Strathcona Tweedsmuir School - Paidia Yearbook (Okotoks, Alberta Canada)

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CHAIRMAN'S ADDRESS iThis address was given by the Chairman of the Board of Governors, Mr. E. David Dover, at the School Closing Exercises, june 77, 7972.2 We have all, if we were fortunate, been in- spired at one time or another in our childhood or youth, to aspire to excellence. john W. Gardner in a book entitled Excel- lence writes: What we must reach for is a conception of perpetual self-discovery, perpetual reshaping to realize one's best self, to be the person one could be. Why is it that a large number of young people never fulfil their potentialities. The responsibility for failure cannot be laid at the feet of the schools alone. The family, the church, and the neighbourhood must work to- gether to ensure the best possible climate for the development of our young people. The phrase nuclear family , coined by 20th century sociologists, is becoming more and more common. It brings to mind the many pressures that society is exerting on the individual family, pressures which divide its members and in some cases threaten its very existence. The family is the smallest of social institutions, but it holds first rank in importance. We must not let it dissolve, not only because of its national importance or its religious significance, but be- cause by its dissolution every human being would lose some core of himself. We, as parents, are responsible for the leader- ship, inspiration and the well-being of our chil- dren. In the coming year I would urge all of our parents to become more familiar with the opera- tions of the school. I urge you to attend school functions and, where possible, contribute your thoughts and ideas for their betterment. I urge you to become acquainted with your child's teachers and together with them establish a growing and constructive programme for your child's development. Like the prophet of old, could I remind you boys and girls, your parents, your brothers and sisters, grandparents and other family members need you, your affection and concern. Your school needs you and you will only receive from it in proportion as you give to it. Today is the last day of school and summer holidays are ahead. Holidays are meant for having fun, for developing hobbies, making and enrich- ing friendships, and browning under a summer sun. I hope you will all be able to unleash your- selves and have a small roar this summer. The only stipulation could be that you must be a creative participator in this activity rather than a spectator. Your adventure should not be handed to you through a television set or from the re- served seats of a sports stadium. I would not, of course, suggest that you all would enjoy a course in aircraft pylon racing. Your enterprise could be anything from sports, mountain climbing, or working, to bee-keeping, reading, bird watching, or rewarding crafts. Whatever you choose it should give you a personal sense of adventure. The ultimate goal, our final maturity, will perhaps be reached when we can approach all of life with this sense of adventure. It is fitting today to recognize and commend the staff. Our headmaster, Mr. Sandy Heard, deserves a true vote of thanks for the enthusiasm and drive with which he has directed the school in its first year of operation in these new surroundings. We are fortunate to have a group of extremely fine teachers. Their dedication to their students is the very foundation upon which we stand. To them may I say, never be tempted to think that you are taken for granted. I would like to congratulate those students who will win prizes and all of those who have done their best. For those whose efforts have fallen short of their ambitions I can only say, you may have lost a battle but you haven't lost the war. A courageous effort can be as valuable as an easy win. We have seven grade 12 girls graduating this year. The Board of Governors would like to wish them every success and happiness and commend them for the leadership they have displayed. I am sure Mrs. McWilliam will be especially proud of their efforts and, in my opinion, Margaret, their success reflects your extreme dedication and re- sponsibility to the teaching profession. Ladies and gentlemen, girls and boys, let us band together in the adventure of developing Strathcona-Tweedsmuir, a school which is dedi- cated to excellence. For our part, I am sure I speak for all the Board, we will spare no effort Io fulfil our role as administrators for the school. We can succeed, all of us together, in building a great t'anadian school.

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W. A. HEARD WHAT A YEAR ! What can l say? The usual role of the head- master at this auspicious occasion is to report on the year's activities - tell you about the academic honors won, the athletic accomplish- ments of our students, the extra-curricular acti- vities we took part in and plans for next year. It is also customary to thank the many individuals who have helped make the year the success it was, those who have donated time, money, gifts and counsel. I do not choose to do this this year, not because my gratitude on behalf of the school is lacking or not whole hearted, not be- cause we haven't won honors in many fields of endeavor, not because all our staff hasn't given more than has been required of them, but be- cause we have accomplished something else that is unique in schools. We have accomplished a family relationship. We have become members of this family by working terribly hard for some- thing we all believe in and thus it would prob- ably embarrass us all to pat each other on the back and publicly proclaim what good fellows we are. l choose on the other hand to speak to the younger members of our family and perhaps what l say will have meaning for us all. Graduating class - the 7 musketeers - where are you? Ah, in your proper place as always. You are our first you know and thus you have a special responsibility for in years to come when people say to us, What does your school do that is special? we shall. point to our graduates. We must be able to say Our graduates have been taught to use all of their potential for the l HEADMASTEHS MESSAGE benefit of their fellow man. They were given a special kind of education at Strathcona-Tweeds- muir and you will find them in all kinds of different roles but you can be sure they will be using their talents for the good of the community that they are in. They will be changing the world, making it better and making the lives of the people they come in contact with better for knowing them. All of us are constantly inundated with a picture of gloom and doom. Too much pollution. Too many births. Too many deaths. Too many people. Too much crime. Too many wars. This has had a tremendous impact on us all, but particularly on you, the young people. Some young people have met this picture by opting out, dropping out, escaping. But not you. You have accepted the challenge of your world, just as the parents and friends of this school accepted a challenge. They built a school. You are going to build a world. Seeing how this school was built is a great lesson. Nobody carried a placard protesting the old schools. Nobody even threw a bomb - there were several close calls. There were no sit-ins or strikes and not even one student's card was burned. Yet the old schools have given way to the new. This is because people legally got to- gether and used their minds and their resources and made a change. Because we live in a country that believes in free enterprise, it could happen. It could happen without the government giving the money. It didn't happen in one day, or one week or one year but with patience and per- severance, and hard work we are here today. You can do the same. There are many things in the world that neetl changing, that need im- proving. You can do these things. Vve will he watching you just as you were watched by little eyes and big ears all year. You sei a line example. Nye ltnow we will tontiirue to be proutl ot you.