater by the scope of your achievements. l shall remember with pleasure this year at Com- merce, working with you graduates, underclassmen and the fellow teachers. I have enjoyed with you the splendid spirit in which you have supported your school and its activities, and l am happy that l, too, have been privileged to be a part of this, your Record of the golden days of l949. My best wishes go with you, now and always. Laurence M. Childers Assistant Principal and Dean of Boys Mary T. Clarke Assistant Principal and Dean of Girls Congratulations to the boys and girls of the grad- uating class of June, l949. Looking back to four years of high school living, you see yourselves as in- dividuals participating actively or quietly in all forms of school life. Some see themselves as student body officers, classroom officers, or leaders of the various school organizations. A few will see themselves as non-participating individuals concerned chiefly with sitting on the side-lines and watching the show go by. ln some way these last have missed the joyous satis- factions that come from active participation in group living. The wishful thinking that colors the future is apt to hide the fact that the contributions made to school living have outlined a pattern of life that is likely to be followed. The world will never be bigger than we are. On the other hand, there is a thrilling challenge in the thought that the world can be better because we are in it. Whatever the pattern of your school living, life now holds for you a vital role, if you will but play the part. Each one of you is an individual and a social being, and the royal road to happiness will be found in the acceptance of individual responsibility and in- dividual initiative for the common good of all. You count, and even the most obscure person can be very important. Have you heard the story of the match? lt origi- nated in Hollywood shortly after the close of the war. A very interesting and realistic war pageant was be- ing shown in the huge amphitheatre, with lO0,000 persons present. War paraphernalia, artillery, then, suddenly, complete blackness! Out of this blackness that huge concourse heard a voice saying: You think you are unimportant and your job is unim- portant because it is such a little job. You are wrong. The most obscure person can be very important. Anyone here who wants to exercise a far-reaching influence may do so, Let me show you what l mean. With that the speaker lit a match, and its tiny flame piercing the darkness was seen by all. Spon- taneously, everyone then struck a match, and the brilliant illumination that resulted turned that vast blackness to light. Are you less important than a match?