West High School - Westerdays Yearbook (Pawtucket, RI)

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Dear Class of 1946: It was in September, 1940, that the doors of this newly completed building were opened for the first time to receive Junior and Senior High School students. At that time many of you came to enter the seventh grade, and to remain for six years in this building. Although many other classes will follow in your footsteps, you led the way as you have done in many things. During these six years the United States entered World War II to fight for the ideals of Democracy and many young men who might have been graduating with former classes joined the Armed Forces instead. They were among the fighting men in all branches of the service and they helped to win the war and keep us a free people. We are grateful to these boys for the stand they took and are proud of the honors many of them won. We take even more pride in the ambition of these discharged veterans to finish high school and college courses in order to be better fitted to participate in the government of a free people. Because of the sacrifice they made you were permitted to remain in school even beyond your eighteenth birthday and graduate with your class. You have been able to concentrate on your studies and not be unsettled by the conflicting desires to do your patriotic duty by your country and to complete your education. You have honored our service men by the service flag and honor roll, which stand in our entrance hall. Beside some names are gold stars and those who made the supreme sacrifice were further honored by planting and dedicating to their memory beautiful evergreen trees on the upper terrace of our lawn last year. Those boys won the war and now it is your task to aid them and the rest of us to win the peace. Your first assignment will be to give up one year of your life to military training so that the rights and privileges of all Americans may be preserved. To win the peace and preserve it will be a harder task than the winning of the war. Another task will be to educate yourselves to look u[x n all men as brothers, whatever may be the color of their skin, their race or creed. You should be willing to concede them all the rights and privileges you enjoy. Do not set yourselves up to be a master race predestined to dominate all others. The last war proved that “pride goes before a fall.” I do not need to advise you to get all the education possible. After your year in the service continue your schooling if possible. The more education you have the better you will be able to serve your country. Some will not be able to continue school but will have to get their education the hard way, through experience. However, both groups will find that they will be able to serve their country and their fellow man. They will find that service brings a person more satisfaction and happiness than can be found in any other way. Be true to the teachings of your home, your church and your school. Always “to thine own self be true, . . . thou canst not then be false to any man.” Sincerely yours, Chestrr M. Dascombe, Principal. 4

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DEDICATION Miss Elizabeth M. Kelly, head of the biology department of West High, has for three years given unsparingly of her time and effort in her difficult position as class advisor. As an acknowledgment of this work the members of the class of 1946 respectfully dedicate this book to her.

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In Loving Memory of The Late Lion. Thomas P. McCoy Mayor of Pawtucket One of the inspirational founders of our School 5