St Francis Xavier Academy - Xavier Yearbook (Providence, RI)

Page 27 text:

THE XAVIER ADDRESS TO UNDERGRADUATES lEINE armen Kinder—We, the renowned class of ’08, bid | you farewell, but before departing feel it our bounden duty to impart salutary and lasting advice, and so,—close attention, please, to the following words of wisdom. You poor inferior mortals, you who can never hope to reach the sublime standard set for you by the high and mighty “eights,” try to be all that you can and your efforts may be rewarded. We reflect with sadness, your best will never equal our worst. To those who will assay to take a higher place when we are gone, (gone only in the sense of being absent, our works must survive,) it is incumbent upon us to give lasting counsel. Hampered as you Sophomores are by an extraordinary lack of even ordinary ability, it will be difficult for you to reach even a low mark of mediocrity; but, courage, make daily efforts to overcome your childishness and do procure a remedy for that dreadful megalocephaly from which you, each and every one suffer so keenly. As to you little ones, the minor considerations, the Freshmen, we deign to include you in our parting words. Be less noisy, more like the beloved Seniors. Don’t keep the disagreeable fact before unwilling minds that in you, decorum and deportment are totally lacking. A sad condition of things in the school, which we have honored by our presence for four long years (long only for those who have been trying to circumvent us, and short, very short, for the ’o8’s who wished to accomplish so much.) Give your teachers less trouble. Don’t necessitate their having to tell you continually to follow the bright example of a certain magnificent and glorious class. Remember you are attending school not for the purpose of half holidays and amusement but for hard work and study; for my dear little children, those are the only things that will enable you to be at all like US, studious, dignified, refined and virtuous young Ladies. Juniors, your turn now. Sit up “paucis, adverte, docebo” directions about entertainments. Oh ye of little talent! Do not be disheartened in the future at the lack of enthusiam with

Page 26 text:

24 THE XAVIER CLASS SONG I Thirteen girls and three are we, Joyous and frolicsome, full of glee: A happier class, there never could be Then our band of thirteen plus three. Alas ! Alas ! we oft did say,— Our pranks will out, we soon shall pay For all our breaks, for gala day,— We must reform,—’Tis S. X. A. Refrain Sweet Sixteen ! the links that tie Future days with days gone by. Dear St. Xavier’s, love untold Dwells within our chain of gold. II But as we sit, and laugh, and sigh. We see old Father Time go by: We try to hide from his stern eye But no, his sign means, part,—good-bye. St. Xavier’s, to us all so dear. Our refuge loving and sincere: We leave thee with a smile and tear, Yet hope to meet year after year. Marik Kei.ton.

Page 28 text:

26 THE XAVIER which you may be greeted, but imitate the nineteen-eights, the most advanced class in histrionics that ever trod the boards of Academy Hall. We have been condescending to a fault in allowing you to witness our musicals and theatricals, but knowing the good you might derive from them, we uncomplainingly put our honorable and just pride one side and gave you the treat of your existence. Let us hope that you have made the best of such opportunities. We bequeath to you our exalted example----also our “Curtain.” One final word to all three under years. Modify the wild rush to the dining hall at 11.55 and the monopoly of every available seat when there. Ah, do we not remember them ? The sad, sad times! The bitter trials under which we have aged preceptibly. How often after wending our way in meditative calm down the stairs and towards the tables, have we been repelled by strange, cold glances and obliged, WE the Reverend Seniors, to stand, a sandwich in one hand, a glass of milk in the other, and in humility and meekness partake of our daily bread. Bat now in all seriousness, dear girls, as we stand here facing life and its stern duties, the starting tears tell us how deeply we regret this separation from you and the pleasant life together that all of us have enjoyed in the happy years now gone. May God bless your future, bless every effort in school and in after life and may He crown those noble efforts of yours with the priceless gift,-His eternal love. Class ok ’08 per Cora Thurston Sweet.