Pelham Continuation School - Pelham Pnyx (Fenwick, Ontario Canada)

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52 THE PELHAM PNYX VALEDICTORY ADDRESS Mr. Chairman, Members of the Staff and Student Body, Friends and Fellow Graduates:- I deem it a great privilege to have been chosen to give you this, the fare- well address from the graduating class of 1939. For five years now we have been working toward this end, toward this night when we might receive our high school graduation diplomas. And now this night has arrived and we are all just a little bewildered and frightened. But you must not get the idea that we have been plodding along these years with one thought uppermost in our minds: Maybe we'll get out of here alive. On the contrary, these have been happy years, probably the happiest of our lives, for they have been the years in which we have grown up, the years in which we have enjoyed the pleasures and good times of youth without ac- cepting any of the world's responsibilities. Of our twelve members, five have taken positions in the business world, four are attending Normal School, one has entered the nursing profession, and two are taking post graduate work. And so, five short months since last June we are already scattered far across the country. These are troubled times into which we are graduating. The world is in a state of war. There is a feeling of tension, of uncertainty. We who have received our diplomas here to-night do not remember the last war. We do not know the true meaning of the word as do some of you who served over- seas ot sacrificed in some other way that democracy might not perish. Oh, we've read about it, vve've heard about it-but it's not the same. Thus' we are stepping forth into a world of chaos, and because of this our high school training is very important. And so we must not forget our teachers, that noble body of B.A.'s and M.A.'s who have pounded Geometry theorems and Caesarian speeches into our heads. They have been very patient with us when we failed to do our homework, they have helped us through difficult subjects, they have even reprimanded us when we needed it, and taken us down the occasional peg. I think we have been very fortunate in having such a fine group of teachers. We have always known Mr. Crossley and Miss De La Mater for they have been here longer than we have. Mr. Laing joined the staff at the beginning of our third year, and Miss Dixon a year ago. We, in the general course, did not have the pleasure of taking any classes from Miss Blake, but she was of invaluable help as co-director of our school plays with Miss De La Mater. Nor must we forget our parents who have stood by us during these years, that we might acquire an education and so be better equipped to face the world. When we were greenhorns about to enter high school we all felt very smug and conceited and grown up. We had a sort of To-day I am a man complex. We were high school students now. Then we saw our upiperclass- men, and our egotism vanished. They looked so big, so old, so learne . They regarded us with an amused tolerance that made us feel very small and insig- nificant. But our first year passed very quickly, and our second, and before we knew it we were those same bored fifth formers, watching the freshmen to see that they didn't swallow their gum. And now, just a word to the undergraduates. Carry on the traditions of the school, traditions of fair play and honesty. Uphold the honour of the Grey and Maroon in sports Cbasketball, baseball, field dayb, in your Liter- ary Society and your music, in the mouthpiece of P. C. S., THE PELHAM PNYX. We did our best, while we were here, to make the social, as well as the ac- fconlinued on page 773

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THE PELI-IAM PNYX DREAMING Qv Harold l-lodgkins Far up beyond the ridge He sees the raven fly, The pheasant in some hillside haunt The bee upon some honeyed iaunt, A lark against the sky. And there beside the crystal stream, With rod in hand, he sits to dream. His contemplating eye Has lost its watchful force, The opportunity has slipped The greedy fish just now has flipped And there, far out, upon th: stream, The rod goes gliding with his dream IN COMMEMORATION OF THE ROYAL X lbl T By Nlyrtle XVall4er To-day as l sat listening Before our radio, There came to me, across the wires, The Queen's voice, soft and low. Although she made no effort, Her voice rang sweet and clear, For all the crowd in silence stood ' Their dear Queens voice to hear. At the trooping of new colours The sky was dull and gray, Yet to all those quietly watchful It was a glorious day. And to all the many people In homes or on the stand, 'Twas a ne'er forgotten happ'ning, The first one in the land. v

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I n 'Q DORIS BAUSLAUGH-ls in training at Brantford General Hospital and hav- ing a good time, they say. EVELYN BECKETT-ls spending her days working for Mr. Harrison in Wel- land and her nights at various places. NETTIE BECKETT-ls taking a course in Domestic Science at Hamilton. How about an invitation to dinner some time soon, Nettie? JACQUELINE BENALLICK-Jackie is spending her time during the week at Hamilton Normal School, and her weekends at home. SHIRLEY BERRYfThe art of being an excellent housewife seems to have in- terested Shirley so she is taking a course in Domestic Science at Hamilton. BYARD BOYES-ls at home helping Dad keep the bees under control. EDITH BRADLEY-Formerly employed by Canadian Canners of Fonthill, is spending her time cutting up the ice of said city and doing housework somewhere in Wainfleet. ROBERT BRADLEY-Bob is at present employed by Clemen's fruit farm. Good luck, Bobby, old boy! EDGAR BROWN-As near as we can find out from his sister, is doing a little bit of everything-at home. BRUCE CARPENTER-Has taken up the valuable position of being man about town. He says his job is hunting. JEAN CHAMBERS-Anything from gc up is Jeans motto, so call in at Kas- sirer's in Welland. DOROTHY COOK-ls reported to be having a good time not doing much of anything. KATHLEEN EBERT-Is working at Zanes in Welland. HAROLD ELLER-We hear that Harold has been working at St. Catharines General Hospital but is at home just now. JOE ELLlOTTASorry to hear you've been ill, Joe. Here's wishing you the best of everything. VERA ERION-ls whiling away the moments helping mother do the house- work. MARIE FORDHAM-Is attending Welland High School. DONALD HAIST-Somewhere far out in the north-east Donald is helping dad turn up the good old soil and plant the potatoes and beans. EVELYN HENDERSON-Is working in the Sales Audit Department of the Mail Order Building, T. Eaton Co., Toronto. MURRAY HILL-Is working at home, for further information call Murray- hill S 1 . BETH EEAYISAIS employed at W. K. Balfour's stationery store in Fenwick. LEO LYMBURNER-Has hooked himself a job in the oflice of Canada Forge and Foundries. MARIE MAWHINNEY-ls somewhere in the City of Toronto. ROBERT MCINTOSH-Bob is attending Hamilton Normal School learning the art of embroidery and also the art of teaching little girls and boys the world is round or is it? FERN PARFITT-Has been working in an office in Welland just to keep in practice, but right now she is at home. BETTY PEACOCK-Has high anticipations for the future but at present is quite the lady of leisure. BERTRAM POTH-Seems to have liked the saying Home Sweet Home, There's No Place Like Home. So home he is staying.