I lost my last two grandparents in the past month. The grief and the funerals and travel and tears renders me unfit to write 1000 words for this week. As such, please find below my grandma’s graduation speech from Carthage High School (C.H.S.) from 1950. I suggest reading it aloud, as it was meant to be.
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Tonight we who are graduating come to a crossroads, – the end of our high school days, the climax of twelve long years of studying and learning. Many of us will continue with more formal study; others will follow branching by-paths of various practical pursuits. All life is learning and although we lay aside now our books and papers, we know that the greater part of our knowledge comes to us through the printed page. All the wisdom of the ages is preserved in words. A great deal of our pleasure outside of studying comes to us from the printed page. What would we do without our newspapers, books, and magazines? The printed word is powerful in a free, literate democracy. But then, so are spoken words. In general, we can say that words, written or spoken, are the basis of all human intercommunication.
Just as the ocean is made up of numberless drops of water, so our language is composed of countless words. By words, we converse with one another. We talk of trivial things such as the weather, a lady’s hat, the current best-seller, or the movie we saw last night. We also speak of more serious matters – affairs of state, legislation, scientific discoveries, or social problems. With words, sages write everlasting books, and poets compose everlasting verses. John Milton, in his writings, used 8,000 different words; William Shakespeare used 20,000.
You can see, then, how important are words. William Hazlitt said, “Words are the only things that last forever; they are more durable than the eternal hills.”
Yet, language is never static; it is constantly growing, expanding. Words no longer used are cast aside as obsolete. New words are coined to keep pace with changing ideas and customs. Keeping up with words is one way of keeping in style.
Every nation has its own language, of course, and in every part of the world, every day, people use their respective languages. But, when a person speaking one language wishes to communicate with someone speaking a different language, difficulties arise. Our G.I.’s found this out during the recent war, and many of them did learn a small amount of some foreign language. The resulting confidence and understanding suggest that this knowledge of languages may quite possibly be the best road to world peace. Moreover, we all know that, in a sense, the world is growing smaller and more united. Modern means of transportation and communication make it essential that we know more than one language.
One who feels he wants to work for world peace, can find an outlet for his ambition in the field of foreign languages. Today the work of the interpreter or translator is more important than ever before. A great deal depends on his knowledge and understanding of language. All the shades of meaning a word may connote, the accuracy of phrase and idiom are his concern. Jeremy Benthan once said, “The turn of a sentence has decided the fate of many a friendship, and of aught that we know, the fate of many a kingdom.” This was illustrated during the recent world war. In an important conference between General Eisenhower and a French general, the interpreter made a slight mistake. The French were indignant over what they thought was General Ike’s unjust criticism of them. Cooperation lagged; ill feeling rankled. Luckily, the mistake was discovered soon and corrected. Good feeling was restored, and the business of war progressed.
Now we are fighting, not to win a war, but rather, to win the peace. Translators and interpreters play an important part in the struggle. At all international conferences, at all meetings of the United Nations General Assembly, they are prepared to translate rapidly and accurately any document or speech, into any language spoken by any delegate. Our international educational program, short-waved overseas in half a dozen languages, aims to bring about better understanding of America and Americans.
I would then emphasize the need for the study of languages. If one understands his opponent’s point of view, he can usually find some point of contact for a settlement of their differences. Words are safer weapons than hydrogen bombs for a world that craves peace.
The moment comes when we must seek words, – words fitting and suitable for this occasion of parting. We are grateful to all here in C.H.S, our faculty and superintendent, who have helped us on our way toward this moment of achievement. We regret leaving friends and classmates. The jolly times we have had together in C.H.S. are over. The roads we are now to travel lead in many directions. We give you, “Hail – and farewell.”
By Laura M HIcks Prievo, Valedictorian, C.H.S. 1950
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Note that I have not altered this text in any manner, except to format the paragraph breaks for this platform, and to address what was surely a typo or two.
Thank you to my mom, Barb Prievo, for aid in transcription, as the initial was handwritten.
As you read, I encourage you to ask if anything sounds familiar?
I’m reminded of a speech (which I’m paraphrasing) delivered by Peter Capaldi in his role as the Twelfth Doctor in Doctor Who:
“When you fire that first shot, no matter how righteous you feel, you don’t know who’s going to die. How many lives ruined. Until everybody does what they always had to do— Sit. Down. And. Talk.”
Words are better than hydrogen bombs. Better than shooting your neighbor. Better than clandestine and cruel banned weapons and underhanded tactics.
It bothers me the way politicians weaponize words.