Murray Hill High School
Valedictory Address
by Carl H Gmoser
June 24, 1940

Few graduating classes have had such extremes of fortune and ill-fortune as ours has on this day.

On the one hand, we are graduating into a world which demands our services as craftsmen in this nation's great defense program. Few commencement classes have had such excellent opportunities for securing employment as our class has today.

Yet, on the other hand, we are graduating into a barbaric war torn world – one which has seemingly allowed the miracles of science and technological advancements to turn against their creator, man, and strive to destroy him.

Twenty two years ago, on the battlefields of Europe an Armistice was declared, an armistice which was hailed as the conclusion of all wars. But now we realize that it was only a mirage of everlasting peace. The great powers of the world are once again massing huge military forces. The tarnished machinery of the munitions plants are now working, creating every know device of destruction.

President Roosevelt has asked the people of America to stand ready in a national defense program. The industries of the nation are humming to the tune of preparedness. The people of America had never hoped for a time like this to arise. But this nation is willing to prepare for any conflict which might endanger the sacred rights of the United States of America.

It is indeed a shame that the youth of the world must again turn the handles of destruction. Brought up and raised in earnest belief that a peaceful world awaited us, we struggled up a path which we thought was difficult. But on this commencement day we have learned what really awaits us in the struggle for success. Hardships, sacrifices and disillusionments will be ours. We hope that we may benefit by the mistakes of our elders, and regardless of the future, we, the nucleus of the world of tomorrow stand ready and unafraid, to work, even fight, for the ideals we believe in.

Throughout the years at Murray Hill High School, we prepared ourselves for productive labor, secure in the belief of our school slogan “Labor omnia wincit”, that work is supreme. We worked hard, our being present at this commencement exercise testifies to that, trying to develop ourselves both mechanically and intellectually in the hope that some day we might become good craftsmen and good citizens. We learned to believe in certain ideals of righteousness, truth and hard work. Even though at times we thought the lessons valueless, we can now appreciate the sacrifices which were made by our parents and teachers, to educate us in a country where equal education is granted to everyone.

In saying farewell to Murray Hill High School, we the graduating class cannot express our feelings of love and devotion to our school which will shortly be our alma Mater.

We will carry into the world that which will reflect the ideals and learnings of our school. We will never bring disgrace to Murray Hill High School and never lower the standards by which it was founded.

We, the graduating class of June 1940, pray that we may continue to exist in the golden realms of liberty and justice, that our flaming torch of peace may never be dimmed by the ill breath of war, that the ideals so worthy of our fathers' blood shall not perish in this modern world, that the American spirit which we so proudly inherit, be never weakened by foreign doctrines, and that we a mighty Union shall stand forever loyal, forever firm, and forever obedient to our God and Country. Farewell.