Hamburg High School - Echoes Yearbook (Hamburg, NY)

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1Hrv5ihrnt'n Ahhremi lVlr. Park, Members of the Class of Nineteen Twenty-two, Friends: Our meeting this evening is probably the last one which we, as a class, shall hold. Not all of our meetings were destined to be as quiet as this one. Before this evening we were all, technically at least, students of Hamburg High School. When we leave this evening we shall no longer be that, we shall be students of world conditions, trying to find our place in its complex, yet simple, scheme of affairs. Some will stay here, some will go far away. Some will take up one line of endeavor, some another. lVlay all prosper, may all be happy. Much depends on what motives actuate one. l know of no general panacea, no brilliant piece of advice which turns failure into success, in fact, there is no such thing. But there are certain qualities of which all successful people are endowed with a certain proportion. Every person will tell you of his particular formulag what made him what he is. But the key which l wish to suggest this evening is one of those which all people need. Dr. Conwell was recently asked whether the world still seemed bright at seventy-eight. He said: I have never in all my life been happier than today. To explain the secret of his contentment, he continued: First of all, the power of adjustability! If only men and women could learn the im- portance of that secret, what a different world it would be! Everywhere you go, you see people making themselves miserable by a futile struggle against things which cannot be changed. To learn early to change what can be changed and put up with what cannot be-what a blessing it is. The first place to which we look for the demonstration of an axiomatic truth is often in nature. What could show the need for adaptability to con- ditions better than nature herself? It is seen in the plants, the Howers and the treesg the animals and the birds. Their structure and form, even their color, all show the desirability of harmony between the need and the ca- pability of filling it. We do not know whether the giraffe has a long neck and legs because he gets food from the trees, or whether he gets food from the trees because he has a long neck and legsg but we do know that he reaches up and eats out of the trees. Recently l saw an advertisement which showed the picture of a skeleton of a dinosaur. It told how it roamed the plains and was one of the mightiest of animals in its day. Then came this subtle and unobtrusive observation: The dinosaur became extinct ages ago because it could notadapt itself to the new needs of changed times. Natures rule of the survival of the fittest still holds good with men as well as with dinosaurs. Conwell's theory is to change those things which can be changed and adapt oneself to those things which cannot be remedied. A man should not allow easily-changed things to go in a rut, regardless of modern methods. That would be moving according to Chinese principles of antiquated date. Even these conservatives have outlived their superstitions. The person who deplores the unchangeable things of life deserves not very much pity. But let there be no doubt as to whether an unchangeable condition actually exists, or whether you would like to imagine that it does. The person whose prin- ciples are continually Hitting about trying to find a temporary advantage, 30 lJf:fw13g,v'jp--ww af. ., 1 ,o-..,i, .. Lg' ttf- 5-,-f Urn, fe., ,1-, , f 4 , x im- ' .. .. . ril..,.,2fa sm Q Q ee..-sa .uve ff. oem...

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Smlntatnrg Friends: Tonight marks one of the milestones in our lives. We shall never again be known as students of Hamburg High School-but do not think we shall ever forget her! Commencement! What does it mean? Many people have the im- pression that it is a terminationg but the word itself very apparently means beginning Some of us will go to college for the further pursuance of formal edu- cation, but some of us will not again know the joys and sorrows of the text- book. Yet we can all continue to gain knowledge, whether still in school or notg for the grandest thing about learning is its illimitability. The more one learns, the more one wants to learn and the more one appreciates the education one already has. Do not think that the lessons of Life are easier than those of the patient mortals who have struggled valiantly with us for the past twelve years. We know that text-book lessons are difficult to learn, and we have soon to dis- cover that a price must be paid for l..ife's lessons also. Thomas Carlyle, in his essay on Robert Burns, says: But so it is with many men: we 'long for the merchandise, yet fain would keep the pricef and so stand chaffering with Fate, in vexatious altercation, till the night come, and our fair is over. The merchandise and the price !--Both we cannot have. Are we going to be willing to pay? A Forum lecturer recently remarked on a Hamburg platform: 'il hate nothing so much as to hear a young person say, 'Well, I have finished my education. Education is not a thing that can be finished So tonight we welcome you, not to the celebration of a task com- pleted, but of task just begun. We are not rejoicing over the end of a perfect dayng we are consecrating ourselves to the struggles and duties of tomorrow. The bay is crossedg the ocean lies beforef' Evelyn G. Tooley 29

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soon finds that he has no permanent landing place left. Such a person is called an unprincipled, unpurposed fool. Csometimes he is called a poli- ticianj The other extreme is as bad. The headstrong snob gets no further than the soft-minded one. But remember: change what you can, early, and have no regard for things without remedy. Do not change your principles to suit your desires, change your method or your desires. Fight hard for what you want when fighting will get it for you, but an honorable peace is better than a foolish battle. lVlore can be gained by friendship with fate than by fighting with adversity. When the immovable obstacle stands in your way, do not break yourself on it. Smile and gracefully walk around it. May contentment be yours, and success. Theodore A. Viehe. Halehirtnrg Teachers, Classmates, Friends: It is my privilege to say a last word before we separate. And, repre- senting the class of nineteen twenty-two, l want to thank you all for making this occasion possible. As we look back upon the past four years of life, we find that we have been delving into rich mines of wisdom and experience. Each one of us has collected a capital to take out into the world. Thus far we have not fol- lowed any one path, but have been pointed to many vistas and labyrinths, any one of which, if chosen with care and followed rightly, will lead to honor and success. 'iLife is an arrow--therefore, you must know What mark to aim at, how to use the bow- Then draw it to the head. and let it go! The greatest problem that confronts us now, as we leave school, is making the choice from among the many paths. It is impossible to succeed without some definite purpose. Be what nature intended you for and you will succeed: be anything else and you will be ten thousand times worse than nothing. Robert Burns' Whole failure in life was due to the fact that he lacked unity of effort. I-le never realized the work for which he was intended. We cannot fail if, in our chosen path, we but hold fast to the truth that service is the high road to success. It is not a royal road, we are well aware, for there are mountains to climb and dismal valleys to pass through. But we fear not, knowing that from the height of surmountecl difficulties we shall catch a glimpse of the true meaning of life. We shall suffer, we shall experience joys and sorrows. A time will come to some to know the happiness of one's own home, to feel the fierce glow of victory and the cold chill of undisguised defeatg to endure all things as faith- ful soldiers. And not only to endure but to conquer, to overcome all diffi- culties and preserve the calm poise of the strong soul Within. Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. The paths we shall take may often cross, and then we shall meet again. But though each one has his own journey to go and his particular byway to traverse, the same earth will be under our feet and the same sky over our heads. So we do not say a final farewell, but rather till we meet again. Elizabeth Blacking 3 l