Delaware Valley College - Cornucopia Yearbook (Doylestown, PA)

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1939 HARVEST 25 m s § 1 ■ 1 MHLliTICS

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24 1939HARVEST M VALEDICTORY R. CHAIRMAN, President Allen, Members of the Board, Parents, Fellow Students, Ladies and Gentlemen: Three years ago, seventy-six callow youths entered this school with the common purpose to become farmers. Most of them came from cities, little acquainted with farms or farmers. Bewildered by the strangeness of their surroundings and the complexity of the vast and basic industry for which they were preparing, it took some time before they became adapted to their new environment. As the months rolled on, they saw their class membership slowly dwindle. Today, twenty-four of those original seventy-six are here to graduate. Now those twenty-four graduates talk, act, and live the daily lives of farmers. May we hope, with pardonable pride, that it is a case of survival of the fittest . Today we are entering upon a world torn by dissension, strife, and prejudice. We must be prepared not only to take our part as farmers in life ' s activities, but to do our duty as friendly neighbors and good citizens. Our early urban background, plus the recently acquired rural outlook, gives us a combination of experience that should prepare us to become rural leaders of tomorrow. We can do much to bridge the gap which exists between urban and country life. A solution of the grave social and economic problems troubling us today can only be reached when the former and city dweller be- come aware of their mutual problems. Our scientific training should also make us effective as modern farm leaders. By virtue of the systematic training we have received at the National Form School, we should be able to follow the most advanced methods in agriculture. Thus we ma influence our fellow farmers to use more efficient practices and therefore we can be important factors in raising the general standard of living in agriculture. Another important field opening before us today is the colonization and rehabilitation of victims of European racial and religious oppression. The re- settlement of refugees is one of the major problems of the world today. Many of them must be taught to work the land for their subsistence. Graduates of the National Farm School will undoubtedly be called upon to do their part in this noble, humanitarian work. Following in the spirit of the great founder of this school, they will unquestionably accept that opportunity to serve. In spite of the opportunities which lie before us, we look back for a moment with sadness that we are about to leave the place that has been our home and our parent for three years; the place where we spent so many happy days; the place where we have built so many firm friendships. With all that lies before us, we hope we may repay in small part the patience and painstaking efforts of our teachers. It is with profound sentiment that we say Farewell to our Alma Mater. ARTHUR ISBIT.

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26 1939 HARVEST S. B. SAMUELS