Westdale Secondary School - Le Raconteur Yearbook (Hamilton, Ontario Canada)

Page 12 text:

- L i LE RACONTEURH STAFF lst row: R. Mitchell, chairman publications, J. Brown, Kathy Dain, assistant editors, Renate Tannenzapf editor-in-chief, Betty Toon, assistant editor, E. Kocsis, advertising. 2nd row: E, Vertlieb, Grade IX, J. Stevens, class pictures, C. Sauder, Grade IX, T. Wilson, boys' sports, G MacLean, humour, G. Tyrell, boys' sports, F, Pon, photography, V. Stanners, literary, J. Marshall girls' sports, J. Morrow, clubs and socials, J. Blake, class news, D. Fraser, grads, D. Gorman, proof- reading, A. Kinoshita, art. ADVERTISING STAFF Dain, J. Burke. 2nd row: J. Page, E. Lentz. Robinson. IO lst row: D. Jackson, E. Kocsis, Mrs. Absent: T. Coleman, H. Braley, G. Dor- sen, B. Hunt, R. NGXX'COll1b6, J. Wat- son, M. McLeod, J. Ellenzweig, J.

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Principal 's Message It is still eight years .short of the century since Canada, the nation, ufas founded. Many Canadfians, still active, were born before the first transconftinental train, bound for the enzrpty unorganlzed territories of the West, left Montreal over the neu! Canadian Pac'if?'c Ratluvay. This ufeek, after so little time, uve zratch ships from the four seas enter our inland harbours through the great Canadian-lruz'lt St. Lawrence Seaway, seeking trade. Who can fail to 'marvel at the material progress and nzaturlty of our young country? But who, also, can fail to abhor the social inrmraturity through u'h'ich, so often, incliridfual u'orth is nzeasured in terms of uvhat a proutncial neufspaper descrfilved this nzorning as success symbols - in this case long and glossy automolriles. I hope that you haue learned at Westdale to appreciate and to strive for progress and to measure the worth of your fellows lay characterfistfzfcs unarssoclatecl urith apparent 'rnalterial possessions. It is a prifufilege and a pleasure to commend the editor and the staff of Le Raconteur and to u'rz'sh everyone in the school con- tinuing success and satisfaction. 9

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From the Editors RENATE TANNENZAPF I 4 Eflitor-irz-Clzief 2 N. JACK BROWN KATHY DAIN Assistant Editor Assistant Editor ELIZABETH TOON A ssis tant Editor THE YOUNGER GENERATION Recently it was stated on an American tele- vision program that the youth of today is de- generating, because it has nothing to fight for. Unfortunately, this is the case in the United States and, to a lesser degree, in Canada, and it is truly frightening in the dangers it pre- sents to our civilization, According to the program, a placid compla- cency has subm.erged the youth of today in a mantle of ignorance and self-centredness. For the majority of young people, the road of life has been a streamlined highway. They have been shielded from the thorns and thistles along the roadside by over-protective parents, and have grown up in a world in which they have had few problems with which to cope. From the pinnacle of their smug superiority, they regard the poverty, disease and desolation of people less fortunate than they as remote and unreal. They play out their everyday lives in an endless whirl of their own petty prob- lems, which loom unnaturally large on their narrow horizons. And yet, I cannot believe that the situation as painted by the program is so entirely hope- less, especially since I myself am not only a staunch supporter, but also an active member of this degenerating generation. In my opinion, we in Canada are in a much better position than those living in the United States. our country is young and full of challenges. Its method of education discourages intellec- tual stagnation. Its industries and professions cry out for trained people. Surely our modern world has not reached such a peak of perfec- tion that we can find in it no ideals and goals for which to pledge our loyalties? By meet- ing the challenges offered by life, we can still redeem ourselves in the estimation of our eld- ers. But the final decision rests with the in- dividual, whether he will be able to say in the twilight of declining years: I have not lived my life in vain. I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to the staff of the magazine for their hard work, to the Publications Committee Chairman, Richard Mitchell for his co-operation and help, and to Mr, McCord whose patience, guidance and supervision must be accredited for any measure of success that Le Raconteuru may enjoy. Renate Tannenzapf. FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND THE PRESS When I was asked to write an editorial for the Le Raconteur, my only question was: What should I write about? The answer was: Anything you choose. I could w1'ite about anything I chose, too - integration, politics, religion - anything. This is my right - not privilege: but right, because I live in Canada! It is your right too. It is called freedom of speech and of the press. This freedom that we enjoy may seem trivial because we have never been without it. How- ever, to be without it is to live in fear - in fear of every word you say. This situation is only too apparent in the communist countries of Europe and Asia. There, people are taken into custody daily by the police just because they said something which could be interpreted as derogatory to the Communist party. Frequently they never find out what it was that they said. Frequent- ly their families never see them again. This may seem remote to us, -but it is happening. This is my editorial. I wrote on freedom of speech and of the press. I have criticized the Communist party for their lack of it, but I won't be taken to jail for doing so. Kathy Dain.