Stuyvesant High School - Indicator Yearbook (New York, NY)

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fit... sfmff ra W., mt! TO THE CLASS OF JUNE 1941: It is truly inspiring to see the reactions of recent graduates of Stuyvesant and of some of your classmates to the actualities of military and naval service. Virtually all of them whom I have met have volunteered. They look upon the call to the colors as the natural expectation of a young patriot who is entering upon manhood in a nation whose destiny is determined by the will and the actions of the whole people. They accept their responsibility to carry a share of the burden of their country's trials with the most gratifying cheerfulness. I am confident that these examples of the patriot's love for his country will. when the need arises, find their counterparts in you. In that service you will find great personal satisfaction. even though there be no glory or no material reward in store for you. Do you have glorious dreams of great dramatic moments in your lifeg of performing acts of untold heroismg of extraordinary self-sacrificeg or of glorious service to your fellows? On such occasions. the leading roles are always played by men who have schooled themselves through self-control, who have assumed responsibility, and who have a broad understanding of their place in society and a real sympathy for their fellows. Such scenes cannot be staged, nor can they be planned for: they take place unexpectedly while you are present. What you do with them is up to you. This you may be sure of - that you will find yourself awfully alone when fortune requires desperate courage of her heroes. The longer you live the more you will realize that life is a pretty tough proposition. The more you live and share your life with others, the more you will realize how truly grand and noble people can be, regardless of race or creed. Because of the joy in this realization, I would not wish any of you an easy time of life, although I do pray that each of you will have a full measure of success. Prepare to take your place in society by studying our political, social, and economic structure. not only nationally but also locally. Take part in the adult affairs of your neighborhood, and later on join a political club and do everything in your power to improve its civic worth. Learn the lesson of sustained disciplined effort either at study, at the counting desk, or in the shop. For man, life is more than the mere living, it is not toil and sweat aloneg it is also the activity of the spirit. Search within yourselves for understanding of forbearance, of truth, and of justice and from this search you will gain that fortitude and unselfish- ness which begets patriots and heroes. I could not say goodbye to you in a better way than to pray that you will be En- fiamed with the study of learning and the admiration of virtueg stirred up with high hopes of living to be brave men and worthy patriots, dear to God, and famous to all ages. 13