The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-05-17
VALEDICT0RY
By MARGARET CODY

We who stand tonight at the
meeting between q happy past and
an unknown future. have reached
not the end but the commence
ment of our lives. And what our
lives are to be depends in a large
measure upOn the foundations we
have been building for them in
orr high school years. This is a
bio thought and | want you to
think With mo just how big thing
it is. For this afternoon, at the
ending Of orr course, am fired
with the zeal of class patriotism
that I would like TO be able to
transmit to you with all of its
wonderful thrilling force.
II seems we'll for us who are
about to step forth into the arenf
Of the worlds progress to consld-
or something of what our parts IN
the great battle of life are, or
ought to be, as citizens of the
greatest republic and the grand
est nation in all the world. rep
resenting before it's people the
best school of all that cover the
land from ocean to ocean. we
have all our lives heard great
deal about patriotism. and every
citizen has seemed to define the
word in rs own way, according to
his own ideas of party politics.
During a political campaign, the
speaker of tonight will tell you
that to be a true lover of your
country's veal. you must of ne
cessity be a Democrat; the speak
err tomorrow night will be equally
emphatic in urging the positive
need of your being Republican,
while another speaker on the sue
ceeding night may bring forth
lust as many varied and weighty
reasons why you should certainly
and by all means affiliate with
some third party.
We are. all Of us, doubtless,
more or less familiar with the
words of Decatur's immortal toast
when he said:
"0ur country!
May she always be in the right!
But right or wrong, D..
Our country"
This. to the minds of the twen-
tieth century politicians, seems, in
many cases at least, to have be-
come:
"My party!
May she always be in the right!
But right or wrong.
Ny party"
At first hearing, these words
sound brimful of patriotism, and
we feel our hearts, as we listen,
CULVER with a responsive thrill to
the magnetism of the speakers
enthusiasm; but to the mind Of
the one whose thoughts are deep
or and broader and higher and
purer. as he looks upon the folds
of the tri-colored bunting waving
in the breeze-to the one who
loves his country in the way that
Washington and Lincoln and Nc
Kinley loved 1.-THE words are far
enough from having the true
ring. To such a heart the only
true patriotism is that highest and
best love of country that has the
nations purest and noblest good
at heart. that has great and
lofty conception of what the ma
ton should be, and then uses all
his power and influence and en-
ergy to bring her as close to that
ideal as it is possible for her to
come. Not to say. "My party. right
or wrong" Or even "Our country,
right or wrong" but rather.
my country. make her right!
Keep her standard clean and
whiter'
OF course, conceptions of the
! highest patriotism must vary as
, the history and institutions of a
nation vary. For instance, Russia
thinks of divine right to univer-
sal empire. The distinguishing
mark of American patriotism is
freedom. The spirit of American
ism and American institutions is
that of a true democracy, which
shall seek to cultivate the best
and eliminate the vicious and to
stand for the cause of liberty,
freedom and truth at whatever
cost of property or even human
life. If we love our country, then,
with the best form of love, we will
set for her a standard of all that
is highest and purest and noblest,
and then use all power and direct