Keuka College - Kiondaga Yearbook (Keuka Park, NY)

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12 THE COLLEGE RECORD. And I know 'Tis not the balm, the sceptre, and the ball, The sword, the mace, the crown imperial, The throne he sits on, nor the tide of pomp That beats upon the high shore of the world.' that brings one happiness. With all these, he cannot be as con- tented as the humble laboring man. The joys which surround us in life are many and varied. Our heritage from the past is of great significance to us. The study of history shows us many men who have worked and accomplished much good in order to leave something lasting for the race. In ancient Greece, we find the beginnings and early development of the arts, sciences and literature, reaching their highest point in the age of Pericles. Those men found satisfaction in bringing to light for future generations that which had enriched their lives. With modern history has come the founding of our republic. New inventions and discov- eries have simplified the methods of work, so that the difficult problems of yesterday are now problems of the past. This heritage of ours is what makes it possible for us to progress, to advance toward the ideal. Ivife is made bright each day by common gifts. Our food, the air we breathe, our senses of seeing, hearing and feeling, all are common, but yet inestimable in worth. Many other joys are simply built upon these and are aided by them. Through our senses impressions are conveyed to our minds, which guide us to the places where we may find great enjoy- ment. In the artist it is the eye that is trained so finely; in the musician it is the ear and sense of touch. In the poet there is a combination of sight, sound and emotions, that in- spires him to write such lines as thrill us to more noble thoughts and deeds. In nature, happiness is a reality. Animals are constantly reminding us of the joys of life. In the open air, we too enter into those sports and practical exercises, which call to action our strength and endurance. Our health and vitality are built up and we are cheered by the new feeling of strength. Here also we may cultivate our love of beauty. We see the har- mony everywhere manifest. The sounds of nature, the water- fall, the bird notes, the rustling of the trees; the colors of na- ture, the grass the rocks, the sky with all its varying hues, all unite to make a perfect harmonious impression. Amid such

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THK COLLBOI RECORD' I 1 To do our tasks more bravely and do our duty well That men may sing our praises and may to others tell Of Our worthy deeds of action and our deeds o( valor bold, When the secret page of history shall to the world unfold. By labor and by honor we have mounted to the height. Pond memories He before us, and linger on our tight. They reveal the brave, hard struggle after Labor's bitter fruit, The wear}- bonis with mathematics, Ah, vain was our pursuit, For when the hour of testing came, it seemed beyond recall, To answer e'en a question; our doom was Study Hall. There tospend five weeks in grinding o'er the lessons in our books And to view eternal vengeance on our friends whose saucy looks Bespoke their satisfaction at our seemingly sad plight, And the gloom that settled o'er us was like the blackest night. Our schooldays now are waning; we'll soon be through with tests. We can put away our school books and calmly take a rest Till the chill of next September reminds the Juniors dear That they will have the honors that we have had this year. If they keep up patient plugging ere many years are told, When the future page of history shall to the world unfold, We hope to see emblazoned in letters big and round, The Class of 1913 with the Class of '12, renowned. M. Elaine Green, Class of '12, Keuka Institute. VALEDICTORY. The word life suggests to us ideas of vitality, animation, and energy. We are taught that we must create a place for ourselves in the world, that our independent efforts are those which count. our imagination adds brilliancy and color to our experiences, relieving us from monotony and creating that state of feeling which we call happiness. The richest joys of life are those found in common experi- ences. It is a striking fact that our famous poets and prose writers almost invariably associate the thought of happiness with the common people, the class that is deprived of luxuries, but which has the full benefit of wholesome, invigorating pleasures. Milton places the setting of 1 Allegro in the coun- try, amid the rustic folk. Burns depicts Scottish peasant life with simple, graphic beauty. We can almost see the toil- worn cotter, who weary o'er the moor his way doth bend, then, only a short time after, at home, he quite forgets his labor and his toil. On the other hand Henry V bewails his fortune, hampered by ceremony and burdened with the respon- sibility of his kingdom. He says:

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THI COLLEGE rkcord. L8 scenes we take a broader vision and forget the vexations which would mar our happiness. A wonderful joy of life is that of friendship. This is one of onr most marvelous influences. A true friend has no fault to find. A friend is considerate. A friend is fair in his judg- ments. He tries to understand us and participate in our pleas- ures. He is the one who encourages our worthy ambitions and ideals, for the fact that some one is concerned in our wel- fare is a powerful incentive to greater effort. Indeed, friend- ship fills one of the greatest needs of life, the need of human sympathy and love. To labor is the common lot of life, but this too is a source of happiness. Work is the only means by which we can reach that goal toward which we are all striving — success. Whether at work or play we long to be active, achieving and conquer- ing our difficulties. To attain this end becomes our fixed pur- pose, and, at the same time, our service seems important and worth while. Examples come before us of men who have stood steadfast to gain a particular object for which they alone were fitted, though others scoffed and ridiculed. They, never- theless, rejoiced in their power to surmount these obstacles. Luther Burbank had to endure just such treatment aud many privations before he could prove his ability to accomplish his task. Now his fame is world-wide. Among his flowers and trees, selecting and choosing with the utmost care, this wiz- ard is the happiest of men. Edison, in his laboratory, success- fully achieving what scarcely seemed possible, is always most contented when following out and trying to prove his theories. Besides all of these sources of happiness, much joy is to be gained from knowldge. There are great fields of investiga- tion and study. Ruskin speaks of the riches to be found in books, if we will only humble ourselves and be willing to dig for them, leaving our prejudices behind, that we may read then for their beauty and truth. History, literature and science not only teach us the lessons in our text books, but they also awaken our interest in the progress of civilization. As we de- velop, we feel bliss in our growth, the quickening of our fac- ulties, the recognition of our own independent powers and the deeper, fuller meanings of life. As the Class of 191 2 of Keuka Institute, we have now come