Warren Easton High School - Eagle Yearbook (New Orleans, LA)

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PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE This, the Bicentennial year of our country, should be a year of celebration, however, it should also be a year of reflection. Have you ever considered what has been accomplished in the short two hundred years of this country? Suppose we look at only the past two generations-your parents and grandparents These are the people who within just five decades have increased life expectancy by approximately 50%; who, while cutting they workday by one-third, have more than doubled per capita output. These are the people who have given you a health- ier world than they found. Because of this, you no longer have to fear epidemics of flu, typhus, dip- theria, smallpox, scarlet fever, measles, mumps and polio. Let me remind you these people lived through his- tory's greatest depression. Many of these people know what it is to be poor, to be hungry and cold. Because of this, they determined that it would not happen to you, that you would have a better life, better schools and greater opportunities to succeed. Because they were materialistic, you will work fewer hours, learn more, have more leisure time, travel to more distant places and have more of a chance to follow your life's ambition. They put men on the moon, sent satellites to outer space to investigate other planets and are preparing to send space stations into orbit where people will live for months and perhaps years. tion. They set in motion new laws giving con- servation new meaning and in setting aside land for you and your children to enjoy. They also hold the record for paying taxes—al- though you will probably exceed them this time. While they have done all these things, they have had some failures. They have not yet found an al- ternative for war nor for hatred. Perhaps this gener- ation will perfect the social mechanisms by which all men may follow their ambitions without the threat of force. Crime has still not been conquered. But they made more progress by the sweat of their brows than in any previous era. If your generation can make as much progress in as many years and areas as these two generations have, you should be able to solve many of our remaining ills. It is my hope, and I know the hope of these two generations, that you will find the answers to many of these problems that plague mankind. But it will not be easy. You cannot do it by conducting your lives on the Cafeteria Plan-self-service only! You won't do it by negative thoughts, by tearing down or belittling, by being disrespectful, by criticizing, nor by being lazy. You may, and can, do it by hard work, humility, hope and faith in mankind. Try it. This is my challenge to you. 4' JroZOLs These are also the people who fought man's grisliest war. They are the people who defeated the tyranny of Hitler, and who, when it was all over, had the compassion to spend billions of dollars to help their former enemies to rebuild their homeland. These two generations built thousands of high schools, trained and hired tens of thousands of bet- ter teachers, and at the same time made higher education a real possibility for millions of young- sters—where it once was only the dream of a wealthy few. And they made a start-although a late one-in healing the scars of the earth and in fighting pollu- 9

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Office Staff Mrs. B. Duhe Mr. P. Lateur Mrs. M. Gremillion Mrs. V. Lassus Counselors Mrs. G. Shaltry