Milford High School - Spartan Yearbook (Milford, NH)

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THE SENIOR YEARBOOK Valedictory Doris jones Tonight marks not only the finish of our high school careers, but also the beginning of something far more important and far more serious than anything we have as yet undertaken. It is the beginning of a new life-a life in which we must learn to think and to act for the benefit of mankind. Tonight we also stand on the threshold of a confused world - a world filled with prejudice. It is a world which needs help - help which cannot come from the citizens of today, but must come from us, the citizens of tomorrow. It is our duty, as firm believers in just and equal rights for all, to assure these rights to people all over the earth. We must bring freedom, in every sense of the word, to every person on this planet. If we do no more than this in our lifetime, our years will have been indeed well spent. A huge burden awaits us, it is the burden of taking over what our elders left us. It will take a true believer in the human rights' doctrine to assume this responsibility with all the vital sense of justice and integrity which it will require. Let us hope that all of us will be thins endowed. For, if we are not, our handling of world affairs will only cause conditions to deteriorate. This must not happen, it is our job to improve conditions to wipe out totalitarian forms of government, to educate the ignorant, to improve the lot of the unfortunate, and to bring peace to this frightened world. To bring peace to the world is our most important du . Surely, no one who is pres- ent tonight wants a third World War. Have not the o world-wide struggles this nation has experienced in the past fifty years been enough? Have not our losses in life, material, and time been irreplaceable? Some people say that a third World War is inev- itable. They say that great and powerful nations cannot be at peace on the same planet. Conflicting types of government, ways of life, and standards of living - all contribute to war between such nations. They say that past history proves these statements, but are we living in the past? Must our history be a repetition of the past? Is our country doomed because we believe in democracy and other countries do not? If our country is doomed, it is because such people say it is. How can we avoid another war if people keep saying that it is inevitable? Peace is obtained not by war, bloodshed, and misery. We must learn to live peacefully and settle our differences in peaceful fashions. Only then can we say that we have taken the first step toward a world of peace. In this modern world of ours there is no place for war. Wars must become a thing of the past -as have the horse and buggy. We must give up our war machines as we have given up other antiquated phases of life. When we realize this fact, the world will be a better place in which to live. Then, and only then, will we proudly say that we are good American citizens. For it is up to us, as the most advanced people in the civilized world in other phases of life, to lead the way to everlasting peace. Why have we developed to such a high degree of perfection our different sciences, our industries, our education, and raised our standard of living, but allowed our inter- national relations to fall to such a low ebb? We claim that we live in the most advanced nation in the world, and yet we have not been able to keep on friendly terms with other great nations, or even with ourselves. Why? Are we a warring nation at heart? Do we,

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The VALEDICTORY And SALUTATURY C

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THE SENIOR YEARBOOK deep in our hearts, wish to be constantly fighting? I think not. Then, why do we? This is one of the many questions and problems that faces us as we go into the world. Some we will master, some will remain for future generations. But whatever we accomplish, we will accomplish by peaceful methods. Thus, as we finish the task of our high school studies, we begin a greater task- the task of bringing peace and hope to the entire world. I only pray that God will give us the power to face and grapple with this tremendous task, and make a reality of: Peace on Earth - Good Will to Menf, Salutatory Barbara Fisher Superintendent Bowley, members of the school board, Mr. Hutton, parents, teachers and friends of the Class of 1950: . On behalf of my class, I wish to welcome you here tonight. It is because of your interest in us that we are now seated here before you. Tonight marks an important milestone in our lives as we graduate from Milford High School and prepare to take our rightful places in the world. We have finished one phase of our education only to begin again enither in an institution of higher learning or in the school of experience. Many of us liigkie fears and doubts about what is in store for us. I believe that my thoughts tonight as well as those of my classmates can best be ex- pressed in the words of this poem written by Dorothy Smith. Life! I1 What hast thou to offer me Young, enthusiastic, free, Unwilling to follow the straight proven way, Eager to start a new course with each day. Have I a straight one through a smooth sailing sea, Or a storm full of peril charted for me? Is my ship worth the sailing? Will the winds always blow? Will there always be ports to which I may go? Sometimes may I stop in the midst of the deep, To wander and play, to drift and to sleep? Or must I keep sailing, sailing ahead, Changing my cargoes from silver to lead? Life, what is the answer? Show me the way, Give me the courage to live through each day. The house of life has many windows through which we may see clearly what is to be done, but we will consider only four- knowledge, challenge, beauty, and religion. Knowledge may be defined as a clear perception of fact, of truth, or of duty. Its pri- mary aim is toward the development of adults rather than scholarship. With knowledge, race and religious prejudices based on ignorance are wiped out. Knowledge is essential to progress, only according to our lack of it does society become stagnant. Thought develops character which can dominate conditions. Knowledge has personal rewards to