Westford Academy - Clarion Yearbook (Westford, MA)

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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

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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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company 1t A ch1ld must possess a feelrng of secur1ty and an unfaltermg co 1 ftdence rn h1s famrly There IS no room 1n a happy home for lytng selflsh ness resentment or fear D1sc1pl1ne followed closely by good sound crm crsm 1S a must The presence of love d1sc1pl1ne and respect w1th1n a house hold IS bound to foster 1n a ch1ld the hab1t of do1ng rrght a hab1t wh1ch w1ll be 1nvaluable to h1m 1n hrs later l1fe Equally 1mportant as the deeds ar1s1ng from a pleasant home atmosphere are the actual tasks one accompl1shes durrng the course of h1s learmng These are many each one contr1but1ng a valuable part 1n furtherrng the undy1ng 11 fluence of a home Of sttll greater value are the heart warmtng deeds that may be performed wh1ch mold one s character and develop rn the ch1ld sweetness of temper pa trence and the courage to succeed fn whatever task hes before h1m Yes our home IS an extremely 1mportant factor 1n our l1ves and all of us could earnestly say these slmple words by Ohver Wendell Holmes Where we love 1S home Home that our feet may leave but not our hearts Mary Margaret Smith 52 LEI' US BE KNOWN BY OUR DEEDS IN SCIENCE From the days of the earl1est alchem1st to the present day of atom1c en ergy sc1ent1sts have been known and remembered for the1r deeds These deeds were performed by men and women who devoted the1r l1ves to the bet ferment of world cond1t1ons Were 1t not for these great men and women many people would have to suffer 1ntolerably wh1le others would not be able to l1ve Through 1nvent1ons and medrcal research the average l1fe span has been 1ncreased from th1rty years to SIXIY e1ght years Today when the world IS under great threat of world conflxct and destruc t1on we are rely1ng more and more upon the sc1ent1st to save the world from drsaster We are call1ng upon h1m to f1nd means to counteract the worst weapons of war We are look1ng to the Man of SCIGHCQ for relxef 1n thts troubled world of today Whrle 1t 1S true that we remember the sc1ent1st to a great extent for hls weapons of war It 1S also true that we look to h1m for 1nvent1ons Wh1Ch can be a source of power 1n t1me of peace An example of th1s IS the use of atom1c power by our alhes for the generat1on of 6lGCII1C1lY Through the efforts of sc1ent1sts we have constant lmprovement 1r1 health san1tat1on we are be1ng taught new ways to counter act d1sease Scten e has always had a part 1n world progress As t1me passes we shall no doubt be forced to rely upon the deeds of sc1ent1sts to save the world Therefore 1t follows that the students of sc1ence tn our schools today w1ll be respons1ble 1n part for the safety of the world tomorrow It IS 1mportcmt that they be en couraged tn the1r work and that they be taught how to cope with the new and the unexplored tn sc1ence Yes as our motto states we are known by our deeds and not the least of these deeds are those accomphshed tn the fleld of SCIGDCG Samuel R1chards 52 GAINS THROUGH EDUCATION Today more then ever before there IS a vast need for educat1on both tn Amenca and throughout the world for there IS l1ttle doubt that the future wel fare of the world 1n general IS dependent upon the educat1on of youth Edu cat1on as an a1d ln shapmg future enterpnse teaches youth the responsrbtlx . . . . . '- . , ' I I ' I - I ' I I - . , . . . . I A- ' 1 . 1 . . I - , . . 1 1 11 . 1 11 , . 1 I 1 . ' 1 . . 1 - 1 I - 1 1 , . , ' . C - 1 - 1 . . 1 1 1 . . . . . 1 1 I I I I - 1 . . . .. . . ..- 1 1