Westford Academy - Clarion Yearbook (Westford, MA)

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thank you our parents teachers and frlends for the help and gutdance you have gtven us May we conttnue to bu1ld upon the mcreastngly ftrm founda tron of rdeals and a1ms that you have helped us to establ1sh Mary Ga1l Splnner 5.4 Salutamry Address WELCOME Members of the School Comrrnttee Supenntendent of Schools teachers par ents and frtends lt 1S my pr1v1lege to welcome you to the graduat1on exercrses of the Class of 1952 Ton1ght we are drawmq to a close four happy years at Westford Academy On th1s memorable occas1on 111 our l1VeS as we atta1n the goal toward Whtch we have been str1v1ng we feel honored to have w1th us those people who have made 1t posslble RELIGION OUR HOPE POR PEACE W1th Comrnumsrn str1k1ng the people of Amer1ca from wrthout Wllh cor rupt1on and brrbery caus1ng moral decay from w1th1n It IS amaztng that there IS such a state of apathy 1n ex1stence w1th1n our country today One reason for th1s 1nd1fference to nat1onal decay IS a false 1dea of tolerance There are two meanmgs to the word tolerance one 1S an accurate def1n1t1on Whlle the other IS a m1sconcept1on When we exh1b1t tolerance of another s real and honest conv1ct1ons we are pract1c1ng a true 1dGC1 of tolerance but when we tolerate w1th1n our country pr1nc1ples and rdeas that have no bGS1S tn human r1ghts or Chrrstran vtews then we are show1ng a rrusconceptton of the word tolerance We are betng 1nd1fferent toward forces of 6Vll w1th1n our coun try Th1s 1nd1fference allows us to adopt a lukewarm attttude and to accept Commumsm as long as 1t does not d1rectly affect us In order to ach1eve goodness and peace throughout the world we must become zealous toward rel1g1on and ftred Wllh love and fear of God We must be deterrnlned to seek the good 1n l1fe rather than the 9V1l to spread love to stamp out hatred to be strong supporters of truth and k1ndness and mercy A person who seeks only the ev1l 1n l1fe IS a refugee an ex1le who has be corne confused and bew1ldered Wllh h1s endless search for h1s home The Crty of God The causes of h1s homeless state and the cause of war are 1dent1cal There IS noth1ng that has happened to a nat1on that has not hap pened 1ns1de man As Woodrow W1lson once sa1d Men are more than natrons and a nat1on IS not greater or better than the 1nd1v1dual men of whtch It IS composed Pol1t1cs do not cause wars but the ph1losoph1es of the DOl1ll c1ans do It IS the moral breakdown of man that has caused war and man s homeless loveless state The modern man has become 1nert and pass1ve to ward eV1l Aga1n the false 1dea of tolerance rears 1ts head Th1s 1dea that the only d1fference between r1ght and wrong 1S a poxnt of v1ew 1S used as an excuse for man s own fa1l1ngs and for h1s apathy toward ev1l The world IS to a great extent what we make 1t A person who looks for the ev1l 1n the world 1S htmself repugnant and sow1ng noth1ng but hatred he reaps noth1ng but hatred If we are determtned to f1nd goodness ar1d love 1' we look for these qualrttes 1n others we w1ll f1nd that they greatly outnumber the ev1l Only one hte Tw1ll soon be passed Only what s done for Chrrst w1ll last lf we would take lhlS max1m to our hearts and cher1sh 1t l1ve by 1t 1f each man turned to God w1th love and fear then turned to h1s r1e1ghbor Wllh ktnd ness and frlendshtp there would be true peace 1n th1s world 1 L 1 1 1 . . 1 A 1 1 1 1 ' , . ' 1 1 I . 1 . 11 11 . . . . . 1 1 . 1 , . . 1 1 1 1 11 11 . . . . . . 1 1 1 1 I . . . . . 11 1 1 11 . 1 1 . . 11 - 1 1 . . 11 . . . . . . 1 , ' . 1 1 1 1 - 1 . 1 . 1 1 1 - 1 1 . , 1 1 11 1 1 . 1 1 . . 11 1 1 I . , .

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lfzzlcdzctory ,Address LET US KNOWN BY OUR DEEDS As long as we hve we as tndrvtduals and as a natron w1ll be known by our deeds We are Judged by our attrtudes by the stand we take tn gtven sttuatlons and by our acttons whether they be commendable or otherwtse The present world sttuatton presents a serrous problem to the youth of to day We all wonder what effect thts crrsts w1ll have on Arnertca and on the world Faced wrth the possrbrhty of the dlssolutron of our socrety we reahze that we can no longer contxnue rn the tra1l that our forefathers have blazed for us Recent advancements 1n a1r transportatlon have made vartous parts of the world more eastly accessrble to one another At the same t1me modern methods of warfare become datly more destructlve Wlth world condtttons such as they are these factors combrne to make a thrrd world war a grave pOSS1b1l1lY For thousands of years people have deluded themselves 1nto behevtng that they through the1r mrhtary resources could assrst others tmprove 1nter natronal relattonshtps and brtng about world peace and prospertty Two wrongs w1ll never make a rtght and the sooner we young people face th1s fact unfhnchtngly the better w1ll be our chances to stay out of war and to amend ex1st1ng cond1t1ons rn some other way What other way IS there? we may ask Th1s 1S a quest1on whtch all of us must face No government has ever devtsed a perfect formula for peace We all share 1n one common weak ness susceptrbthty to war However we could lessen th1s susceptrbrltty 1f natrons would come to the rea11zat1on that war weakens the morals and lowers the rdeals of a populatron It IS 1n ltself degradtng When we k1ll our fellow men and devtse ways to ktll them we k1ll that part of ourselves that can recognrze goodness and beauty that part that 1S v1tal to hrgh rdeals and true worshrp Nothtng rs great and lastrng that IS not pure and good and our way of l1fe must go the way of others that have fa1led 1f we refute all that we hold hrgh rn our world now We are the mothers and fathers of the next decade who must show only the best that we know to our chtldren We are the screnttsts dedtcated through all our ltves to brrng better health and longer hte to peoples of the world We are the educators who must always lead to a better understandtng of the world about us that the youth we gutde may face rt Wlfh conf1dence We are the prtests and mtntsters who w1ll labor unceasmgly for the rexgn of peace and love the love that Iesus Chr1st showed us to be rndestructtble It ts for us to show as He showed that the k1ngdom of God can exlst on earth and that the love of God can hve 1n every heart Tonrght as we brtng to close a phase of our ltves we are confronted w1th the greatest problem that one generatton has ever had to meet On our shoulders rests the responstbrltty of choos1ng war wtth tts destructron and shallow glory or of choos1ng the way of peace and love that w1ll IH the end brlng a greater reward than we can even lrnaglne We have already travel ed so great a drstance toward a world wtde confllct that to turn back w1ll be a tremendous task but wtth understanclrng and love 1n our hearts we can frnd a way to peace The decrsron rests wrth us We know that we can 1f we w1ll make xt a wtse one May God gtve us the strength and the w1ll to make tt so 1f truly we would be known by our deeds FAREWELL Members of the School Commrttee Superrntendent of Schools teachers par ents and fr1ends Tontght we are gathered here for the last t1me as a class Now as we brrng to a close four memorable years at Wesford Academy we would l1ke tc 0 . ... . . V 1 1 1 - 1 1 1 - ' I 1 ' 1 I I I A , . 1 1 1 .. ,. . 11 . 11 ... . . 1' - 1 . . . .1 . , . , , . 1 1 . 1 1 1 1 , . 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 . . , , - 1 I 1 1 ' , . 1 1 - 1 1

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Acts of gentleness humility gratitude and love let these be the deeds by which we are known Margaret Kavanagh '12 OUR IDEALS AND OUR DEEDS We 1n America are blessed with the privilege of living 1n a nation where every 1nd1v1dual enmoys equal rights and privileges where every citizen may have a voice 1n the government of his community and of the nation where he may pract1ce the religion of his cho1ce without hes1tat1on or fear of persecu tion cmd where he has at h1s disposal the benefits of a free public educat1on With these facts rn mind we may say that in America we have a umque situauon a situation where the c1t1zen IS 1nv1ted and encouraged to emoy the free expression of his op1n1ons and beltefs and to develop to the fullest his talents and capab1l1t1es And yet how many of our c1t1zens appreciate the benefits offered them accept them as the privileges which they are and use them to the greatest pos sitble advantage Because we have always emoyed the freedom and pr1v1 leges of a democratic form of government some of us fail to real1ze that there are definite duties which accompany these pr1v1leges The motto for the Class of 1952 Let Us Be Known By Our Deeds IS 1ndeed a challenge to the 1t1zen who apathetically refuses to accept the responsibility of vot1ng of at tempting to bring h1s convictions to reality Wh1le it is tru that we have never known any form of government other than a democracy it 1S also true that this government was a costly gift paid for in courage bloodshed and loss of life Therefore we must guard against the seepage of Commurnsm 1nto th1s country and cleanse the corruptness dignation at the presence of any force which threatens the life of our democ racy But th1s 1nd1gnat1on is ineffective unless 1t serves to st1mulate each of us to action Our every act IS a portion of living history It 1S the responsibility of each individual to accept this fact Furthermore every individual IS respons1ble for his own dec1s1ons Others can guide h1m make suggestions or persuade h1m but 1n the final analysis 1t 1S the 1nd1v1dual who Wlll be known by h1s own deeds Ehzabeth Morgan 52 INFLUENCE OF THE HOME Whether the house that 1S your home 1S large or small very f1ne or very s1mple has httle to do Wllh 1lS endearing qualities and 1ts enduring mfluence A home that 1S worthy of the name 1S created by the personalities of a father and mother and of their children It is 1n lh1S home that a child develops sound character and 1t 1S here also that he forms the habit of do1ng what 1S right It 1S generally agreed that a person is known by his deeds the deeds arising from the seem1ngly 1ns1gn1f1cant acts that he performs every day for as Aristotle sa1d What we have to learn to do we learn by doing Who can expect his actions 1n company w1th others to be better than h1s everyday manners at home? Pract1ce and repeated pract1ce 1S the only way for one to become reliable IH h1s act1ons What you ask are those deeds that are taught in the home those that portray one s character? F1rst, 1t may be estabhshed that deeds are more than mere act1ons they represent not only the act but also the manner in whlch it is performed ln a home the essential factor 1S respect for even though there be love this love 1S shallow without the respect wh1ch must ac 1 1 I T I ' ' ' l I , - I II ll 1 u D I I ' ' ' e I I I I ' I l which now exists in our government. Each citizen should feel personal in- I I , . I u ll A 1 Il I , . ' I 1 , ' ' I