Lancaster Mennonite High School - Laurel Wreath Yearbook (Lancaster, PA)

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longer than the rest of us. Even you, Seniors, will in a few years pack some of these pictures and mottoes and eomtnencetnent treasures in trunks and drawers where they gradually fade out in memory. It is a fact, I know, for I have some old trunks in which the children find things of my school days. Once I would have considered it terrible to so ignore these precious things. It is only when the importance of these events takes its proper place in your thinking in the larger picture of your life that this graduation can have the significance that belongs to it. It is important now, you want it to be, but it is neither the dawn nor the sunset of any great epochg maybe not even in your life, although it seems to be that now. Recently I heard of a man who cattle back frotn the service with a lot of rank and credit. He had been getting big pay and great satisfaction out of his position. He came strut- ting into the ofhce of one of my acquaintances who is a County Superintendent of schools. I came to find out about my rights. he said in a dignified manner. Sit down, Charlie,-at ease now. not so stiff and formal, XVhat is it you wanted? said my friend. I'm Lieutenant ---- . I came to find out about my rights. Come, now, Charlie. I was that way once, too. I know your father and your grand- father. Then he went on to tell him his rights, named his prospective salary and the posi- tion he could expect.. Charlie had a few months at home that were 1101 pleasant. He could not understand why people considered so lightly what seemed so important to him. He is happy now, very happy. I sat in his rootn several days ago and saw how well he got along with his teach- ing. I asked him, after a long, pleasant conversation, IVhere is your service button? He smiled. I had a hard time with those things, but I consider them doodads nowf' This school experience has changed you. It is a part of you. You have a right to ap- preciate the good things you have received from your home training. school, and work ex- perience. The sooner you forget about rank. diplomas. being a high school graduate, or a member of this or that family, the better you will be able to make yourself useful to others. Do 1101. hesitate long to see il a job is equal to your social standing. Is the job necessary? Do it. You have before you the prospects of a life of usefulness and happiness, especially if you practice literally what your tnotto stands for. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to go into your hotne community and accept ordinary duties and do them in an extra- ordinary way. Time and tide wait for no manf' While they do not determine our fate or destiny, nor decide the goals we may reach in life, they do describe definite limits with- in which we must work out our destiny. All the ele- ments, with which we work are God giveng given for us to shape and fashion into usefulness. Also ours is the decision for whose use we shape and fashion. Some decide to devote their all to God after they have used it first for themselves. Then God gets it second- hand and outworn when the tide is nearly in. May every member of this class dedicate his life to God, beginning with this Commencement Day. -Amos W. Weaver. 7

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P1'ineipal's Message J. PAUL GRAYB1LL Dear young people, members of the graduating class of 1946. It has been a pleasure to have you in school. YVhile it has meant some hard work for you and for us, yet we look forward for the reward of our labors in lives that have been enlarged and made more useful for the Master's work. In comparison with that which is to be learned in life, you have learned but very little. But we do hope that you have found a few rules for life and happiness which you can apply to life's situations in the years ahead. You will find that often hard work is the key that opens the door to success. Faithful' ness to responsibilities, large or small, is the groundwork for trustworthiness in life's responsibilities. Submission to those X who are over you will help you to Ht your life into its proper l place. Co-operation with those with whom you live and work will make life pleasant both for you and for them. You are now graduates of a Mennonite High School. The principles of the Scriptures as interpreted by the Mennonite Church have characterized the ideals and principles of your Alma Mater. Wle have endeavored to teach these principles and doctrines while you were in school. VVhile your adherence to these ideals may not always have been with prompt readiness, for at times it meant self-denial, yet we assure you that if you are willing to stand by your church and school as you go out from it, the Lord will give you many opportuni- ties to witness for Him in a needy world. The world just now is in great need of young peo- ple with a clear-cut message of Gospel truth, the message which your church upholds. So as you now leave us and are Embarking with Christ we send you forth with the wish that you will speak out boldly by word and life for your Lord and church. Never be ashamed of the testimony that is so much needed in the world that is in turmoil and un- certainty. Class Adviser's Message NOAH G. Goou These are interesting days for you, Seniors. You are doing a lot of planning about the important things you will do and be in the years to come. You repeat your motto with enthu- siasm and feeling. It has become to you something of a land- mark, an epoch. That is right. Some time there will be a coming back to normal things and ordinary life. Some time you will talk to some friend about your Class Motto. He will say, Let me see, I l1ave just forgotten what the motto was. Wfere you in the Class of '45, or the year fol- lowing? Can it be? Now it seems so important. You do not think that the events clustering around your graduation could ever lose their attraction. Even to you, members of the Class of '46, the same thing will happen. Naturally, there are some persons who remember the birthdays of all the babies in the community who will be able to call up all the details much 6

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The world you are entering is complex and evilg but you need not fear. A life wholly yielded to Christ will find a way. The true and eternal greatness lies in serv- ing even the least of these. I pray that each of you truly and sincerely are Embarking with Christ! -John S. Wenger. And to you who are Embarking with Christ -may God grant you a successful voyage under His guidance. Steer by God's stars and at long last He will bring you home to port where you may indeed see your Pilot face to face. -Edna K. Wenger. Life itself should be a great challenge to you becaus.e it gives you the chance to be happy and noble and true, the chance to lift burdens, to give blessings, to know God, and to experience God's divine purposes in your own lives. Accept life's great challenge with hand and heart strong in the grace of our Lord Jesus.. -Lois N. Garber. To the Seniors: There is One who is altogether lovely. He alone is able to make life rich for you, rich not necessarily in material wealth, but in those things which give a deep heart satisfaction. My wish for you, as. you go out into new experiences and new responsibilities, is that you may walk with Him, Not overrunning His sweet will, nor lagging far behindf' -Myra E. Hess. 8