William Chrisman High School - Gleam Yearbook (Independence, MO)

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HE GLEAM 16 T MR. STREET ln every line of activity there is always one who must forge ahead of the others and make it possible for them to achieve success. As Superintendent of the Public System in Independence, Mr. Street has aptly executed this role of leadership. Possi- bly there have been times when a prudent decision seemed diPncult but sooner or later we have learned to depend on Mr. Street to lead us out of the maze of gloomy defeat into the light of victory. 1 x X , , L x

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THE GLEAM 15 We, the Board of Education, wish to incite the outgoing Seniors to such enter- prize and attainment as is set forth in the following example of achieve- ment: Young Robert Barrett, upon leaving college, had entered into the business world with such knowledge, energy, and enthusiasm, that in a few years he was able to point with pride to a certain flourishing enterprise, which represented his own splen- did success in the commercial field. Great was his popularity-and yet there seemed to be a false note in the speeches of congratulation. Finally his chum voiced the un- spoken question existing in hearts and minds of all his friendsg why had he located his industry in a place other than his home town. The answer was swift and scornful. I gave the citizens of this town a chance at it, he said, with a steely glint in his keen eyes. I knew its possibilities and hoped that we might all benefit from it, it only needed a little time to get started and more capital than I had to start it. I gave them the chance-and of them all, old Thomas Whitney was the only one who failed to demand ten dollars clear profit as soon as he laid one on the table. Quickly he threw off his tense earnestness. Today Tom Whitney is sharing the dividends, while the others are only wish- ing they were. Certain lines, that you, too, may know, have remained in my memory because of their aptness, and he quotedslowly: 'Oh, if we draw a circle premature, Heedless of far gain, Greedy for quick returns of profit, sure Bad is the bargainf H Many of the financial troubles of the world today are due to the greed for quick returns. People are no longer content to await the slow, sure processes that argue for safety in business or investment, they are too eager to snatch at get-rich-quick schemes that invariably turn out get-poor-quicker plots. They -look vainly enough to see big profits before the ink is dry on their signatures to the little check of investment. They insist upon drawing the circle of finality swiftly and closely about their deals, heedless of the gain that might be theirs were they content to wait for it. Rome was not built in a day. So in our modern world, nothing worth- while is gained, nothing valuable is won without a great amount of toil plus perse- verance. Men get to thinking, quite wrongly and foolishly, that they must see at once the good accomplished. Little do they realize that to every ounce of energy expended toward the goal, there must always be an equal amount of patience applied. These lessons and experiences are priceless to the development of the individual. AEsop, in his Fables , left to future generations a classic example of the far gain . I-low much better it is to follow the pace set by the slow tortoise ofsteady progress, than to gallop side by side with the hare of speculation. As we well remem- ber, Slow and Steady wins the race. And that victory will be well worth winning. THE BOARD or EDUCATION. ! I If! ll

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THE GLEAM 17 Our School System Cut school system has done its best for e1chSenior, doing more for some than for others according to their willingness to receive and to be interested in what the school tried to do. Each year finds our schools better able to do the work for which they were Ls- tablished, and each year they assume other tasks which are helpful to the pupils in meeting life's problems intelligently and happily. Each year new buildings are erected, new and better equipment is added. The course of study offered is enlarged or changed to meet the varying needs, better methods of instruction are used in the school rooms. Each year new clubs and extra activities are organized to foster interests not helped by classroom work. The faculty from the first grade to the Senior teachers encourage extra school activities. Both time and energy are gladly given that the pupils may reap the benefits from exploring new fields and from trying themselves in new experiences. These results are due to the fine spirit of cooperation existing in the whole school system, among the patrons, the faculty, and the administrative officials. The school has a just right to be proud of its products. They have trained them- selves in the essentials of real life, leaving the fads to others. They go forth from our doors and the reports of their successes are in keeping with the work they did in our school system. I