Odessa Montour Central High School - Odessanean Yearbook (Odessa, NY)

Page 6 text:

 . .

Page 5 text:

Someone has said, The essence of simplicity is to be yourself. After having accepted this fact, the question arises, what does being yourself consist of? iio one has attempted to answer this question yeti without becoming so involved in its intricacies as to lose sight of the orignal point. Still, being yourself isn't very hard. You are being yourself, until you assume an affected ijanner which distorts your view of life. The false representation by which you assure your mother that your aching tooth is all right, in order that you may go to the theatre, may not be an affectation in the true sense of the word. You may have adopted this method of deceit into your character so strongly than it becomes a part of you as an individual. Different persons have different characters. That is, their individuality differs. The moment that one loses his personal traits of character in preference to one's observed in others, he ceases to be an individual. He becomes a puppet. However, the fellow that, can realize .r.a faulty customs and rectify them, is deserving of 8. more Inspiring name than puppet . He is a man endowed with a strong will which will serve him in good stead A person 'should xeep himself incased in a shell which renders him impervious to damaging outward assault, but at the same time will not be unyielding to movements toward progress. In my opinion, the chap who observes others with an eye to involving the better points of their habits into his, but still adds a touch of individualism to point him out in the world, is the one most likely to succeed, Individuality is the thing that marks you in the vvorld as deserving or undeserving of its praise. So, when tempted to plagarize another's mannerisms, think twice and, be yourself.

Page 7 text:

The True Nature of Commencement Commencement, to me, appears the most appropriate name that could he found for one's first important step into the great adventure of existence. It seems much more proper than that older word graduation which for years has held a meaning synonmous with it. When one is graduated from grads school, high school, or college, he isn’t really graduating, he is only commencing. Commencing to face the tremendous struggles and seemingly insurmountable obstacles that will be thrust before him from time to time in the days of his maturity. These conflicts will cor.stitue that thing which we sail life. life is entirely different from its etymological relative, living . Life is only the fighting against inherent desires, and wrong beliefs in our daily routine. Living should be, and is made up from a large scope, not only the deposition of wrong, but also the exposition of right. That is living. The man who would impulsively help a feeble person across the street is the man who is living. While the one who only thinks about it and passes on is just having a life. I think that man should be judged before all by the manner in which he attempts to coerce the problems before him. In other words is he living or only having a life? In school, high school especially, students gain a knowledge of living , and not merely life. Organizations for this purpose are encouraged to go on with their work. Thus, school is only a beginning of worldly problems, and graduation a kind of second commencement.