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

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VALEDICTORY LAURA MCfMANANN'AY Tonight it is my privilege and pleasure to leave with you the closing message of the class of 1940. My subject is Planning a Life. A planless life is like a ship without a compass. It lacks direction and is therefore unable to reach its destination. VVe should begin now to make life plans, and in making these plans, it is important for each one to establish high ideals, for it is these ideals that are the most significant factors in forming character. The quality of one's ideals will determine the excellence of his achievement. It has been said that a man's ideal, like his horizon, is constantly receding from him as he advances toward itf, Tn making our plans we should keep in mind two thoughts: the rights and obligations of an individual. Shall we clamor always for our rights and scarcely think of our obligations to others? Which is the more important, and what are the obligations which face each one of us? One of the most important is prepara- tion for citizenship of tomorrow. Upon good loyal citizens depends the welfare of our country. We cannot accomplish very much in life unless we are thoughtful and considerate of our fellow man, so let each of us keep in mind the Golden Rule. We live in a democracy which has been established as a result of great sacrifice on the part of our forefathers. ln view of this, we should not fail to respect it and remain loyal to it under all conditions. If we recognize and meet these obliga- tions, we shall 'go far toward living good, useful lives. But in planning our future, we must never lose sight of the importance of making the most of the present. Perhaps, even in our generation, although now there seems to be hopeless confusion and turmoil, there will arise some modern statesman as great as Washington, some soldier as great as jackson, some gentle leader of men as great as Lee. They may come from our very midst. However, I believe that a lasting peace for the future will depend upon the day-by-day honest effort to plan and to live the best now and thus find peace within. Look to this day! i For it is Life, the very Life of Life. ln its brief course lie all the Verities And Realities of your Existence: The Bliss of Growth, The Glory of Action, The Splendor of Beauty. For Yesterday is but a Dream, And Tomorrow is only a Vision, But Today well-lived makes every Yesterday a Dream of Happiness, And every Tomorrow a Vision of Hope. Look well therefore to this Day V' To the class of 1940, l say 'fFarewellf'