The Lampoon - 1930
For many years prior to 1930, the Lampoon was a monthly publication. It was first published to serve as the yearbook for the Markham High School in 1930. The 1930 publication contains 40 pages of articles and advertisements.
Pages 10 - 11- Valedictory
BELOW we publish with pleasure the valedictory address as given by Miss Phyllis Todds, a former student and graduate of Markham High School, at the Commencement Exercises held in the Markham Town Hall on Friday evening, December 13 th, 1929. Miss Todds is to be congratulated upon the substance of her address and the highly efficient manner in which it was delivered. She said as follows: -
“AND NOW, the curtain is about to drop upon one of the acts in the drama of the graduate’s life, and in a few minutes those who have worked together for a time, will part, and this hall, that has been so resonant with voices and so bright with smiles, will be still, dark and deserted. We are here to bid adieu to our school, and to part from the associations which its term of study created.
“To you, our teachers, we owe much. We owe you for the learning you have imparted, the deep interest in our progress, the wisdom of your methods of training, and for that systematic and thorough discipline, which at first some of us may have thought irksome, but which we now know to have been needful to success, and being needful, therefore most kind. We can never acquit ourselves of the obligation by more than an acknowledgement of the debt; but we pay in such coin as we have. Our life has been normal, we are going forth to conquer something new. We are venturing our vessels beyond the gentle stream whose currents we know and with those shoals and depths we are familiar to sail on the great sea of uncertainty, where what tempests may meet or overtake us, what reefs we may strike, we cannot know. If we make a successful voyage, it will be mainly due to the sailing direction you have given and the charts you have furnished. Guides and instructors, those who are about to leave you implore parting blessing and bid you farewell. Farewell! And we beseech you to think of your pupils as they will think of you. “Undergrads, it is hard to part with. We are to go forth and you to remain, to go forth in turn we hope, with the honours of the dear old school upon you. We had come to know and value you when we are forced to depart. We make way for those, who at the session will join you. We commend these, by the esteem we have for you and we hope you have for us, to your favorable regard. You know the grand old maxim, “Welcome the coming: Speed the parting guest.” As you speed us on our journey with your good wishes, comfort them with your warm welcome. Farewell and good luck to your intentions to make your career here a credit to the school and to yourselves.
Back - Left to Right - Miss Carter, Miss Smith, Miss Wise
Front - Left to Right - Mr. Williams, Mr. H. T. Donaldson, Principal; Mr. Stalter“Fellow-graduates, it is for you and me to exchange farewells. Here we stand together, it may be for the last time, wearing our honours. I trust meekly, and yet with a justifiable pride in a success won by our diligence, patience and obedience to discipline. As a body we part, but as individuals we may, and possibly shall, frequently meet. Then what memories of the past shall we not revive! What old school scrapes shall not move us to laughter! And how often we shall talk of the teachers, refer to this one and that one as “Old This,” or “Old That”; the term ‘old’ not being disrespectful or belittling, but affectionate and friendly. How shall we recall their kindness, their care and their efforts to make us the worthy men and women and good citizens of the future. We part only to meet again. To others a farewell, but with each of us let the last words be – “Good-bye until to-morrow.”
“And to you good friends who have come to see and hear and greet kindly our efforts to-night, you have come to wish us God-speed in our journey through life, to you, with many thanks and full hearts we bid a respectful farewell.”