St Josephs High School - Crest / Signet Yearbook (Garrett, IN)

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VALEDICTORY “Out of the harbor into deep channels” is the motto of the class of 1938. As the time for bidding farewell to the school that has harbored us for so long draws near we begin to realize that we must indeed go into the deep channels of political, economic and social life. In the channels of political and economic life few, if any of us, will sail conspicuously but all of us will make our way in the social life. It is in this channel that the greatest number of lives are lost for it is in the social order of today that the nucleus of all that is evil as well as all that is good can be found. The words “These are the times that try men’s souls” uttered by Thomas Paine, an English author, whose pen aided our cause at the time of the American Revolution are as descriptive of the present crisis as they were at the time they were written. We realize that ten years ago a high school graduate could be comparatively certain of obtaining a position shortly after graduation. Today the promises of a job are even far removed. Besides facing lack of employment we also know that much exists that is unethical. This knowledge does not depress us but rather makes us grateful for having received a religious as well as a secular training in a Catholic high school. We are prepared to spend our leisure time profitably and to perform our duties creditably when the opportunity presents itself. As this is the last time that we shall be assembled in a group, we, the class of 1938 wish to express our gratitude to our principal, Rev. J. G. Bennett, for your assistance during our high school days. We want you to know that we fully appreciate the value of your guidance during this, the formative period of our lives. To our parents to whom this day means the crowning of long years of tireless effort we can only pledge our best endeavors in proving to you that your efforts have not been in vain. Fellow Classmates: Commencement means beginning. On first thought it seems strange that the day upon which we lay down forever our high school work and sever many of our high school associations should be designated as commencement. Just as the end of one day is the beginning of another so the end of our high school days marks the commencement of a new chapter in our lives. Comparatively few of us will ever attain positions of leadership. Nevertheless our school gives us training in critical thinking and evaluation of facts. If we have the initiative and the courage to apply this training to the affairs of society, we can be an influential group of intelligent and active citizens. Today we are academic. We have studied the facts. Tomorrow we go “out of the harbor” of school life into the “deep channels” of adult life. As we do so let us remember to say repeatedly “Mary, Star of the Sea, pray for the wanderer pray for me” so that as we are here assembled we may safely reach that “harbor” from which there is no sailing. SALUTATORY Parents and Friends, the class of 1938 we!comes you to this commencement. Your presence here today speaks of your faith in us and your interest in our school. It is to you, our parents and friends, to whom we dedicate this program. You have given abundantly to the youth of this high school and we appreciate it. Friends, I pay tribute today to our school, soon to be our Alma Mater. I shall not praise it in terms of her structure architecturally, not in terms of her increasing personnel, but rather as a monument to the personal helpfulness it has given each of us and which we are sure it will continue to do in time to come. The basic aim of our school is character building—the bringing out of the best qualities that lie within a student. It endeavors to prepare them to succeed in passing the real test—the test of life itself. In accomplishing its aim it is bringing aboyt the harmonious growth and development of the student in every respect. It has produced and is producing capable leaders, not only scholastically but in every way it is actuated by high ideals of public service. Our school has aimed to temper and sharpen the fine tool of our minds and our whole personalities. A school may be many things, but it is nothing if it be not one above all things—a stadium for intellectual exercise. We are grateful that we have been privileged to attend a school of such noble ideals. For four years this school has harbored us. Daily we have received supplies and repairs from it so that just as ships, having obtained all that may be had at a good harbor, sail fear- lessly out into the sea we, too, may enter the deep channels of life with equanimity and confi- dence. The depths of channels mean.nothing to vessels well prepared. Again, I bid you welcome to our day of days. [13]

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manner. He gave the audience many a laugh with his good imitation of a maid and with his attempts of winning his loved one. Marie Blair in the role of “Carol’’ astonished the audience by her fine art of acting. She was very charming and feminine. She wore becoming gowns throughout the play. Bernard Wilondek, as the self-made business man ‘‘Fred,’”’ showed himself to be capable of being a proud and enterprising father. ) Josephine Hoeffel, acting as the gushing ““Mrs. Lovejoy,” interested the onlookers as she bargained for the “Prince” and again when she returned from her fall into the lily pond. Margaret Muzzillo, as the demure “Wanda,” will long be remembered by the audience by the words “Yes, Mother.” Richard Seifert as “Professor Chipper” amused the audience with his complete absorption in the study of birds and in winning a p artner for himself. Ellen Zecca was “‘Sonya.”’ She took the part of a foreign beauty splendidly. Floyd Fetter, in a military uniform, took the part of ‘““The Prince.’ The only time he showed any emotion was when Sonya appeared. The entire cast played their parts well and the play was a great success. }12]

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OUR RESPONSIBILITIES As we near the day of graduation we become more conscious of the responsibili- ties we must shoulder. We realize that the period of childhood reaches its end with graduation from high school. ‘This happy time cannot be measured by years, although the ages of the graduates are usually about the same each year, but regardless of one’s age it seems that life with its full meaning really begins at this time. Formerly we took almost everything for granted. We did not give much thought to the real busi- ness of living. Our ambitions were rather unformed; our plans not well laid. Now we understand that someone else is not going to be on hand at every moment to assist us in our decision nor to guide us in our management of affairs. In other words we are assuming a great deal of responsibility when we step out of school into the work-a-day world. Our whole life is going to be just about what we make it. With the guidance we have had we should be able to fashion for ourselves a method of life that will prove judicious and helpful to ourselves and to those upon whom our living will have some influence. We realize that we cannot live to our- selves alone. We know that as we move along toward the end of our sojourn we will make others better or worse. We sense the duty of living so that this influence will be for good. Fortunate for us that we are taking our places at this time when the cry of the leaders is for social reform. “Those in the watch-towers have called out to warn of the dangers of low standards both in the field of commercial entertainment and in the field of the printed word. No little part of the success of this reform depends upon us who form a part of the public which can demand better things. We look upon it as peculiarly the duty of the graduate of a Catholic high school to demand entertainment that is clean and instructive while it entertains. We have acquired such taste for clean reading that we can and will content ourselves only with such printed matter as will leave us better for having read it. In these two fields we can discharge our duty constantly and with telling effect. In other fields we cannot now predict just how far we can make progress. In the industrial and commercial world there is much need of good example in the practice of justice and charity. What influ- ence we will have is more than we can say at this time. We can, however, say that whatever our place in the industrial and commercial world, we will bring to it a sense of justice in our dealings with our fellow man and will temper this justice with the mellowing condiment of Christian charity. [14]