High-resolution, full color images available online
Search, browse, read, and print yearbook pages
View college, high school, and military yearbooks
Browse our digital annual library spanning centuries
Support the schools in our program by subscribing
Privacy, as we do not track users or sell information
Page 18 text:
“
16 THE CUCKOO (Emmiuutnnmntt GDratimts ‘NOT FINISHED, JUST BEGUN” Valedictory by Virginia L, Clark Dear Parents, Kind Friends, and Teachers, You can see by the motto which inv class has chosen, “Not Finished, Just Begun,” that we are not unmindful of the place we have reached in our intellectual training. Four years ago at our Grammar School Advancement Exercises we finished the first lap in the race; our first goal was reached and passed. And now, tonight, we have completed that High School career that we were looking forward to on that night. Yet, have we entirely finished our school life? Have we reached the end of our training; have we finished our preparation for future usefulness? No, our training and our talents, whether prepared in a formal school or in the school of life are ready just now to be put to a test in that bigger world outside the school. We aim to be successful and to be so we must render the greatest and best service that we can to sincerity. In other words, to be successful in a democracy means that we must render to society a just and equitable return in service for everything we reeive from it. Those who are best trained are the ones who give to society as much; nay, more than they take from it. We, the youth of the nation must solve the problems which have been opened by the recent war. The world today is being reconstructed and remade. We must do our part; we must render some serivee to the people of our nation. Those who lay on the battlefield, fallen at a time when they were rendering service, can not help fin- ish the task which they have so grandly begun. Today, we should and can echo the words of Abraham Lincoln, “It is for us, the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.” Through our social studies and our problems of democracy courses we have been brought face to face with the big problems of the day. Some of the most important ones which confront us are the immigration problem, the capital and labor problem, the housing conditions, the health problem, the educational situation—all are worthy of our deepest study. We cannot hope to solve all these big present-day problems even in our own town. Only the best trailed, the best educated, and the most intelligent men and women of the day are able to study these problems from every viewpoint. This is one reason that the majority of the members of my class are looking forward to a higher education. As we are trained now we may be able to help these conditions, but, since we have only begun and have not finished our education, we surely cannot solve these problems. There are many educational fields open to us. Some of our girls are going to train to be nurses and some of our boys to be doctors and thus do their part toward rendering a wonderful service to humanity, and toward solving the problem of making our communities, and finally our nation, more healthy. About tO per cent, of the members ot my class are going to col-
”
Page 19 text:
“
THE CUCKOO 17 lege. Will they not be doing their part in solving the problem of having better educated people in the United States? The citizens of our nation must be well educated in order to make it bigger, broader, and better and to uphold the ideals and principles of our greatest Americans. W e have already ben taught in High School to place behind all outward show of patriotism some thought and intelligence and with this additrional college training we can surely do our part in upholding the educational standards of Uncle Sam. Right now we can all do something to better bad conditions in our home town. Our lessons on good citizenship can be put to use. Why can’t the crowded housing conditions be bettered; why can’t some of the homes be cleaner; why can’t the streets be more attractive? One answer to these questions is this—we are not doing our honest duty as American citizens to educate the foreign element in Downing-town. Of course, the children have to go to school, but what are we doing for the older men and women who are willing and ready to be taught American standards of living? They are used to being housed in the slums of the cities and they do not seem to understand that we have other standards. If everyone would boost and push the good enterprise now on foot to have night schools for the foreigners of our town I am sure that the results would be cleaner homes, less crowded conditions, more attractive streets, higher standards of living, and a “garden town’’ growing to be the ideal “garden city.” Yet as the town is now we are proud of it. If we re not, we aren’t good citizens. Rut we are intelligent, we know it is not the best town, the model town. Men and women of Downingtown, shall we not work together to make it better? And now, Board of Education, Dear Parents, Kind Friends, and Teachers,— You have all helped my class make a beginning in these schools and you have helped make the close of our High School career a success by suporting more than well our many enterprises. We, the class of 1921, tonight offer you our most sincere thanks for this loyal assistance. You have already been made welcome to these, our commencement exercises, but to me has been given the more difficult task of saying farewell. It is true that we rejoice in the completion of our High School course, but it is equally true that we feel sad when we think of separating, one from another. In the course of four years many true and noble friendships are formed among pupils, teachers and school officials and it is these relations that give pain when severed. Rut if we cannot associate with you personally or as a class, our thoughts, emotions and best wishes will always be with our friends and we shall try to prove ourselves true friends through the Alumni, our former teachers, and school officials. And now, with this little poem written by one of my classmates, 7 may I bid you farewell? Our school days are almost over, v 7 Our lessons are almost done, We’ve spent many happy hours, In days of work and fun. W e’re leaving our Alma Mater, Our hearts are sad today, . 7 We’re leaving our childhood forever And the days that were carefree and gay-
Are you trying to find old school friends, old classmates, fellow servicemen or shipmates? Do you want to see past girlfriends or boyfriends? Relive homecoming, prom, graduation, and other moments on campus captured in yearbook pictures. Revisit your fraternity or sorority and see familiar places. See members of old school clubs and relive old times. Start your search today!
Looking for old family members and relatives? Do you want to find pictures of parents or grandparents when they were in school? Want to find out what hairstyle was popular in the 1920s? E-Yearbook.com has a wealth of genealogy information spanning over a century for many schools with full text search. Use our online Genealogy Resource to uncover history quickly!
Are you planning a reunion and need assistance? E-Yearbook.com can help you with scanning and providing access to yearbook images for promotional materials and activities. We can provide you with an electronic version of your yearbook that can assist you with reunion planning. E-Yearbook.com will also publish the yearbook images online for people to share and enjoy.
