Essex District High School - Argus Yearbook (Essex, Ontario Canada)

Page 10 text:

GRaDUATion EXERCISES On Friday evening, September the seventh, a large crowd assembled in the high school auditorium, awaitin the entrance of the 1956 Graduates. A most entertaining prelude was provided by two of our Grade Eleven students of last year. Miss Ruth manning and Miss Lorna Joyce. Then as the chords of the processional were struck, the ' 56 graduates and award winners made their triumphal entry into the audi¬ torium. The Rev. Muriel Revington pronounced the invocation, after which Ijt. Crane welcomed the man guests. Mr. Shuel, the chairman of the school board, introduced the guest speaker, Mr. W. H. orison, the president of Essex College. The speaker ' s address was most appropriate as he stressed the importance of continuing one ' s education. He emphasized the point that it is useless to go through life never attempting to widen one s scope of education. To illustrate this point, he stated, that in a recent survey, it was discovered that only thirty-one per ceno of our population had read a book in the previous year. It wu3 quite evident that Mr. Arison impressed and challenged the Graduates to benefit from their training. Then Hr. Arison, assisted ' cy.hr. Gillies, presented the diplomas to the graduates. Miss Brown introduced the Special Commercit 1 graduates. Miss Bennett the Grade Twelve graduates, and Miss Kennedy the Grade Thirteen honour graduates. The highlight of the evening was the valedictorian ' s address a:iven by Miss Betty Chambers. Betty, on behalf of her class, told of the trials and the joys in a high school career. She emphasized the point that much of the pupils ' success was made possible by the co-operation of the par nts and the staff. Throughout the evening, talented graduates added musical selections to the programme. After the speaker ' s address. Miss Marion Keane and Miss Betty Scarlett played a lovely piano duet. A double quartette, consisting of eight of the graduates, under the ca able direction of Hr. Findlay, ssng £ group of refreshing songs, hiss Jacqueline McLeod delighted the audience with two vocal selections. Later in the evening. Miss Inez Collard played two very fine piano solos. The presentation of the awards was made by the Donors assisted by Miss Murphy and Mr. Crane. Scholarships were presented to the following Grade Thirteen students: Bob Vans tone, Betty Chambers, Jim Forden, Jacqueline McLeod, and Barbara Brooker. Mr. Gordon Geddes, past president of the Students ' Council, assisted by mss Betty Scarlet’, presented the letter E awards and the special E awards. The programme closed with 0 Canada played by Marion Keane. Thus another graduating class bade farewell to the friends and tne 3taff at Essex High.

Page 9 text:

Message Prom the Principal: To the Editor and Staff of the Year Book, who have worked -hard to make our Year Book a success, I extend my sincere con¬ gratulations. What have become of the Students who have finished their studies at Essex District High School during the past few years? As business men, nurses, teachers, homemakers most have taken their assured places in Ganadian life. We wish them good fortune and success as they better establish themselves in their chosen work. Many will be successful because they possess determination and constancy of purpose. Others will not be as successful, yet the great majority, let us hope, nearly ally will have received a training at Essex District High School which will enrich their lives and increase their happiness. ' When the lessons are f orgotten, the training will remain. When they can no longer recall the names of their classmates, these ex-students will have retained the benefits gained through the social atmosphere in the classroom, in athletics, cadets and other extra curricular interests in school. If these students retain the ideals of honour and fair play and so many other quali¬ ties established while at school, the basis for a democratic, Christian life has been laid, although the lessons are long for¬ gotten. To those of you who are at school, may I extend my best wishes for a happy, challenging and successful year ahe,ad. James L. Crane.

Page 11 text:

T r, Crane honoured guests, fellow graduates, ladies and gentlemen. To-night marks an important milestone in the lives of the 1 £6 gradu¬ ates of Is sex District Tigh School. ' That whiub once seemed a dim star on s distant horizon has been transformed into a reality. When we en- te ' ■ d hi ' h school we were alarmed by the size of this building, the number of teachers and students, end the different procedures to w ' cich. we her to become, accustomed. After five years ' sojourn he i, e e.ach room b- arc Pleasent and familiar memories. The boys and iris who were at one time complete strangers arc now our closest companions and the teachers, our friends. These recollections laipart a tin e of sadness to the joyous feelings which we experience u-on obtainin ' our graduation d i olorpas. Cn behalf of the. gradua l, in class I should 1: : e .to express our ' rati t’de -to everyone who has contributed to ma e this a successful I even ; n . To %». Arison who has yen ' is time to address us uoon this occasion, we say a very special thank-you. o our parents and teacher?! who have patiently borne with us the pains and pleasures of our high school pears, we render our heart-fel.t appreciation. everai oi the ■raduetes have already be un to prepare for their chosen vocation and within a few short wee c most of us will have ventured forth, each on his se arate oath, Whe fcher- our field be that of engineering, nursTn or teaching, we hone that we shall always be a credit to t ' -ose who have showed such a vital interest in our future. Although we have completed our secondary school training ' , to assess; accurately the value derived from it would be a tremendous task. To sy. that we have studied French, English, mathematics or science for five yearn would be a very superf icial interpretation of it. Who is able to evaluate the influence of the aily occurrences and contacts whic 1 - . though scarcely perceptibly have left an indelible impression ’ non us? Our hardest lessons were not those which we learned from textbooks but from, experience. Our mistakes which resulted from a trial and error method of decision are still, vivid but with the guidance and ne -sonal interest of the teachers, we have gradually learned toadont an adult approach to our roblems. • The athletic and social aspects of hioh schol life cannot he over¬ emphasized. In the course of Track and . ' ield meets and tense b-.sketba! II games we learned that even the efforts of our classmates were not slwr yc sufficient to secure victor;: for 2asex. D rcb?blv one of our most valu¬ able lessons was to learn to rse disappointment end defeat as a sou.’ to greater och ' eveme ts. The various or snizations a for ’ed us an ooportun ity ' to express our own ideas and to reaso 1 ' intell’ gentlv. The student dances throughout the years have inspired us with confidence and with a desire to meet and to associate with others. T e concerts ore sente 4 by j the Band and Glee Club have helped to instil in us e love for culture. As ws cause in retrospect we realize that each ‘base of Mgh aChopi wsn designed to fulfil one main object ' ve the development of the complete individual . To-day we have left behind our childhood and are entering i :.to e world of adults. Ve are faced with the Problem of using our lives not merely for our own advantage but for the service of others. In a use¬ ful career one is certain to f und satisfaction and tr i: e hap- ness. Our study cf world conditions has revealed to us the diversities which cre¬ ate discord between nations and eventually result in world strife. Compared with such enormous Problems one ' s personal trials and tribula¬ tions will always be insignificant.