Walton High School - Pony Express Yearbook (Walton, NE)

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Cljalealictorian Speech Parents, Classmates, Members of the Board of Education and Friends. It is a pleasure to represent the Senior Class of 1958 on this last activity in which we shall participate in this high school. It is also a responsibility to speak for them on this occasion. The complex age in which we live has placed a variety of demands on us, as individual citizens, which werelacking in the less complicated society of the past. We are faced with educational, social, and inter- national problems that are particularly of this age and which demand attention now with no indication that these problems will be less in the future. We are on the very threshold of the future. Never before has there been such tremendous promise of of things to come, both good and bad. We are living in the atomic age and we are approaching the space- age. This space age is hurling at us a challenge, the like of which men have never dreamed of before. What is this challenge and how can we meet it? The scientific developments of the past few years have thrown the free world and the communist con- trolled countries into a race for the control of the moon and then outer space. To some people this race that has developed means nothing more than competition between countries and whoever wins the race will help the other country by sharing their knowledge. The latter part is probably partly true. But not all knowledge will be shared, because a great amount of distrust will still be present. Afrlllally the big truth in the whole matter is: this race to the moon does not represent friendly competition between us and the communist controlled countries. It represents self-preservation to us and world domination to the communist controlled countries. Indeed, this is a big challenge making a successful trip to the moon. It is a big enough problem, but when you add to it, beat Russia or die, it becomes far greater than it ever could alone. Why do we say to the moon before Russia or die? The answer is plain and simple. If Russia can develop a rocket powerful enough to send man to the moon, they can establish a military base and arm the rocket that sent them to the moon with an atomic warhead and with amazing accuracy hit any point on the earth that they wish. This may seem a bit melodramatic and fantastic to some people, but if they will only think back a few short months to the time that the Russians launched their first earth satelite, they will remember the awe and terror that it instilled in them. Yes, I say terror! Many thought this new wonder would be converted into a weapon that would destroy the United States and everybody in it. Others ran our own government down for not beingthe first to launch an earth satelite. But for the most part, it showed us the Russians were not as backward as many believed. The Sputniks caused us to speed up our own satelite programs until we were successful in launching our own satelites. All this brings us back to the question, how can we meet the challenge that the space age has given us? There is no one answer but a combination that involves many aspects. First of all, this is easier said than done, as everyone knows we are facing a serious shortage of engineers and other trained technicians to man ourlaboratories. Good science programs must be startedin the lower grades as well as high school. Ry using these more intense science programs, many students will be guided more towards science. All schools should intensify their science programs no matter how big or small the school is. Sooner or later they will realize there is no greater investment in the future. But what about the seniors for whom it is too late to reap the benefits of better programs in high school? We must take inventory of what we are lacking and then decide whether it would be worth it to take the needed courses and enter the field of science. The thing we must realize is never look back and say it is too late. But this is not the only aspect of living successfully in the space age. Strangely enough the space age has given us another challenge, one which is completely different. And strangely enough, it is that of getting along with our neighboring countries. With airplanes shrinking the globe, every country in the worldis a neighboring country. This, as you can imagine, is extremely difficult to do, what with the space race going on at the same time. But we must try. Because l believe that our survival, in the long run, will depend on whether or not we can achieve friendly relations with all countries. GREEN FURNACE 8: PLUMBING CO. 2747 N 48 LINCOLN ..3 3..

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Burdette and Gilbert try hard to keep in step on their way in to Graduation. commencement xercioeo Betty Snyder and Wayne Manske receive their diplomas from Mr. Francke. COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES Rev. Cress gave the Invocation and the Benediction. The Girls Chorus, the Mixed Chorus, and the Mixed Octet sang several numbers. Dr. Edwin Goldenstein was our The Seniors march out after receiving their diplomas. speaker. Nancie Booth delivered the Salutatorian Address, and Dennis Overhalser delivered theValedictorian Address. WALTON CO-OP ELEVATOR PHONE 4-B372 WALTON -32,

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Also, each citizen must support his government in the years to come. If we are united, we will stand for a long time, but divided we will fall. Each person must keep abreast with the news and keep mentally alert. If we can achieve this state of mind, we will be less prone to be panicky every time something new is developed as we were when Russia launched her first sputnik. However, it seems all this will take a long time to happen, but what we must remember is that we are now living in an age where new things are being developed faster than ever. To keep us with the fast pace, we must prepare ourselves with all the education we can get. And this only illustrates more and more that, Success awaits at Labor's Gate. Dennis Overhalser alutatorian Speech Members of the faculty, parents, relatives, friends, and fellow students. I welcome you to the Com- mencement exercises of the class of 1958. This is an important occasion for the senior class. We are leaving a place that has become very dear to us. As we think back on all the good times we've had these last four years, we realize how much we will miss Walton High School. We're leaving a part of ourselves right here, with our classmates, our teachers, and the people in our community. We hope you will remember us as we'll remember you. This part of our life is over and we are going to start a new life. A life without the help and protec- tion of our parents, and our teachers. I would like to take this occasion to thank our teachers for the help they have given us, and the interest they have taken in us, these last four years. 'Vlany times they had to keep after us to get our lessons in on time. They had to prod us along, to keep us eligible for the extra-curricular activities, and, although many of us don't realize it yet, everything they did was for our own good. We would like to thank our parents for the understanding they have given us. Although we've never told them, we appreciate all they've done. There were times when we didn't see eye-to-eye, however, that was only natural. We will remember the wonderful things they did for us, and we'll thank them many times in the years to come. Yes, this is an important time. Commencement is the end of so many things and yet the beginning of of so many more. There have always been parents, teachers, and friends around to pick us up after we've been knocked down. Someone there to dust us off and put us back on the correct path. Now we will have to get up by ourselves and select our own path. It might be the right one or the wrong one, but the import- ant thing is that we will be the ones who choose. We will find other people, other places, and other experiences. 'Vlore will be expected of us. Now we have to prove ourselves. We will have to make our own decisions, work out our own problems. As we are graduating, we look back and see so many mistakes, so many things we would like to set straight, so many things we would like to change. But we must accept the fact that the past cannot be changed. We must go out and face the world, working to the best of our ability, striving to prove ourselves, and profiting by our past mistakes. You, our parents, friends, and teachers, have done your best to prepare us for what lies ahead. You have tried to help us discover what will be expected of us. Now our future will be what we make it. Whether we are successful or unsuccessful, happy or unhappy, we will remember all of you and that you did your best for us. We owe you so much and I know we will all do our best to live up to the things you have taught us. Now as we face the future, we feel it is our obligation and our responsibility to make our lives worth- while. We hope to show by our actions that we can face the responsibilities that lie ahead! Nancie Booth ELMEI-TS REDWING CONOCO STONER DRUG CO. 43-rH 3, O 142 N 48 LINCOLN LINCOLN -34-