West Philadelphia High School - Record Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

Page 17 text:

' -I er f .A fb a Y - 2. 'f Q u THE RECORD 1918 17 Now, I will ask of you to think of a small country village, situated in a pleasant valley, and everything about it flourishing and lending a cer- tain charm to the place. The people are plain in their dress and customs, all good and pious and not one envious of the other. A prominent young man leaves the village to seek success in other parts of the world, and is sent away with great acclamation. The people still continue their daily labor as before, but some of the village sages bode ill for the youth who would hazard his life in the whirl and confusion of the city, and solemnly shake their heads at his venture. Nothing was heard of him for several years until the news of his home coming had reached the ears of his best friend. Was that village going to sit idly by and not show the youth any sign of welcome? By no means would the people continue their work in utter indifference. The village band practiced every night, various young men and women decorated the whole place with pennants and flags of all colors, producing to the eye of the spectator a bewildering maze. Their whole heart and soul was wrapped up in the welcome they would give their hero whatever his success. Soon the appointed day arrived and everybody went to the station to meet their boy, All were gathered on the platform of the station waiting for the train. As our friend gut off the train the village band started to play, cheers rent the air, boys whooped, girls waved their handkerchiefs, all were straining their necks to get one glimpse of the youth. Gaiety and festivity held the village as it had never done before. Not even the oldest men and women stayed at home, but all helped to increase the rejoicing. That was a welcome! - I should say, parents, relatives and friends, that in the heart of everv member of our Class there is a welcome even more earnest and sincere, although it is with less outward splendor. In representing the Class, then, I take the privilege of welcoming you all t-o this celebration of the end of our High School life and of the beginning of our contact with the world of men. ROBERT D. F ULMER. Z' 1NIfig -'1 litcitfffdrigU22:51:91- fav2:'nnf'ii'h1Z:'414aai:-1s:1'fmy vfnifmfre--Q :ff X E?-' fs?-' '2-?-si'-J - ,,...w-. ml, .

Page 16 text:

JllllIllIIIIIllllllllllllllllllIlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllIIIlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILQ U -' f:j.gtg ' 44 -Q, fgzr, 1f5'5 www E.,-1- M-4 as B? . --5-.1r.'5.1: . L' ' ,-i 4. .ls--'13 ,2'f..'.-2?-'5 rjfikr-' LTI' -l - - T, I P '- - ' ' f .. 'ff - ' 4-'2E .:.f:f'?T 4 - -1-agfr, U 2-2. ,4'I'T'--::.':i-gm-Z -.f.lf:'5- gui- 1 .. a'm. I ' ,. ,':-: 1..,mf1:,1-.L g2 , -afafif-: : EJ I ... .- 5 1 f ' 5 -1 JJ 1 ,P ,wld ft. , 45 7 gf, f ,M 41,-m ,V iw, 'Q-fffff u- , ,M qfl f 3, - 1 5, M -c Y 1 ' f f-1 . : 1 3 v 'M f ,Ax 1 V 4 ,, 'H 1 -' , , - --5 - K- . ,.2 fs Q '- : i .134 - L I -ff' 1 f ff Z! ' fl,-3 I: -' l1-::-'-F's?- l - 1 3 ..f..'. ,Za 2 y 1 :aa I. A 1 -t , 4 a , if ,, N . 3 2 ,f c - ags., .-2 C 4 , 1 ,.. -5 ,. .:. .gin Hk,..a Usa. 5' -- A-ef . ' , ' ., - . ' , N 1,. ' E a:-,,.. - I , ,P i A A -. .,.. 7 E ' 1. ,ln , , ,,.- T' x Y . nf w H' ff X- T 48.3 1 sf ' 'sn - L 2,4 ,.-.. '- .- .. il E 5HIIIlllllllllllllllllllllIlllIIllllIIllllllllIlllllllllllllllllllllllllIIIIllIlllllllllllllllllIlllllllllllllllllIllllllllllllllIlllllllllllllllllff us look back now and consider with what a feeling of dignity we students entered West Philly. To you, who are our parents, there was a certain undefinable satisfaction and QLWQB' l pride that your boy had arrived at that stage of life. We all thought that we were then beginning to realize what life is, and yet what an illusion that was, for now and now only are we beginning to enter upon our life's work. So calling these exercises Commencement is most appropriate and its meaning and significance should not be misunder- stood. To say further that we have learned the bare rudiment of knowl- edge, and that we have only commenced to build the foundations of our lives, can scarcely be called exaggeration. If one thinks that all the things which he has done here at School is only a mere preparation for his future life, he would naturally be inclined to be very pessimistic that all the achievements which he had wrought should count for so little. Yet, laying aside all material advan- tages which cannot be disputed, is it not now with a feeling of exultatiou and pride that we realize that we have actually begun to build up our character? Even considering ourselves to have only laid the foundations of our future existence, are we not during our whole life preparing for the reward of the future of which not even the least of us should despair? One time while reading the Courtship of Miles Standish, I was particularly impressed by the sentiment in these two lines, Let us, then, be what we are, and speak what we think, and in all things Keep ourselves loyal to the truth, and the sacre-d professions of friend-- ship. It seems to be fitting that I recall them on an occasion like this be- cause of the lofty purpose and noble ideal those lines contain. If we could all through life live up to such ideals there would be no doubt of our success, and that, in itself, is a reason for remembering those words. 16

Page 18 text:

Qmlll' al 5, M fr DOE 1 w ' 1 5 -41-ll,1IC, 41- Sometimes 1 stop and wonder why Such countless hosts should choose to d In l2urope's trenches stained with blood Of heroes, who have long withstood The onrush of that frightful horde Vvhich through defenseless Belgium po How brave the boys who died to free The world for Truth and Liberty! lluman greed for more and more Provoked this dire and dreadful warg And now, with brothers lying dead, Wlith armies great that must be fed, NVith guns to furnish, ships to build, Vvith men in battle daily killed, In heedless comfort dare we be Unmin-dful of their agony? For us the battlels just begung Our days of training now are done. Old Vffestern High has played her part Her place is fixed in every heart. XYe can't forget: she needs no vow! ie L11' .ff :El I Though saddened, we must leave her nowg And fearless, turn with steadfast eyes To greet to-morrowls hopeful skies. 18 sf' .2