East Sparta High School - Spartan Yearbook (East Sparta, OH)

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'N mf. fp r l p -QIQ w o Ev'-'1'..-.... VALEDYCTORY'-CONTlNUED Our industrial and commercial progress has amazed and alarmed the competing countries of the world. America now stands foremost among the nations of the earth in manufacturing, mining, commerce, and agriculture. While we are building America on the basic principle, democ- racy, we are building a structure to endure with time. Our country has gold, silver, woods, and lakes, within it, but we must remember that these gifts of nature can be found in every land. It is our sacred constitutional liberty, and all that it signiff es to the American citizen, that sweetens the airwe breatte, and makes our great possessions more attractive to the world's home-seekers than those of all other lands. From the beginning of our national life, there have come to us, out of all the countries of the world, liberty-loving people, seeking political freedom and equality of opportunity for themselves and for their children. And this great tide of immigration has been quickly merged with the native-born American into one people, by common purpose and unity of ideal. These are the people of America, their spirit is of Americanism. Americanism is action and not sentiment. It upholds the American ideals and brands as Wslackersn those who claim American protection and still at the same time, amid thmr responsibilities. It expects every man to do his duty and to add his portion to the aggregate of nobleness and honorg to obey laws and be obedient to them, and to extend good will and justice to all. True Americanism means an improved attitude toward schools. No one can deny that knowledge is better than ignorance. True Americanism calls for the abolition of special privileges both in the industries and politics. Management belongs to. both capital and abor. These are some of the principles of true Americanism. It is our duty to defend them cheerfully and willingly. We must encour- age others to become acquainted with our american problems and aid them in solving these problems. The graduating classes of today, must do their part in helping to make America the ideal place in the world. May God give us grace to perform these duties.

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'N x -ll-I-A -' GWQQ l!g?' Heir I p SX il .- 'K 'Q I ' v 3 . I I ' ' Ill N jui ' THE VALEDICTORY Tonight as we meet upon this platform to take part in these commencement exercises, we feel two'different emotions. 'Twelve eventful years of schooling are over. We are sorry, for they were happy years. But 'at the same time a spirit of exultation surges 'deeply within us, for we realize that soon we are to take our places in a new and different type of existence beyond the classroom walls. This then, is the event for which we have been preparing. b N n v W Un r D H I 1- Q Before Wwe go, we'wish 'to thankh our' superintendent, Mr? Sehnitzer, the' Board of Education, our teachers, and'parents1Ur the opportunity of going to school and for their care and guidance while we were here. But there is a larger issue we may forget to be thankful for. We may over look it entirely or just take it for granted. 'We are speaking new of the fact that we live in a democracy under which free public schools are possible. And after graduation this same democracy will give us equal right to pursue whatever we think best for our happiness. ' When the news of the birth of a new nation, the Uhited.StEes of America, was sent over the world, it was predicted to have an early downfall. It was believed that the principles upon which America was founded were too radical for a monarchistic world. Today America has not only eutstripped all nation in material and intellectual progress,'but in that 'higher domain where moral forces reign supreme. Her opinion places the stamp of finality upon judgments affecting the destiny of nations. The 'glory and achievement of our country is men, not things: These men could build railroads, bridges, factories and markets, and surpass every nation of the earth in trade and commeree.' This would not merely show the'material wealth of our land, but'they would represent the energy, the ingenuity, the intelligence, and the courage of men inspired by the conviction that they were born free and equal. Ne just conception' of the making ofTAmer16a'from the beginning, no rational understanding of her present and.fubwre, can ignore' the relation of man to the material development of our country ahdn'the influence of modern methods upon the citizen and his government.

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SALUTATCDRY Americans today are in danger of accepting a general belief of defeat. It is widely thought that the individual is a victim of forces, beyond his controlg that his makeup and abilitiest are determined by heredity, that his happiness is dependent upon con- ditions outside himselfg in short, that he is anything but the master of his fate or the captain of his soul. Scientific theories have filled our vocabulary' with recipes for defeat. Constantly we hear such statements as, HPersonality is something you either have or don't have, or I suffer frcmln inferiority complex.n These and similar common remarks show the general view that the individual is a helpless creature controlled by outside forces. Personality, for example is not an 'accidental gift but an achievement.. Nation-wide studies which have been made show that young people who sell magazines or who obtain jobs from the neigh- bors, or who work to earn money during sum er vacation, tend to have stronger personalities than those who do not. The importance of such activities lies not in the rewards or money received but in the habits and Qttitudes which they develop. As for'the inferiority complex, the term should never have been coined, because then there would be one less. manufactured idea for people to fear. A sense of inferiority is not a disease which mysteriously overtakes a person 'and makes him helpless. On the contrary, it can be of real value, for the person who recog- nizes his inferiority, and then does something about it, develops superiority. Acquiring superiority in any field may be illustrated by the process of learning how to dive. The individual gets .himself beautifully poised, leans forward, and at the last momentlaesitates and draws back in fear. If, his fears prevent him fromxnaking further' attempts, he never learns to dive and his f8D!'1SffIlBP conquered. If, however, he persists and makes awkward and painful dives, he will finally go in smoothly and come up feeling pleased. His friends will compliment his form and he will have made one more comquest over himself and his environment. Whether in diving or in any other phase of life, this is the basic idea in the development of personality and superiority. Again and again the individual must plunge into the stream oflife, lg ' 1 gg I I