Elmira District Secondary School - Oracle Yearbook (Elmira, Ontario Canada)

Page 8 text:

FIRST PRIZE DRAWING -Kathleen Lorch, IX A

Page 7 text:

5 THE PRlNCIPAL'S MESSAGE ss s, D 'CA community is like a ship, every one ought to be prepared to take the helm. Henrik Ibsen, Norwegian dramatist 11828-19065 This year finds us facing the grim realities of total war, being fought with a madness and fury unprece- dented in the history of the World. Our Empire, along with our allies, is risking all for the cause of free- dom and justice. Rights and privi- leges within our democracy must, of necessity, be restricted as our duties and responsibilities assume far greater proportions than in the past. Since a nation is a collection of communities, co-ordinated and welded into a smoothly functioning unit, we may safely assume that no nation can be stronger than the 0 . C. E. CURRIE, B.A. communities that compose it. The school is the great training ground of community life. Since the activities and ideals of a school are bound to project themselves into the community, the responsibilities of both teachers and students are very great. We must all learn to be alert and to face realities-leading when We should lead and following when we should follow. No one should consider himself capable of giving orders unless he has first learned to take orders. The all important objective of our school must be to '4Win This War , for unless we do so all other ideals and objectivesrof education will be rudely brushed aside. It has been truly said, only those deserve freedom who set no limit to the price they are willing to pay to preserve freedomv. lVlr. Churchill has given us the Watchwords 4'Let us then brace ourselves to our duty . uLet us go forward togethern. 4'There is not a moment to losen. We can all be good soldiers of education as Well as of the soil, factory or army. The future will open boundless opportunities for service. lVlay the Elmira High School students utake the helm and carry on in true British fashion. To the graduates may I say, 4'Wherever your lot may be cast, be loyal to your God, your King, and your Country. Goodbye, good luck, and God speedlw G. E. CURRIE, B.A., Principal.

Page 9 text:

THE ORACLE 13 I am indeed proud of the distinction and honour of ,being chosen as valedic- torian on behalf of the 1941 graduating class of Elmira High School. Perhaps the most agitating disturb- ance of a valedictorian is neither the fear of speaking before a large audience, nor the lack of variety of material placed at his disposal, but the thought of expressing himself in a different, pleasing, and interesting manner. In short, reminding himself of the tre- mendous task ahead of him, he feels that he is not capable of rendering such an address, since there is too much to be considered, and he earnestly wishes that he had not consented to do so. It re- minds one of the story of the little negro boy asleep in a watermelon patch, with a half-eaten watermelon by his side. Some nonchalant passerby poked him in the ribs, and said, '6Too much water- melon?', I-Ie replied drowsily, No, too little nigger. As one attempts to assemble such an address, deep in his heart he feels slight involuntary tremblings as to the final success of such an undertaking. Numer- ous outrageous ideas enter his frantic mind, only to be cast aside by his better judgment. In such a state was my mind. While I was experimenting with many different kinds of phrases, my mind seemed to wander, and as my eyelids became heavy, I felt myself being swept past the decades on the silvery wings of the zephyrs, into a world some thirty years hence. Thus did I visualize my- self setting out on a tour of that future world. To my amazed self I was sailing across the Atlantic Ocean, in an enorm- ous ocean liner. In the invigorating ocean air, as I was ambling carefree along the deck, I was attracted below to the thundering roar of the engine room. While I observed the workmen there, I came upon one -whose movements seemed familiar, and whose brilliant red hair seemed to stand out, as he shovelled coal into the hot furnaces, seemingly enjoy- ing his work. On closer observation, I noticed him to be Bill Lutz, a former co-worker in Chemistry and an eager helper in playing any sort of pranks. Having reached England, I decided to remain there for a few days, and during a tour of the sights, we were conducted by a guide of medium stature and with coal-black hair. Later on we recognized each other, and I was able to chat once more with a former school-mate, John Morris. From there my fantastic jour- ney led me to Italy, a land of sunshine. Urged on by my hunger and curiosity, I came upon a small store operated by a fruit and vegetable vendor. As I was about to make a purchase there, imagine my surprise when someone said to me Hello, Fred , and looking up, I saw Willard Miller staring at me from be- hind a counter piled high with fruit. After a brief discourse my mind was again sailing, this time across the Medi- terranean Sea, to the dark continent of the world, Africa. There I felt lost in the midst of the untamed jungles, as I was accompanied 'by dark-skinned na- tives. One day, on one of my explora- tions, I was enlightened by the thought of passing through a village where at least a few white people dwelt. On being taken there, I was astonished to meet Gladys Hollinger, serving as a missionary's wife. It was indeed pleas- ing to speak, in such a remote place, of many past, pleasant experiences. From there, my next stop was India. At the point of debarkation, I noticed a small crowd of admirers following closely upon the heels of a high-ranking Air Force Official, who hurried down the street with stately strides. g By a few by- standers, I was informed that he was Air Vice-Marshall Laverne Watson, in