Tekonsha High School - Indian Yearbook (Tekonsha, MI)

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CO-VALEDICTORY (continued) education is all that is needed for many jobs, such as welding, assembling, repairing appliances, assisting photographers, working as postal or office clerks, and many, many more. In fact, I remember reading that experts studying automation and manpower estimate that about one-half of the work force of the future will be at jobs where people can go directly from high school to on-the-job training. Opportunity is not only knocking to offer us jobs, but it is also offering to train us for the jobs. Gwyn: We think much about the future, our careers, and what kind of jobs are available. Certainly the work of the world is changing rapidly. You who graduated ten or twenty years ago could look ahead with great promise to jobs that just are not there anymore. Yet today there are many new different opportunities. For example, there seems to be a great demand for people to manufacture, operate, and service all the machines of automation. Many jobs which require hard physical labor are gone. Many interesting new opportunities have been created. It takes a lot of people to teach everything which has to be taught from childhood on through to teaching someone how to do his work. Thomas Edison said, I never did anything worth doing by accident, nor did any of my inventions come by accident; they came by patience, diligence, and work. It is doubtful that any of us will be Edisons or Einsteins; but those of us who faithfully work--whether it be at college, developing our minds to seek our chosen career, or at the machine in the factory, making something useful for everyday living, we need not be ashamed when we are asked, What did you do today? We should be able to proudly answer, I went to work. We have a little poem that we would like to recite for you called, Do it now! It goes like this; If you’ve got a job to do, DO IT NOW t If it's one you wish were through, DO IT NOW t If you're sure the job's your own, Do not hem and haw and groan—DO IT NOW! Don't put off a bit of work, DO IT NOW ! It doesn't pay to shirk, DO IT NOW! If you want to fill a place and be useful to the race. Just get up and take a brace—DO IT NOW! Don't linger by the way, DO IT NOW! You'll lose if you delay, DO IT NOW! If the other fellows wait, or postpone until it's late, You hit up a faster gait--DO IT NOW! Charlene: In high school we have learned that there is something else besides curiosity, discovery, wonder, and adventure--there is work to be done. We hope to make good use of the courage, imagination, and energy you have helped us to develop. We hope to be able to live up to the expectations of our parents and teachers. Our promise to you here tonight is that we will do this to the best of our ability. We of the Senior Class are grateful to you, our parents and Teachers, for your guidance, help, and understanding. Without your help we might not be graduating. We leave this hour of graduation with the wish that our paths may often meet as time goes on and that the spirit and unity which bind us together tonight will endure. IF-

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CO-VALEDICTORY CHARLENE RARICK GWYN RANDALL Gwyn: Dick has just mentioned that this is the second time in history that Tekonsha High School has had Co-Valedictorians. Charlene and I are honored that we have been selected for this historical second. However, this honor did pose one problem. We did not know how we were go-ing to give a speech on Graduation night. We asked Mrs. Warwick about this, and she suggested that we simply talk back and forth. And so, tonight, that's just what we're going to do. Charlene, does it seem possible that this is the last time we will be together as a class group9 Of course, some of us will spend next week together on a trip to New York and Washington; but it won't be the same. Charlene: Remember all those magazines we had to sell, and I never thought we would ever get rid of all that candy! Come to think of it, I still don't have all the meringue from those pie sales cleaned out of our car. And those dud key chains that fell apart in a couple of days went over quite well. Then there were the plays we put on... Gwyn: Yes, in the Senior Play weren't you afraid that Conrad was going to drop you when he brought you up unconscious from the basement; Charlene: Yes, we were both shaking like leaves! I'll never forget the Junior Play either. The beatnik poet you brought home with you from college and his girl friend stole my jewels and my Ming Vase. It is fun to look back on the activities we have done so that we can go on our Senior Trip, but we must not forget the theme of our speech, Our Changing World of Work. The word Explosion applies to this world. There are explosions in imagination, technology, and national wealth. In high school we talked much about imagination. This is a vital ability for one who wants to participate in this changing world. Our imagination has been encouraged in our classes and school activities. I believe that we who are graduating tonight have plenty of imagination and that we will continue to develop it. I think that any of the teachers would agree that some of us sitting up here have pretty keen imaginations. Charlene: Many of us graduating from school tonight hope to go out and find a place of work in the world. Modern changes in the work world are creating many opportunities for high school graduates. Other graduates want to continue their school work. Those who go to college must realize that education is both a privilege and a responsibility. Gwyn: This is commencement, though, and it is a beginning rather than an ending. As we review our high school days, it is only natural that we look to the future. We have to begin to plan for our lives as adults. We hope that we can keep the eagerness that we feel for life today. We know our interest in discovering new things must eventually be replaced by a real goal in life. For many of us now is a time of choice. We must decide how our lives are to be spent. We have to begin making our own decisions—decisions which will have a vital part in shaping our adult character. Charlene: In the future there are many opportunities awaiting us. Here again the word Explosion might be used. There are many opportunities in the work world. Education and preparation are required; and, for many occupations, job training is necessary. On-the-job training without further 14

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SALUTATORIAN PATTY MILLARD Faculty, Parents, Classmates, and Friends: I have the honor to speak for the Senior Class and welcome you to our graduation exercises. As Salutatorian of the class of 1966 I wish to reflect upon what we have learned in high school and what we may not have learned. If we have acquired a useful education during these past four years we should be able to think better and more clearly than when we started in high school. Few students, if any. really learn everything which could possibly be learned, but bits of information acquired and put to work may lead to many things. A feeling of intellectual power will surely come with the discovery of how to use information and make it produce results. Some of the greatest things which men and women have achieved have come as the result of step by step progress based on logic and application of facts. Other developments have come unexpectedly at times. A person may be working on a certain goal and yet in that day-to-day progress a new idea comes which changes everything. He may find other uses for known facts, adapting them to new problems. He may rearrange and combine existing ideas. The new development may be something of overwhelming significance and not comprehended fully by the person himself. Future happenings may have to determine this. Columbus did not intend to discover America. He was aiming at something entirely different. On the basis of what he knew he concluded that if he took a proper course in a sailing ship across the Atlantic Ocean he would eventually come to India. He spent years in planning his journey and in convincing others whose help he needed. Most people considered the trip to be a dangerous and uncertain venture which would most likely end with disaster for all who sailed with Columbus. Being so obsessed with the idea and ignoring any possibility of failure, he got the help he needed and went on the trip. With his information, which he felt sure was correct, he discovered America. A famous actor once invited a group of friends to a party at his home. He explained to them that one of the guests was a fellow with a funny idea and they should be warned so as not to laugh too much at this and offend the guest if he tried to interest them in it. The guest with the funny idea was Alexander Graham Bell. The idea was the telephone. There may be unknown possibilities in the use of every set of facts. There may be a definite point to which it will lead but the discoveries along the way may be of even greater importance. The human mind is forever peering into the great unknown in search of new ideas. Some special kind of mental power is required in order that a person be able to recognize a new idea and do something with it. Our high school work and activities have taught us to stop and think when confronted with a completely new idea. Some would scoff at something new, perhaps just because it is new. A lot of inertia must be overcome to make way for the acceptance of a new idea. Before an idea is ignored there should be at least a thoughtful moment of consideration about its possibilities. It might be worthwhile rather than ridiculous. The discovery of America by Columbus and the invention of the telephone by Bell illustrated principles of progress which are interesting and worthy of consideration. They represent different ways in which ideas are put to work. Both experiences inspire us to find the best use for the facts we know and to be receptive to new ideas and unexpected developments. They should also inspire in us the work habits and character traits that make achievement possible. Mental discipline is necessary to organize facts and ideas. Perseverance is necessary to carry ideas into productive activities. And hard work is a part of most worthwhile developments. The Senior Class of 1966 will soon be history. We shall no longer be subject to the rules and discipline of the school yet we shall forever feel its influence. We shall cherish the memory of the many pleasant associations of our years in high school, and be grateful to you, our parents, teachers and friends for making our high school education possible. 16