Roxbury Central High School - Record Yearbook (Roxbury, NY)

Page 8 text:

fu UetHfwXa »i In the yeai 1968 we were especially saddened by the brutal, senseless slaying of two of our great countrymen. Dr. Martin Luther King and Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Acts like this must give all men pause; how can these things occur in a democratic, lawful coun- try? Dr. King was one of our greatest humanitarians. For many years he led the crusade for equality among men. He never let himself be swayed from the path that he chose, either by threats from people violently opposed to his cause, or by his allies, who cajoled him to leave his peaceful course of action in favor of a more radical form of protest. He was an eloquent man, full of sympathy and good- ness. Senator Robert F. Kennedy, junior senator from New York, was a member of one of America’s most politically prominent families. In a painful era of racial polarization, he stood up and spoke for what he thought was right. His crusading was for equality and freedom: he loved his country and strove to make it better. The, one day in June, he, like his brother President John F. Kennedy, was cut down in the prime of life by an assasin’s bullet. Whether or not we felt sympathy for their political ideologies, we must feel a deep sense of regret for the murder of patriots who were willing to devote their lives to improving America.

Page 10 text:

PtUvCifyCtt’S Dear Seniors, I would like to suggest that you evaluate the years, tears, trials, and errors of your educational experiences. Further, such an evaluation should evoke a common denominator or under- standing that we have all been working toward a common goal - to become all we are capable of becoming. How well we achieve this goal has rested almost exclusively on your shoulders. The faculty and I have shared a mutual concern to help you toward your goal. We are also concerned as to whether we helped you prepare for what lies ahead. However, in the final analysis, ail that you are or will be depends largely on your evaluation of the past as the vehicle of your present and future. Seldom, if ever, have high school seniors had to face problems of such complexity. The strife of racial, religious, economic, and social tensions will envelope and threaten to engulf you, will threaten every fiber of your being. The resolution of these problems may be costly. Not costly in terms of money but costly in terms of values which have been the cornerstone of our democratic way of life. What does it all mean? My friends, I believe it means that the preservation of this society is dependent upon you. Life depends upon the basic values subscribed to by you who must make life meaningful and relevant for your generation and for the future. Sincerely,