Fitch High School - Tantara Yearbook (Groton, CT)

Page 10 text:

to the members of the class of 1959: as you assume greater responsibilities you will become increasingly aware of the extraordinary needs of the age in which we live; needs for things material, needs for the thoughtful intelligence, and above all. needs for greatness of the human spirit, millions of humans live on the numbing edge of starvation, terrifying physical forces, unleashed on earth in the name of war. and yet little tamed, and man stands poised for his inevitable leap, to the stars, hatreds still blight men’s hearts, and for it people are crushed, no generation has had placed before it a world as crowded with imperative needs as has yours, and no generation has ever had placed before it such an opportunity for greatness as has yours. greatness only comes with struggle—only when people face mountainous challenges and then stretch themselves to reach above, the picture of Washington our hearts cherish is not that of a man receiving the presidency of the young republic, but that of the man who was confronted by an agonizing winter at valley forge and who stood strong before it and achieved greatness. do not be frightened or made timid by what you see before you. but be happy in the knowledge that you have a magnificent opportunity to achieve greatness. knowr that our prayers and blessings go with you and that we shall watch you with pride. w. robert gaines superintendent

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to the class of 59 nineteen hundred and fifty-nine marks a very special year for you. it is the year you are about to step over the threshold into a new realm of responsibility, your education and your activities have all been directed towards training you to be able to override the barriers of birth, wealth, and social status, with the development of your talents and the knowledge that you have acquired, you have the potential to achieve great heights; but more important than this ability to achieve is the sense of values that you have acquired, the values which have lighted the pages of history: the pursuit and love of truth, the passion for justice, the love of beauty in all its forms, the intelligent use of human freedom, the respect for the dignity of the individual person, the capacity for sacrifice, and the reverence for things spiritual, these are the values, or among the values, which you must personify, practice, and cherish if you are to fulfill your obliga- tions and responsibilities, in the words of horace mann. “no man should leave the world without having contributed something to his family, neighborhood, country and nation.” let us hold steadfast to this conception of the school and of our mission. principal peter e. nikula

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left to right: marion w. lebuis, jay s. buckley, robert macgregor, jessie c. plumstead, freeman r. hathaway, warren 1. molton, ralph o. lewis. board of education to the class of 1959: the class of 1958 graduated one year ago; at that time the hope was expressed that its members would recognize the vast changes being wrought in the world, today—the tempo, has increased, and the in- ternational situation continues to develop into a crisis, how soon this crisis will require decisive answers, depends upon the actions of our country.. our leadership has grown through education of the people in its broad phase, not the education of the dictator type, where the individual learns very little of the art of living with his fellow man. education is knowledge, we, who have followed the passage of you, the class of 1959. as your members have been with us, have full confidence that you will pursue your education to your fullest abilities, and in this way help to sustain our country in its efforts to have a better world in which to live. may every success go with you. freeman r. hathaway, chairman groton board of education