Lafayette High School - Oracle Yearbook (Buffalo, NY)

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Rare gifts of heart and mind rnade hirn an ARTHUR DETMERS outstanding and inspiring leader of young people. He added nobility to the profession which he deemed the greatest single taotor Principal l903-l9OG in the Welfare ot rnanlcind. ePhiiip Becker Goetz I N M E M O R I A M

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DR. RQBERT T. Bl-SPST To Dr. Robert T. Bapst, whose recent appoint ment as Superintendent of Education has in creased the scope ot his inspirational inttu ence, we proudly dedicate this book. DEDICATION ,

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A TRIBUTE TO ARTHUR DETMERS By Philip Becker Goetz 0 The tradition of friendship and understanding which is so much a part of Lafayette today, has prevailed from its very beginning. lt dates back to the days when Lafayette was still known as the West High School and Mr. Arthur Detmers came from the classical department of old Central High School to be its first principal. 0 As principal, he established a close and sympathetic relationship between faculty and students, and founded customs that were later invaluable in the life of the school. He insisted that all athletes must do creditable work in their studies if they wished to be eligible for the school teams. Another valuable contribution was the morning assembly at which, in addition to brief talks, he himself offered and had presented music of the best kind. 0 But his constant concern was to raise all questions of discipline and conduct to the highest moral plane. Those who once knew his vehemence against dishonesty never forgot it. Pupils instantly caught his enthusiasm for high standards in thought and con- duct. However difficult it may have been for pupils to comprehend and adopt what seemed an austere attitude, they never forgot his tonic influence. And to the last days of his life, even after he had left Lafayette, he kept in touch with former pupils by cor- respondence and personal visits. 0 The songs he composed for Lafayette were as original as they were popular. Moral fervor never obscured his perception of the humorous and human side of the day's problems. But the ideals that motivated his career as man and principal are best em- bodied in his own poem, A PRAYER xx To grow a little wiser day by day, To school my mind and body to obey, To keep my inner life both clean and strong, To free my lips from guile, my hands from wrong, To shut the door on hate and scorn and pride, To open them to love the windows wide, To meet with cheerful heart what comes to me, To turn life's discords into harmony, To share some weary worker's heavy load, To point some straying comrade to the road, To know that what l have is not my own, To feel that l am never quite alone- This would l pray from day to day, For then I know my life will flow ln peace until it be God's will l go.