Kimball Union Academy - Concordia Yearbook (Meriden, NH)

Page 12 text:

AI l'UMN LEAVES -- Henry Russell

Page 11 text:

IN GOD WE TRUST I have often thought of the real difference between an amateur and a professional and the contributions which each have made to our community, our country, and the world. We would do well to consider the spirit with which these contributions have been made. During the American Revolution the British hired the professional Hessian soldiers to fight our colonists, the rabble in arms. The British failed to realize the spirit and de- termination of the true amateur. Many of our so-called patriots were really professionals at heart, when pay day brought no pay, they put financial remuneration above freedom and departed for home, leaving the amateurs to carry on to win freedom by victory over the professional Hessian and -British troops. Thereby the amateur gained for us our present way of life and liberty. This truly was a great victory. lt is significant that our forefathers engraved upon their coins the words, ln God we trust. lt is a most interesting fact that most of the great men who have accumulated large fortunes have given generously of their resources to our churches, our educational institutions, our charitable foundations, and our hospitals. Their trust has been in God and their interests have been in those things which are for the furtherance of God's work among men. lt is interesting, too, that those employed by such institutions are, on the whole, not interested in the financial remuneration receivedg their first desire is to serve mankind to the best of their ability. In our war cemeteries all over the world there are hundreds of thousands of Ameri- cans who, without one thought of pay, gave their lives that we might enjoy our way of life. True amateurs! In our veterans' hospitals and elsewhere there are thousands of per- manently disabled men who never complain of their lost liberty and freedom to enjoy life. Their pay is of little use and of little interest to them. True amateurs! A renowned sports columnist recently made derogatory comments about the marathon runners. I remember that a few professional races were tried without success, yet annually we find about 150 amateurs lined up to start the grueling race from Hopkinton to Boston. Only God has the means of knowing the inner difference between the amateur and the professional l We may never have a new gymnasium because the unions have destroyed the crafts- men who were amateurs at heart and they have developed the professional plumbers, brick masons, and carpenters who, regardless of their ability, haven't the interest or desire to touch anything but their own specialty. The greatest accomplishments of mankind were performed by the so-called amateurs who never thought of any financial reward and who gave unselfishly of their time, strength, and resources that we might have a better world in which to worship God and live in hap- piness. We should be ashamed to put financial security above the welfare of our country. Our individual security is dependent upon our inner resources, not our bank accounts or our external possessions. Our collective security can be obtained only by eliminating the wasters of our national resources, the pr0fessionals,', and by returning to the faith of our amateur forefathers -- ln God we trust! l7l

Page 13 text:

fk xkfl U K ,, I X: - ml W MQ