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Everything Has Changed – Yet Has It ?

By Pam@IW 13 Comments

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CAP & GOWN - HS - 1941Written by Emil

As the spring of 1941 neared, my classmates and I were mostly concerned with the school year coming to an end. Then one day our principal announced that I had the highest grade point average of the class and was thus the valedictorian. One chore that accompanied this honor would be that of making a speech at our graduation exercises.

For this country boy to don his cap and gown and get up there was, to say the least, downright scary. Surrounded on the stage by my 25 classmates, I would be facing all of our teachers, many underclassmen who I knew well, all of our parents, our school board members, and at least a few local small town dignitaries who always showed up at events such as this.

But, what would I talk about? National and world conditions seemed to be good subjects. Our country was still trying to climb out of the Great Depression and there was little doubt but that we were heading right into another major war. Strange to say, some folks were already predicting that this huge conflict would finally be the long-sought “war to end all wars.”

To my surprise (and I suppose the surprise of many others), I got through the speech with almost no problems. I got a few compliments on my performance, and one or two on the quality of the speech itself. After graduation, my one copy of the speech was misplaced and soon my valedictory words had completely escaped my memory. And I thought “good riddance.”

Recently, my wife Gloria was looking through some various old books, papers, keep-sakes, and such. She said, “You will never guess what I found!”

And there it was! A folded, slightly crumpled sheet of yellow, lined notebook paper, and there, typed single-space, was my valedictory speech, complete with strikeovers and messy little penciled-in corrections and additions. Reading it over, I could hardly help but feel a bit satisfied with myself. And although written 68 years ago, the message does not seem all that far out-of-date.

Emil’s Valedictorian Speech from 1941

Friends, teachers, classmates:

We think of the days of our American Revolution as time of Great change but as we, the class of 1941, graduate we find ourselves in a world where the changes are even greater.

These are historic years, and the privilege of living in them is too little realized. Perhaps no graduating class ever has been or ever again will be confronted with conditions that compare with those of our present time. Since about 1935, Europe and its surrounding territory have been unstable. This didn’t seem very serious to us until Sept. 1939 when England and France again declared war on Germany, beginning a struggle which will soon enter its third year. There is doubt now in many minds as to whether or not we can stay clear of entanglements.

Although from some angles, the outlook for a country threatened with war cannot appear bright, this present state of affairs which has resulted in our vast National Defense Program offers us excellent opportunities for employment immediately, so that whether the jobs prove permanent or not, we will be able at once to gain work experience and acquire references and recommendations. Besides the selective service draft, and the extensive drives being put on by the Army and Navy for more enlistments, a good many young men and women are being searched for to supply offices and factories where the work of making supplies for the Armed Forces is going on.

No doubt some of you remember conditions of ten years ago –193l. The Depression was then nearing its worst stages. Students were graduating from high schools and colleges.Jobs were hard to get, and graduates with little work experiences and no references could not get a start, no matter how cheaply they offered their services. Five years ago, in 1936, the conditions of the country were somewhat improved, yet many graduates had to join the Civilian Conservation Corps or work by the day. Even last year–1940–when conditions seemed to be pretty good, they could not begin to compare with those of this year. Although most of these defense jobs require the employee to be slightly older than we are, the government is offering some of us apprentice training, and besides, the hiring of older persons will leave many vacancies in various civilian enterprises.

But there is reason to believe this rise in employment will not be a flash in the pan. Whatever the outcome of the war, the need for greater and greater defense will last for years. Besides, movements are stirring that give hope of vast new industries and many new uses of farm products, such as soy beans and casein being manufactured into automobile parts and furniture. The government has just set up four great laboratories in the four extremes of the country for the sole purpose of studying and discovering more of such new uses. If a motor fuel could be contrived from farm-grown products, think what that alone would mean toward increased industry for both country and city. So we of the class of 1941 have many reasons to look out with hope and ambition on our future.

About 1 out of 3 of the members of our class expect to attend college, to learn professions, some will doubtless be employed in the trades, and rest will probably stay near their homes, engaging in agriculture or other rural enterprises. In all cases, chances for success are good. Colleges report they now have more requests to fill positions than they have students qualified to fill them. There is a crying need for skilled mechanics and as for rural labor, many farmers are having ¬trouble securing help for their summer’s work. In our high school we have taken courses which should prove valuable in future life — vocational subjects such as business, agriculture and home economics. And so, with conditions as they are, and with high school training finished, any member of this class who seeks employment should be able to obtain it.

And now, speaking for the class, I would like to bid farewell to the school and to our schoolmates. We have had a lot of good times together and are really sorry now that we must leave. And to our parents, our teachers, and our other friends who made this course possible, we owe a lot. To them we express our deepest gratitude.

Copies of Emil’s notes from 1941

EMIL_-_1941VALEDICTORY - 1VALEDICTORY - 2

Emil Schmit is the father of Pam Buttikofer, one of the owners of Imperfect Women. Emil continues to write although age and health issues have slowed him down a bit. He is a is a self-trained poet, free-lance writer, public speaker, and journalist. His weekly column, “Rhyme and Reason,” appeared for over twenty years in the Dubuque, Iowa daily newspaper, the Telegraph Herald. You can read more of Emil’s Bio here. The typewriter pictured on the bio page is one that he sat at for over 50 years creating many of his “rhymes and reasons.”

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Filed Under: Bloggers Club, Emil's Journey, Lifestyle, News, Our World Tagged With: Emil Schmit, graduation, poety, political news, Speech, Valedictorian

Comments

  1. Mick says

    July 21, 2009 at 12:59 pm

    Em….
     
    Great speech from a very handsome graduate!
     
    God Bless…..

    Reply
  2. Holly says

    July 21, 2009 at 1:07 pm

    What insight you had at such a young age. Too bad you didn’t get into polictics, you have more integrity and common sense than anyone in office now!

    Reply
  3. Holly says

    July 21, 2009 at 1:09 pm

    Politics! I was typing too fast!

    Reply
  4. Jasmin says

    July 21, 2009 at 1:52 pm

    Emil–you were a babe! 🙂

    I really like your speech, especially the part about vocational training. I graduated high school 2 years ago, and I’ve noticed that those kind of courses are rapidly dwindling in favor of AP courses and such. I was an AP student, so I have nothing against those, but several people my age who “just weren’t cut out for college” graduated and had no idea what to do from there. It seems like going to college is painted as the rule now more than ever, but there is still a need for workers that have other skills.

    PS. It’s so cool that you graduated in ’41…that makes you about 5 years older than my grandpa. He doesn’t really like talking about his youth (maybe because he grew up in the segregated South), but I’m glad you don’t mind sharing.

    Reply
  5. Regina says

    July 21, 2009 at 2:00 pm

    Always love reading your words. Does not matter if the words were written today or in 1941. I learn something each and everytime. Thank you and keep writing.

    Reply
  6. Jennie says

    July 21, 2009 at 4:46 pm

    Great piece and a nice “blast from the past”!

    Reply
  7. Lily says

    July 21, 2009 at 5:10 pm

    I think it’s interesting how some things make their way back to us.  I’m glad this was found so it could be shared.  It’s true that some things never seem to change, but I find your speech especially interesting because of the time period in which you wrote it.

    I’m sure your friends and family were impressed, just as I am now.

    Thanks for letting us read it.

    Reply
  8. Anya says

    July 21, 2009 at 7:56 pm

    I agree with Jasmin!

    Lily’s words express how I feel. It’s fascinating to have the look back that you have provided. It was an amazing time to be coming of age, I am sure.

    I’d love to hear more of your words. It’s a privlege to read a perspective of someone who has lived and experienced so much.

    Reply
  9. Pam says

    July 22, 2009 at 9:51 am

    I love history! This post just makes everything seem so much more real in a time that I have only read about in history books or viewed on TV. When I was growing up in the 60s and 70s, the 40 seemed so far away and uninteresting to me. Now I can’t seem to get enough of it.

    I really appreciated reading this speech and I am wondering if there is a book out there with a collection of high school Valedictory speeches. It would be interesting to read one from each year and from different parts of the country. Emil, maybe you could write one! 🙂

    Reply
  10. Michelle Benkovic Polzn says

    July 22, 2009 at 10:37 am

    Uncle Emil,

    What a wonderful speech! Your words clearly painted a picture in my mind of what was going on during the years when you were growing up. I was also amazed at your comments about how agriculture would play such a great role in developing new products.

    I am happy to say that here, in Appleton, the high schools have many charter schools within that focus on a variety of skills that will help our kids be productive members of society. The realization that not all students need a 4 year college degree has been made here and there is a great focus on giving the kids 21st century work skills (problem-solving, working as a team, creativity, technology, etc…).

    I am glad Aunt Gloria found your speech. Say “hello” to her for me and tell her thank you for sorting through old stuff!
    Michelle

    Reply
  11. jeff says

    July 22, 2009 at 11:19 am

    Emil for President!!! We don’t value our seniors as we should. They have lived through so much in this country. I think every non-politician over the age of 75 should replace congress so we can get this country back on its right track.

    Reply
  12. Eileen says

    July 22, 2009 at 10:12 pm

    Obviously they don’t call it ‘The Greatest Generation’ for nothing! Bravo, Emil!
    All the more poignant looking back at what so many young men that day had lying in wait for them.
    Great story.

    Reply
  13. Wayne says

    July 25, 2009 at 3:50 pm

    With the passing of time there seems to be more evidence and documents surfacing which support the reason why my father held you in high esteem as a friend and an associate.

    Reply

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