Plymouth State University - Conning Tower Yearbook (Plymouth, NH)

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William Frkemoxt Skelton

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“T H E CO NN I N C TO K { I 9 3 0 23 Deine Gesichte, Mutter 1 Jy no wind those clouds seemed drifting Par above the earth so fair. Mystic moon her charm had given To the silence everywhere. On the hilltop, tall, serenely. Stood a great and massive pine; To it with her branches drooping riung a lonely, little vine. Life was dark, and oh! how mournful. To the weary, struggling vine. As it reached forever higher To be like its friend the pine. Then she whispered slowly, softly, To the stars who were so dear. “I. of earth, who seek the heavens, Help me God, Thou art so near.” Hush, a rustle in the treetops, Hreaks the stillness of the night. Starry heads are there that beckon; See! “how near now shines the light! “Oh, the beauty of the silence. Oh the wondrous stars so bright. I have climbed, oh earth and heaven; Life is wonderful to-night.” Viola Xia.sox.

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“THE CONNING TOWER” 1930 25 To the Graduates of the Junior-Senior Course Your class is small in numbers but strong in quality. As teachers of grades seven and eight you are facing an important task and at the same time you have a wonderful opportunity to assist in molding the lives of the young people who may come under your instruction. In what way could one render humanity a greater service than to instruct future citizens in habits of right thinking? An individual can reason only to the extent that experience furnishes him the facts with which to form his judgments. If those judgments are to he wise and of value to society they must he based upon a background of worth while experience. The school is only one of several environmental influences which help to mold the lives of young people, hut let us make sure that its influence is strong and well directed. We can teach our pupils to seek evidence for their conclusions and we can insist that their judgments as to school problems be based on facts. This habit of using facts to arrive at conclusions will carry over into life and the adult will use reason in solving his problems. We must teach the children to consider all the facts connected with any given situation, for to ignore certain data which seems unpleasant is not good reasoning hut rationalization, a very common weakness of humanity. America needs citizens who can face reality and think clearly. Our behavior is governed too much by crowd psychology and too little by individual reasoning. A great nation cannot progress by the ghosts of past traditions. It is strong only when the individual citizens face problems fearlessly, think clearly, and act unselfishly. The mind of the junior high school pupil is alert and ready to he challenged. We should so teach that each lesson gives material for thought, and habits of thinking should he so firmly imbued that it will seem more natural for the child to think than it is for him to follow others. A successful teacher should possess initiative, self-confidence, enthusiasm, worthy ideals, and power of leadership. All of you have these qualities, and 1 believe that in your chosen profession you will do credit to your Alma Mater. William F. Skelton.