Windsor Locks High School - Herald Yearbook (Windsor Locks, CT)

Page 29 text:

THE HIGH SCHOOL HERALD “Our Aim: Success.” Everyone setting out on a career wants to be successful. While in school we took up subjects that would help us attain om goal, and now that we are setting cut to take our places in the world, we realize that to be a real success we must shoulder the responsibilities with which we are faced and uphold the ideals of America. The second part of the motto—“Our Hope: to Win” is a very com¬ mon phrase in the world today. But because it is common, we should not —take it too lightly; for unless we, as individuals, learn to conquer the relatively smaller things that endanger our immediate lives—things such as waste, complacency, strikes, crime and dishonesty—we can never hope to gain victory in the most horrible field of all—that of war. Therefore, as we the students of the graduating class of Windsor Locks High School go out into the world, we should try always to live up to our motto, and remember the words of Abraham Lincoln: “In your hands, my young fellow students and citizens, lies the fu¬ ture of our country. If the coming generation is a little more faithful to the ideals of honesty, of order, and of freedom, than the present genera¬ tion has been, then we shall be going forward. If the coming generation is a little less faithful to these ideals, then we shall be headed down the road to degeneracy, defeat, decay.” Mary Jane Queen, ’42. WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY? In view of present day conditions, we must stress the quality of unity today more than ever before. We, as a whole, must w r ork together and cooperate with each other to the best of our ability. No one can justly say, “This is not my affair, I can do nothing to help.” For even while at¬ tending school you can do your part, for in schools all over the United States we have a system by w ' hich Savings Bonds and Stamps may be purchased. The money you students contribute by buying these Stamps helps to build perhaps a ship, an airplane, or a tank. Doesn’t that make you proud? You, the women of America, are an important factor in our aim to win. Join the Red Cross and other worthy organizations, for strong support behind the lines is equally as important. Yes, you men, are the greatest factors in our aim to win, for you are being asked to sacrifice perhaps your lives to discourage a system of government which is contrary to the way of life and our ideals. Thus, each of you should realize that you can do something for your country. Fulfill your obligations by making sacrifices. Buy a Bond, knit a sweater, give a life if necessary, but keep fighting for a worthy cause. Bernice Glista, ’42.

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26 THE HIGH SCHOOL HERALD GRADUATION NIGHT PROGRAM Theme: Youth and the Present Emergency SALUTATORY THE SPIRIT OF DETERMI NATION Ladies and gentlemen, friends one and all: We welcome you to our Commencement exercises and thank ycu for all you have done for us. We extend our thanks to the Members of the Board of Education and the townspeople for giving us the opportunity to graduate from this tine build¬ ing, and we express our sincerest thanks to our teachers and parents, and hope that we may be a credit to their labor and sacrifice. Although Commencement is usually a joyous season, all young people this year realize the seriousness of the times. Our country is at war, fighting for those principles which we Ameri¬ cans cherish so much. Because we do beiieve in them and cherish this form of life, we are willing to sacrifice more and more in order to subdue the enemies of that way of life. Things are happening so fast that we hardly have time to finish one venture before we start another. Victories and defeats abroad, the sinking of ships on our coasts, the upward trend of taxes on income, rationing, and wages—all affect our lives. We must not, however, let these happenings discourage us or blind us to the true values. Instead we must let them be secondary, and think first of preserving those fine old traditions handed down to us by our forefathers. Earlier Americans did their part in the fight for independence, the fight for the freedom of the seas, the war between the North and the South, the Mexican and Spanish Wars, and the first World War. Why? because the American people were determined they would fight tiil victory. They put their shoulders behind the wheels of labor and warfare until they were victorious. Now in this war, are we going to be the first Americans to fail? No. We will do as our forefathers have done. We will smash the powers of aggression and persecution and keep that star span¬ gled banner forever waving as a sign of peace and freedom for all who look upon it. Francis MarcelJini, ’42. “OUR AIM: SUCCESS—OUR HOPE: TO WIN ' ’ It is a well-known fact that the majority of high school graduating classes choose class mottos. This class is no exception. But I believe that the motto, “Our Aim: Success—Our Hope: to Win,” is particularly fitting this year, not only for our class, but lor the United States at large. Therefore, let us, for a few minutes, ponder over the meaning of these words.

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28 THE HIGH SCHOOL HERALD PROVING OIJR PATRIOTISM In time of war, all people are more conscious of the feeling of patriotism, but during peace time this feeling is likely to slumber unheeded in the human breast; nevertheless, ail citizens who truly love their country rise to sublime heights in time of leal emergency—and in such an emer¬ gency are we at the present. What is patriotism? One writer explains it as follows: “Patriotism is the mental condition of national permanence.” Another says it in these words: “If any one attempts to haul down the American flag, shoot him on the spot.” The average American man, however, is shewing it by leaving a highly paid civilian job to become a private in the army at forty-two dol¬ lars a month. But most of us are showing it by working many more than eight hours a day in war factories and taking up our part in civilian defense quickly and without asking questions. Yes, I think the American people are doing a fine job—working, sacrificing, building up the morale for victory, because we believe in the United States of America as a nation uniting all people, a country pie¬ serving freedom of speech, press and religion, as a true democracy, of the people, by the people and for the people. We cherish our essential American traditions such as the school- house and the church as the cornerstone of our civic growth. And so it is that w e pledge ourselves to our American responsibility of perpetrating these principles, thereby making democracy w r ork both during war and peace. John Pyznar, ’42