Robert E Lee High School - Leeway / Record Yearbook (Staunton, VA)

Page 28 text:

Valedictory Jennie Levie S We, the Class of 1932, stand here tonight, having attained the end of our high school career, we look ahead and we see a great world lying A before us. Wonderful possibili ties unfold themselves to us of which we are to make the best or the worst. Great responsibilities await us since we are to be the future citizens of our country. It is our duty to carry on willingly and nobly the work which will be handed over to us in a few years. We must train ourselves for the task, however difficult; difficulties are not overcome by running away from them but by facing them squarely and fighting them. True and good citizens are not made on the spur of the moment. It requires deep thought and hard work. This in turn demands patience. “You cannot dream yourself into character; you must hammer and forge yourself one,” has been truly said. No great man has become great over night. All of them had some goal in view and worked faithfully to obtain it. And if we study the lives of those whose names are deeply engraved upon the pages of history we shall find this to be true. But it is not enough to study about and think of these great ones who have gone before us; we must emulate them, we must work as well as think, for think¬ ing which is not followed by action is without value. Action brings growth and growth is progress. Our success in the past promises well for our success in the future. We, having taken advantage of the many privileges and opportunities offered us here are better prepared to meet and handle future situations and tasks which will confront us. Each of us knows his own characteristics, his own traits, and whether or not he has the courage and the determination that will be needed to make him the person he and his friends wish him to be. We must face life as individuals; each must do his or her part. Each has his definite purpose and, 1 believe and wish to emphasize this thought, that each is largely responsible for his success or his failure. We are, of course, filled with delight and excitement when we think of the things we are longing to do, yet we are sad, indeed, to leave this dear old school with its friendly surroundings. We hold in our hearts a deep admiration for dear old Lee High—-an admiration which time will surely strengthen, not lessen. To our teachers we owe a great debt for they are the ones who aided us in gaining the position we now occupy. We wish to express our gratitude to them for their painstaking efforts in our behalf and assure them that they will ever hold a permanent place in our memories. Let us remember the friends who are interested in us and who are watching us at every step of the way and let us resolve never to bring pain or disappoint¬ ment to these loyal hearts. Let the memories of these years spent here be forever joyous and happy ones. We, the Class of 1932, say “Farewell.”

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JOHN WILLIAM HANNA Phoenix Literary Society; Football Squad, ' 29-’30; Orchestra, ’29-’30 ; Pythagorean Geom¬ etry Club, ’30; Boys’ Club, ’30. VIRGINIA ELIZABETH BRADFORD Philomathean Literary Society; Glee Club, 30-’31-’32; Girl Reserve Club, ’29-’30-’31-’32. ANTHONY JOSEPH PEDUTO Phoenix Literary Society. JUNE WALTON CLIFTON Philomathean Literary Society.

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Salutatory Maud Deeicens F RIENDS, teachers, and fellow students, it is indeed an honor and a pleasure to welcome you here tonight. We, the Class of 1932 , have just completed the first step in our education. Education—a little word—and yet how much it means. One may say that one never completes his education, for we learn or should learn something new each day. But the knowledge we acquire is of no value to us unless we use it in our daily lives. Jn order to be successful in life, we must be quick to take advantage of each opportunity as it presents itself. As Shakespeare says: “There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; Omitted, all the voyage of their life Is bound in shallows and in miseries.” Shall we let our lives be “bound in shallows and in miseries?” I am afraid some of us will unless we learn early in life to apply our knowledge when and where needed. For education does not consist only of the three “R’s,” “reading, writing and ’rithmetic,” but is very wide in its scope. Each person will have a different way in which to apply his knowledge and must recognize this. May we not look to three of our most noteworthy Ameri¬ cans, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, as wonderful examples of our class motto, “Seize Opportunity!” Each of these applied with remarkable ability his knowledge to his daily life. But for George Washington would we have such a great country today? And do not the schools of Vir¬ ginia owe much to Thomas Jefferson? Nor would we have the wonderful elec¬ trical devices so nearly perfected today if Benjamin Franklin had not made the most of his knowledge and opportunity. And we must not fail to mention the name of Robert E. Lee when enumerating the great American men. General Lee was one of the world’s greatest military strategists due to the fact that he was able to do the right thing at the right time and did it. No two of us will acquire the same amount or the same kind of knowledge when we leave Lee High. But however great or small the amount, may we try to the best of our ability to apply it to our daily lives and opportunities, as these great men did. It has been said and rightly so, that, “What we learn f rom books is valuable only when we do something with it. What we do is valuable only when we know why we are doing it.” It is with regret that we leave Lee High and the teachers who have helped us so much not only in our daily work but by inspiring us to higher ideals and nobler thoughts. They will always hold a place in our hearts. Class of 1932, 1 salute you, and on your behalf extend a most sincere welcome to our friends here tonight.