Crosby High School - Blue and White Yearbook (Waterbury, CT)

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' - 6SBYl956' TREE ORATION Class of I950 The basic unit of a country's wealth is its natural resources. These are its forests, mineral deposits, waterpower, and the like-all products of nature. They are not the work of manis hand but rather the free gift of a bountiful God. Mankind is utterly dependent upon such gifts. They are the raw material with which he works. Without them there can be no industry, in fact no civilization. In telling the story of man's struggle towards the light of civilized living, historians have marked his progress pretty clearly by his employment for his own use of these basic elements. Often, particularly in our time, there is rather frightening evidence that mankind has forgotten or is wilfully forgetting a certain law that governs the proper use of such wealth. This law, so little practiced, is simply that one cannot forever take away and never pay back. The idea should direct all man's considerations of natural resources, for it is evident even to the simplest mind that such prac- tice unquestionably will end in devastation. It is the sure way to waste our heritage, and unless we plan at once to make some move for paying back we shall be bankrupt. Scientists are already predicting the end of our supply of natural oil. With so much of industry depending on oil for its complicated processes, and the rapid increase in the use of oil for domestic purposes, one can readily foresee the catastrophe which hovers near. It makes us uncomfortable to hear that unwise and wasteful practices are going on in our fair land. It becomes painfully evident that such wanton waste touches us, and we know it is bound to keep on doing so in increasingly unpleasant ways. We know that we should do something about it, but we probably won't. Our parents didn't. On this Arbor Day-tree planting day-I would like to have you con- sider that particular field of natural wealth-trees.

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- SBYI95 GENERAL COMMITTEE Preridem' .................................................. William Fischang Vice-Pferident ......... ...... L ucille Kenny Secretary .......... ........ G eorge Blair Treaxurer . .,...... joseph Mango CLASS BOOK Editor-in-Chief ....... ....... C harles McCarthy Arrixtanl Editor ...... ..... , .... G ordon Edlin Businefs Manager ...................................... Richard Sparano COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN Arbor Day .......................................... Louise Nowodworski Prom ............ ....,.... J oseph Caulfield Pl Charles McCarthy dy ....... ......... R Obert Gruskay Clan Mzuician ...... john jannetty SESSION ROOM REPRESENTATIVES Helen Lord Joseph Mango Marianne Lasky Charles Cook Charles McCarthy William Fischang Lucille Kenny joseph Caulfield EQISCD

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' SBYl95 ' The building trades have long been busy with substitutes for wood. Concrete blocks, cement, and steel are finding favor with them. Why do we need substitutes for wood? Simply because it is used up and we forget to plant trees in place of those cut down. Lately, to be sure, lumber companies have themselves begun to reforest, but it takes a long time to grow a tree, and high prices for lumber keep unwise men cutting them before they really get to suitable size. It ought not to be diflicult for us to see what such wasteful policy brings about. We are literally pulling down our own rooftree. This is a situation which we can understand. We can see it in our Connecticut countryside. And we can, if we want to, do something about it, something wise and far- seeing, when we get to vote. This matter is of great concern to many people in our state, who have had only token support. We can and should remember them and support their program when we get the opportunity. When a river goes wild, destroys property and lives, we sand bag its banks and try to sure its weak places. It is probably true that the real trouble began a generation or more ago when men hungry for money gains cut down the forests that held the river in leash. Let us be wiser than that. ' We know that one can't keep taking away without ever paying back. Let's remember that. DEDICATION : We, the class of 1950, dedicate this tree today to mark the end of one phase of our lives and the beginning of another. The years at Crosby have been rich and happy ones, and we are reluctant to leave them--those to come are ominous with questions involving a world in crisis--these we cannot fore- tell. Our one devout wish is that we may learn to love knowledge more than information, and wisdom more than either. -Michael Flavin XISIID l 4.