New Britain herald., 1927-06-25
YOUTH NOT HEADED
FOR DESTRUCTION
v. 4. Day Optimistic in Ad'
dressing 4. s. Graduates

portunities. School Committeeman
William H. Day gave the principal
address at the graduation exercises
OF the Senior High school class yes
terday afternoon.
At one time in his talk Mr.. Day
said: II am not pessimistic about
modern youth. Sure-they are indie
pendent-lacking in respect to their
elders. frankly outspoken and all the
rest of the things with which they
have been charged. But the past
generation was guilty of just as great
or greater crimes"
Mr.. Days address, in full, follows:
The message that / want TO leave
with you is two-fold in character.
1t is fitting on such an occasion as
this. that it should be so. Like the
old Roman God Janus. you stand
facing two directions.
I'm the first place l offer you my
condolences. While the diploma
with which you will shortly be pre-
sented is a symbol OF achievement.
and represents a certain definite ac-
YOU have elected to pursue, it also
is indicative OF the fact that a GER
tain part of your life is definitely ter
minated. The part of your mind
which is facing backward over the
years Is no doubt little sad today
The associations of years are to be
interrupted - friendships formed
within these walls must now undergo
the test of physical separation. Some
may survive-most of them will be
replaced by others. This is not said
With spirit of cynicism, it is just
a fundamental fact Of life.
ITO many Of you. today's cere-
monies mark the ending of your for
NAL study, and while you may have
publicly protested against the disci-
pine and longed for the freedom
that would come with graduation
privately you have, l believe, appre-
ciated your opportunities. Some
times this appreciation comes after
the opportunities are gone.
zone day shortly before the Christ
mas holiday new office boy, who
had just left school. asked me: How
many days do we have off for Christ
mas?" "Just one," told him. He
looked at me in amazement. Gee"
he said. that's tough"
THE opportunity Of American ed
ucation Is the foundation of our
democracy. In an address delivered
in June, 1914 before the Royal In
stitution Of Great Britain. Walter H..
Page, the American ambassador.
made this statement: The funda-
mental article in the creed of the
American democracy-you may call
it tho fundamental dogma If you
like-is the unchanging and un-
changeable resolve that every human
being shall have his opportunity for
his utmost development-his chance
to become and do the best that he
can
Constant advances are being
made along educational lines to
carry out this idea. To realize the
progress that is being made, 1t is
only necessary to compare the
schools of today with those Of
twenty years ago.
ITO make comparison with the
past Is an admission of advancing
age, and yet it is only in this way
that progress can be determined.
When I went to school We learned
by rule and rote-individuality was
suppressed and discipline was the
watchword.
To-day the opposite is true. Every
chance is given the youth of our
age to find himself-"to become and
do the best that he can"
During a recent inspection Of
some of our schools I happened to
be in a gymnasium with Mr.. King,
the president of the committee,
while some of the children of a
lower grade were on the floor. They
were running relay race and hav-
ing a wonderful time. He remarked
10 me, 1--WE didn't have anything
like that when / went to school,"
II never visit school but what
see something that brings this
thought to my mind. A few weeks
ago some Of us looked over the high
school building in Bristol. noticed
particularly the laboratory appara-
tus Of the science rooms and could
not help comparing it with the
make shift junk that my physics
teacher used.
II could give facts and quote sta
tistics to prove my point. I could re-
mind you that New Britain will
spend for the fiscal year ending
March 81. 1928, s1,4S4,oOo for edu-
cation. or 46 per cent of the entire
amount received from taxes.
You may inquire why ! am
preaching this doctrine of opportun-
ity to you when ! have just express
ed my sympathy because you were
leaving it behind. The answer is
that I want to instill the thought in
your minds so that when you take
your places in the world you will
help to sell the idea of the advan-
tages Of a progressive school sys-
tenn to those who will follow after
you.
And that thought brings me to
the second half of my message of
this afternoon. 1t is one of con-
graduation.
II said in the beginning that your
diploma was a symbol of achieve
ment. For the accomplishments
represented I offer my congratuia-
tons and particularly to those who,
through extra effort. have acquired
honors In their field of endeavor.
But congratulate you much
more on the chance that awaits you
as you face the world. In all ages
there have been men who have
maintained that there was nothing
more to strive for. that the utmost
had been attained.
Man has visited all the earth
from mole to mole. has pprfcCtnl ma