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• PAGE TWO
THE LINCOLN ECHO
MAY, 1954
*So Let Us Travel* — Valedictory Address
*What Counts* — Salutatory Address
r
,, By Robert Winston
We are travelers on the high
road of learning and tonight we
pause at a sharp bend in the way.
Until now we have shared the
comfort and companionship of a
closely knit group. But the sun
set hour is at hand; the first lap
of the journey over. From this
point on there are as many small
paths as individuals.
There are farewells to say;
grave decisions to make; equip
ment mental and spiritual, to in
ventory; there are some unbe
coming attitudes to discard and
new and surprisingly awkward
burdens to shoulder.
We are turning our backs upon
the sheltered life of the classroom j
the protection of the planned
way. From herd forward to a
great degree we make our own
decisions, for good or ill; our
coming and going untimed by the
bell; our only discipline, our con
science.
Childhood and early youth are
of the past. They appear form
less and disorganized as they
fade into the distance. We have
shed them like used, outgrown
garments, keenly aware that now
' more will be expected and less
.forgiven us. Those shortcomings
‘‘and lapses, overlooked in the
very young, have no place in the
adult world which we face to
night in all its stark reality.
- Our approaches to life’s de
mands must be geared to the
swift era in which we are living
and the first step in this adjust-
The Lincoln Echo Is published
every six weeks by the students of
Lincoln High School In Chapel Hill,
N .C.
THE ECHO STAFF
Editor-ln-chlef Jean Wright
Asst. Editor Gloria Vickers
Staff Reporter Faye Atwater
Asst. Staff Reporter , Leo Leake
Bus. Manager Allen Mason
Asst. Bus. Manager Annie M. Jones
Secretary Katrena Baldwin
Sports Editor Betsy Ann Cordal
Asst. Sports BMltor Elaine Harriston
Feature Editor Barbara Burnette
Alumni Editor Ernestine Powell
Society Editor Alicia Jones
Circulation Man Roberta Morrow
Ex. Editor Bertha Headen
Roosevelt Colson
Advisory Com Mrs. R. A. Smith
Mrs. M. G. Frazier
Mr. R. V. Smith
Mrs. M. D. Turnoi i
Mrs. C. H. Bar'
j I
Objertlves of Ihe Lincoln Ec!
1. t ■'? supplement readint,
materials.
2. To encourage free expres
sion.
O
scl’
4. .
spirit.
'rpret the life of the
c community.
■note greater school
ment is to make certain that our
thinking is crisp and clear. In an
age when man will travel faster
than the speed of sound there
is no place for slow motion mental
reactions or fuzzy reasoning.
It will be fatal to this vital
clarity of thought if we are fool
ish enough to consider ourselves
as “educated” simply because
we have completed one small
phase of the endless process of
learning. Deep within, so long as
life lasts, each should strive to
keep aglow the little flame of
“divine” discontent that lights
hidden passages and inspires and
beckons to higher and nobler
achievements.
For some, this night, of necess
ity, marks the end of formal
schooling. Bid ” hies not follow
that growth ■ ' learning stop
also. They mii'- hereafter learn
by rl'-'i f': keeping ever the in-
quiiiin ntind, the alert attitude
and the receptive heart for all
new experiences each fulfilling
his destiny to the best that is in
him, whether in industry, at
home, in field, at bench or wheel.
Others of our number will know
the benefits of higher education
at schools and colleges throughout
the country. If that is our privi
lege, as we adjust ourselves to
campus and new corridors, may
we grasp and hold fast to that
which is fine and enlightening in
each course we pursue, profiting
from the stimulus of contact with
the exchange of ideas with fellow
students; making the most of
those mighty minds of the i>ast
who have left such rich harvest
between the covers of books.
As we mature as individuals
there crowd in upon us the cry
ing needs of humanity demands
so overpowering that they seem
at fust glance staggeringly im-
po.iible of answer. Where do we
belong in this confused welter of
problems? With but one life to
live, one set of energies to use,
it behooves each graduate to
thoughtfully consider by what
definite means she can best fur
ther and contribute to the old
pr ! pageant of humanity.
ran make no better begin-
lan by first fostering with-
relves th" ouality of
f !iood, the ” m spring of
Hon for the unfortunate
' privileged—the neigh-
ur right or the voice of
our left.
inevitable that this sense
nthy and understanding
■ logical result, call into
phase of our individual
■'nued on page 4)
By Alice Hargraves
Members of- the Board of Ed
ucation, Superintendent Davis,
Our Beloved Principal, Teachers,
Parents, Ladies and Gentlemen:
Had it been posible for us, the
graduating class of 1954, to hand
each one of you a gorgeous rose
as you entered this room, as a
token of our pleasure in welcom
ing you here, the room would
have been bright and fragrant
with the eloquence peculiar to
the language of flowers.
Our welcome, though unseen,
we trust can still be felt, for it is
just as real, and our appreciation
of your interest for us is more
lasting than blooms which wither
after a few hours. You show by
your presence that you realize
the importance of this occasion.
An important goal in the life of
each of us has been passed. We
have arrived at the diverging of
several roads, one of which each
one of us must take. There can be
no turning back. Something has
been accomplished by all of us,
though much has been left un
done. If accomplished, then we
feel the satisfaction that comes
to those who have done their
work well. If the reverse is true,
then only those who have had
similar misfortunes can know the
depth of our remorse. The great
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “a
man is relieved and gay when he
has put his heart into his work
and done his best; but what he
has said or done otherwise, shall
give him no peace.”
In this age, when the world is
suffering terrific stress and
strain, we are indeed fortunate
to be graduating from this high
school.
We hope that when we shall
have begun our work as members
of adult society that we shall be
able to show our selves worthy
of the noble sacrifices made by
our parents and the patrons of
this school that have made our
training possible. We know that
all must have faith in us; for it
has been so evident in the pro
gressive plans, the outlay of
money for equipment, the many
meetings that h^vp taken you out
from your con*' 'Iable homes in
coming togeth- to try to im
prove the progivitn of education
for the youths you believed in.
We sincerely hopv that your faith
in us will in later years bring you
joy and renew your faith in com
ing generations.
May we, as we grow older, in
fluence those who may follow in
our footsteps by our good ex
ample. May • our light so
shine that we may become worthy
of the reverence and respect of
everyone, young or old. Let us
not forget that our living example
may be the beacon light that leads
to higher things.
So many articles have been
written recently in which all the
ills of society have been placed
at the schoolhouse door that I
wonder if it would not be well
to ponder over them a while. The
warden of Sing Sing prison has
said that the schools have failed
and are failing to develop charac
ter in our boys and girls, but are
successfully teaching the three
R’s and at the same time permit
ting the development of crooks
more skillful, clever and hardened
than ever.
Again, those who have most
severely criticized the school
have judged from only one angle.
It is the warden’s sad duty to
care for what are really the out
casts of the school, ones on whom
the school has failed to make its
proper impression. An investiga
tion of the school history of each
individual would likely produce
records that showed which way
the “twig had bent”.
Let us face our problems
squarely and not try to shift our
responsibility to others. When we
enter the fields of industry we
must be able to give a certain
number of hours of standard abili
ty per week. To fill our place in
life, we must be able to develop
the hidden resources of our be
ings.
If we wish to succeed we must
help somebody in need. We must
never be too busy to aid our fel-
lowmen. It will take some of the
selfishness out of our hearts, and
it may save the life or the soul
of one who has lost his grip on
' life. No one is absolutely free.
We all work together for a com
mon good that we really become
free.
The influence we have upon
the lives of others is marvelous.
It is a wonderful thing to meet
people and know that in some way
we will make a lasting impression
upon them as they in turn will
influence us. In another way it
is a fearful thing, for if we sin it
may cause others to follow in our
steps. We may repent of the
wrong done, but we cannot stop
the effeci "f our evil act. No con
tribution "> '^urs can recall its
consequent Remorse cannot
force the bullet back i'ito the gun
from whence it issued
The power of infh>' uce is like
the boulder which starts down-
(Continued on page 3)