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Clinton News-Record, 1983-10-05, Page 25Wed nd .sdy, ci b r 5, 1983 Special souvenir commencement edition Live life to the ftillest, By Darryl Fox Graduates, Mr. Wooden, ladies and gentlemen, a feeling of triumph and a feeling of success, a sense of pride and a sense of honor - emotions such as these pervade tonight's proceedings. Commencement is an old and respected tradition in institutes such as this one and through all the years since its inception its purpose remains untarnished. It provides recognition and honor to the graduates; it shows parents, friends, the community and the world what has been ac- �-. complished here. Graduates, stand tall, look proud, what we have at- tained in our years here is extraordinarily impressive. Our diplomas are merely symbols of our much greater success. Our minds have been expanded; our lives have been enriched; as individuals we have grown wiser with experience and learned more about life and about our- selves. We are graduates of the best educational system in the world and we are uniquely privileged in a world of ignorance, illiteracy and misunderstanding to have achieved the things we have. To quote G.W. Curtis: "The sure foundations of life are laid in knowledge, not in ignorance and every sneer at education, at culture, at book learning which is the recorded wisdom of the experience of mankind is the demagogue's sneer at intelligent liberty inviting degeneracy and ruin." Knowledge is the key to living whether it be academic knowledge or social knowledge. Certainly our social education is at least as important as our academic and that is why a certain aura of sadness hovers over tonight's proceedings. For tonight, if I might paraphrase Mr. Chur- chill, isnot the beginning of the end but it is the end of the 'beginning. Choices and destinies Dear friends, good friends, friends we grew up with and friends we learned from, all depart tonight, each upon his respective future. We have come to the end of our childhood and to the end of the preparations for life. Now we embark upon our own lives making our own choices and finding our own destinies. For many of us this will be the last time we will see each other and tonight's memories will be the last we shall have of each other so perhaps now is the best time to reminisce. It has been a marvellous year. The graduates have a great deal to be proud of and I'm positive the school will be that much valerlictorian enthuses poorer by our absence. The Grade 13 graduates were the best group of friends I've ever known and we had the best times of our lives. The New York trip was fantastic, the Chronicle gang had another wild and crazy year and I'm sure we will be missed. Mr. Reeve will be at a loss without Sandra to set his test dates. Mr. Munro will never find himself without Dave and Gerard's help but at least Mrs. Leeper's frog and Cookie Monster will be safe from Cameron and Andy. We had some splendid times in this school and we shall always look back fondly at CHSS as the place where it all began. Sure we sweated through exams, lost sleep over essays and suffered the wrath of teachers but in the meantime we had a lot of fun, gained a lot of friends and we became the people who tonight graduate and who tonight have such marvellous futures ahead of them. Those prospective futures are not guaranteed, we must be prepared to work for them and we must be prepared to tackle any obstacle, climb any mountain and overcome any doubt or fear. Most importantly we must keep our minds free. This is the single piece of advice I can give to the graduates. Anything you want, any dream you have, any goal you set is always obtainable if your mind is free. Freedom of, thought and freedom of education are the cornerstones of success in life. Think, question and push on, let nothing personal, physical or philosophical stop you. A person whose mind is free cannot be held back, he cannot be defeated but let fear or uncertainty or doubt arise and you are lost. Best wishes Who you are, what you shall be and where you shall go depend entirely on one person - yourself. No weasling, no excuses, no complaints, you and you alone decide your life andit is your mind and your imagination that shall guide you through it. You all have differences, you each have unique strengths and weaknesses and each of you should realize you are a unique individual with your own dreams, desires and aspirations. Whatever field you may be en- tering be it technical, scientific, literary, or artistic, be the best you can be, live the best way you know how and strive always to reach even further. Live life to the fullest, enjoy every moment, savor every second, but above all be yourself. Keep your mind open - questioning, wondering, loving and dreaming and life shall reward you with won- drous beauty and magnificent visions. To quote Jean Jacques Rousseau, "To live is not merely to breathe, it is to act; it is to make use of our senses and faculties. The man who has lived longest is not the man who has counted most years but he who has enjoyed life most." To the graduates of '83 I wish the very best. I hope each of you finds happiness and success in the years to come. I hope you achieve everything you want and enjoy everything you do. Good-bye, Good luck and thank you. Darryl Fox urged graduating students to think of the future in his valedictory address given at the CHSS commencement night on Sept. 23. (Rod Hilts photo) Top students earn school's highest awards A young man from Clinton, Darryl Fox topped the award winners at the annual commencement exercises held at Central Huron Secondary School (CHSS) in Clinton on Sept. 23. Darryl, the son of Tom and Carol Fox, took home nine awards and also delivered the valedictory address to graduating students. An Ontario Scholar with the high average of 93 per cent, Darryl also won the George Jefferson Memorial Scholarship and the Sir Ernest Cooper Estate Scholar- ship. These two awards were presented by Huron Coun- ty's Board of Education director Bob Allan. Darryl also earned a W.D. Fair Scholarship for general proficiency, presented by Herb Murphy and the W.D. Fair Scholarship in Grade 13 English, three mathematic courses and chemistry. Grade 12 student, Wesley Delve earned the second highest number of awards for his academic efforts. Wesley, the son of Owen and Deanna Delve of Clinton, received six awards. These included Grade 12 awards for English, presented by Clinton News -Record publisher J. Howard Aitken; the Judge F. Fingland Award for French, presented by Mrs. Elizabeth Fingland; the Clinton Kin- smen Award for mathematics, presented by Doug Macaulay; the Royal Bank Award for accounting, presented by Steve Fraser and the Dr. K.S. Wood Award in Science, presented by Mrs. Bernice Jewson. Wesley also received a W.D. Fair Scholarship for general proficiency. Last year's top Grade 12 student, Sandra Coleman of RR 1, Zurich, completed Grade 13 this year with top marks. She earned the Corrie's Red and White Award, presented by Mr. William Cook and a W.D. Fair Scholarship for general proficiency. An Ontario Scholar, she also received W.D. Fair Scholarships for foreign languages. Bnan Cartwright of Clinton earned the Grade 13 E.A. Fines Award for mathematics, presented by Miss L. Hayter. He also was an Ontario Scholar and earned F.D. Fair Scholarships for general proficiency and for Grade 13 physics. Another Ontario Scholar, Cameron Moon of Londesboro earned F.D. Fair Scholarships for general proficiency and in Grade 13 history. Similarly Barbara Gross of RR 1, Auburn earned an Ontario Scholarship and F.D Fair Scholarships for general proficiency and for high marks in foreign languages. Ann Deichert of Clinton received F.D. Scholarships for general proficiency and for excellence in Grade 13 family studies. She was also named an Ontario Scholar. Other Ontario Scholars and F.D. Fair scholarship winners were Kevin Tamblyn of RR 1, Blyth and Julie Wright of Kippen. Dawn Merrier of Bayfield also earned Ontario Scholar standing. David Lobb of RR 2, Clinton received a F.D. Fair Scholarship for Grade 13 geography and Karen Cook of Clinton received a similar award for her high marks in biology. Grade 12 awards In Grade 12, W.D. Fair Scholarships were received by Patty Coleman, Karen Cook, Bruce Dale, Cindy Evans, Barb Forbes, Brenda, Harris, Darlene Hunking, Julie Knott, Michael Lobb, Rob Siertsema, Carol Straughan, Barry Turner, Rob VanAaken and Michael VanDrunen. Other top award winners in Grade 12 were: Jeff Peck, the Dr. D.B. Palmer Award for geography; Karen Caldwell, the Cyanamid of Canada Award for science; Julie Knott, the Riehl Advertising Award for marketing; Michael Lobb and Karen Cook, the E.B. Menzies Award f -or history; Donna Lawson, the Raintree Gallery Award for art; Patty Coleman, the Bank of Montreal Award for secretarial subjects; Heather McLean, the Ball and Mutch Furniture Award; Barry Turner, the Ruddy Electrical Award for electrical technology; Ray Kaastra, the Ball -Macaulay Award for construction technology; Rick Denys, the Huronia Award for welding; Dennis Dolmage, the G and G Welding and Fabricating Award; Ron Nesbitt. the McKerlie Automotive Award for apt') mechanics; Danny Kiss, the Haugh Tire Award for auto mechanics; Rob Siertsema, Lions Club Award for general proficiency in technical subjects; Theresa Wild, Lions Club Award, for general proficiency in commercial subjects; Barbara Gross, the Beta Sigma Phi Award for art; Ann Deichert and Barbara Young, the Ruby Haddy Memorial Award for the Auxiliary for the Clinton Public Hospital; Sharon East, the Centennial Band Music Award. General proficiency awards were given to: Barry Turner, Technical Teachers' Award; Margie Wise, Murphy Bus Lines Award; Sharon East, Women's Auxiliary to the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 190 Bursary; Bruce Dale, J and J Pharmacy Award. Grade 12 Scholars' Awards went to Bruce Da1e,,Cindy Evans, Julie Knott and Rob Siertsema. Anne Lavis a a'rned the CHSS Teachers' Citizenship Award. Grade 11 winners Student Council president Lori Hayter was the recipient of the Sarah Hale IODE Award for Grade 11 French. Dennis Fox earned the Hector Kingswell Credit Union Memorial Award for programming and the Anstett Jewellers Award for general proficiency. Austin Roorda received the Mercury Blueprinting Award for con- struction technology. Jerry Benjamins earned the Intermediate Award for Proficiency in Visual Arts. F.D. Fair Scholarship winners in Grade 11 were Dennis Fox, Mary Gibson, Brad Lyon, Neil Ryan and Janet Tench. Grade 10 awards In Grade 10 last year, top subject winners were: Sandra Cantelon, Dean Cartwright and Jeff McNairn, A.H. Carter Award for science; John DeWeerd and Jeff McNairn, English Teachers' Award; Dean Cartwright, Epps Pump Award; Andrew Kaastra, Sarah Hale Chapter IODE Award for geography; Annette Cook, Mary's Sewing Centre Award for clothing; Nhan Tran, Junior Award for proficiency in visual arts. Turn to page 8A •