Milford High School - Spartan Yearbook (Milford, NH)

Page 68 text:

MILFORD 64 Nexi, Please ! ! a if ALVIRNE 52 ! !

Page 70 text:

PRESlDENT'S ADDRESS Robert Moulton As we come to the end of our school years In Milford, we are at the place where It IS traditional to look around us to look backward at what we have done and for ward to what we are gomg to do We can remember with gratitude and affection what has gone before, the fun the hard work, and the many experiences we have had In school Without being sentimental but with smcerrty we can say to our teachers and parents, We thank you for what you have done for us, and hope we wrll be worthy of your efforts Graduates are usually optimistic world beaters They can cure all the rlls of the world from their vast store of knowledge I am not gomg to stand here and tell you how we the Class of 1956 are gomg out to change the world But I would luke to give you my vrews on a sublect being discussed by many people a problem that has often bothered me The problem rs Should we be allowed to vote at the age of eighteen'-' There are many laws rn our state that are not enforced Why arent they en forced? Because they were made In and pertain to the seventeen and eighteen hundreds Now they are meaningless and outdated The age for voters was estab lished about the same time as several other old fashioned laws You could go to the Cabinet Press tomorrow morning find an old Cabinet rn its file and read that a man was fined for speeding on Elm Street He was gomg twenty mules an hour' At one time the speed llmlt was less than twenty mrles an hour because of poor roads and I suppose a certain amount of fear and lack of knowledge about the horseless carriage Now however, with the benefit of time and science men have perfected an engine that will operate faster a car that rs safer on today s safer highways Man understands the automobile and rt ns with thus knowledge that speed lrmnts have mcreased Speed llmrt laws have kept up with the times' Why not the votmg age law? lt was enacted when people had little knowledge of national affairs or even their own state affairs They had little or no schooling Today nearly of a hundred years ago we discuss Issues with our parents and are encouraged to give our oprmons We understand We have the knowledge they drdn tl The last presidential electron brought out a greater percentage of voters than any previous contest but the total dad not exceed more than two thirds of our elrgrble voters You can vote and wont we want to vote and cant' There rs an age old argument If we re old enough to fight we re old enough to vote No matter how many times rt rs used rt ns strll very true How many boys between the ages of eighteen and twenty one have given their llves rn battles9 Why? To defend us and preserve democracy Now there s a word democracy at means equality ls this equalnty9 A boy gave hrs lrfe for democracy but was not treated equally An eighteen year old must fight and pay taxes the same as a man of thirty eight but rs denied the votmg prrvrlege the older man has Georgia lawmakers lowered the votmg age to enghteen rn i944 This rs a fine example that might well be followed by the other forty seven states To me this seems like a step rn the right direction Those of you who do agree with me may thunk What can I do about rt? You are the voters You make the laws rn thus state Remember we are ready to make the great sacrifice and gust as ready for the great pnvllege In closing whsle rt probably rs too late to do anything for us rt rs possrble to take some action for future years Anyway It rs a malor problem of the time and Ive had my chance to speak I - 1 I . ' I I .. I I ' ' I . I - . ' I I , I . . I . . I I everyone finishes high school and many go on to college. Unlike the young people I . . 1 ' l . I . , . ' I - I U , . . . , . , . . . . I . . . ' I