Salutatory Address - Class of 1932- by Babe Eggert

Rev. Fathers, Sisters, Dear Parents and Friends

The prologue of a play, the prelude of a poem, the theme of an opera is intended to give the reader and the listener the proper attitude towards the whole. It furnishes the setting, the background, the atmosphere, if you will.

And so as it has been with our opening chorus tonight, mingling with our not to welcome, is a strain that bids you awake to the possibilities of the Class of '32. We ask you to look with unprejudiced eyes not with those of the fond parent -the result of twelve years of study. We hope that our ambitions may be realized and that we shall not be disappointed by the hardships bound to meet us along the pathway of life. We trust that looking at the examples you have set for us of splendid citizenship, high courage, real achievement, integrity and progressiveness, we to may reach the estate of manhood and womanhood prepared to do for others what you have done for us.

We fear that sometimes you, along with our teachers, have doubted that we would all come under the wire,but deep down in our hearts we could not bear to disappoint you. If the truth must be told there have been times when our own impulse was to take life easier even than what we did, for youth, you know dearly loves a good time. But along with our education was learned that a good time, that is, a time which is everlastingly pleasurable is one in which duty is given the right away.

Can you blame us entirely? We have lived in a time of abundance and prosperity, of scientific wonders, and marvels of invention and exploration. We have been trained by what has happened to expect that almost anything can happen. When someone tells us that the day is not far distant when television will be as successful as radio reception today, that we are on the verge of communication with other planets. that many miracles of life will shortly be revealed, we see no reason to doubt it.

We are encouraged and stimulated by your faith in us. What you say, and what you feel, but do not always express, means much to us who are going forth to undertake new tasks. We will strive in the years to come to make you feel that this was an important occasion for you and for us.