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Image provided by: Suffolk Cooperative Library System
Unscheduled Speec h Marks Graduation The graduation exercises for the class of 1972 of Babylon High School which were held last Sunday afternoon , began like all of the other graduation exercises held in the past-- the students marched in to the gymnasium to the s trains of \Pomp And Cir- cumstance \ , and took their seats , and the Invocation was held. Superintendent of Schools , Dr. Gerald Anderson then presented the awards, and Dr. Henry Rendich , President of the Board of Education addressed the class. After this , he presented the diplomas. At this point , Senior Class President , Deborah Maya led the graduates and their parents and relatives in the pledge to the flag. Following the pledge , she requested that everyone be seated before the final benediction . Now this is the point where the graduation ceremonies differed from past ceremonies. Miss Maya then gave a speech , which she had written- but which was not listed on the program. In response to many requests from parents of the graduates who heard the speech last Sunday, and from residents of the com- munity who had heard about it , THE BEACON , with Miss Maya ' s permission , is printing the speech in full as follows : \Excuse me , I'd like to say a few words before we begin with benediction. My name is Debbie Maya and I am President of this gra duating class of '72 . Dr. Rendich , members of the school board , Rev . Clergy, Dr. Anderson , Mr. Stack , Mr. Wood , Mr. Cole , parents, friends and class. I requested our principal Mr. Stack tha t he grant this class permission to exercise the long standing tradition of high school graduation of allowing a valdictorian , in this case , Lynn Holsclaw , to speak on behalf of our class. Mr. Stack' s answer to me and to the parent of this girl was tha t it was an old tra dition , passe , and it was not good. We have taken action to this injustice , and Miss Holsclaw has asked me to deliver this unscheduled talk on behalf of the class of '72 . Dr. Rendich , President of the Board of Education and Dr. Anderson have spoken on behalf of their respective bodies . Our generation has been ac cused and with som e justifica tion of tearing down som e of the old tradition of our American Heritage. If those who are to lead us refer to our long standing tradition as \ old\ and \ no good \ and begin to erase them from our way of life , then there should be cause for concern that some of our American youth will fall prey to the radical leadership who im- patiently seek such change . I have always been taugh t and believed tha t if we seek to be architects errecting new fron - tiers on America that we must neve r forget and at the same time adhere to some of the old fron- tiers that brought this nation the dream of a better life. Although we were not given permission to speak we have in good consc ience decided to ad- dress this gathering today because we feel this decision has been prompted by the actions of a few radicals amongs t American youth who have created this para noic fear that we might be in this category and might em- barass the administration. This decision stands as an unfair in- dictment of the class of '72. But it also shows a lack of confidence in the leadership of those who are supposed to kriO\v us ana who were supposed to have led us through these fou r years of high scho ol education . Today ' s students are more aware , frustrated , more confused living in an uncertain world where millions of peopl e are ravaged by war , poverty, misery , and destitution . Yet I believe we are more determined to build a better tomorrow. Yet if we are to have a so called bette r youth, we need firstly more interested parents , more courageous leadership in our schools. Educators cannot be weak- neither can they be tyrants . They must be liberators of youths ' growing energies and creativities , yet bold , and disciplinarians of young people ' s immature whims and behaviours . If the Supreme Court can pass laws that prevent educators from developing discipline , ethics , values , intellects , and morality in the youth of this nation , then it is time for those of us who believe that the greatest* law is beyond man to challenge these laws that are secularizing our nation giving vent to the decadence that is gnawing at our vitals. Then we can truly spea k sincerely and proudly of being a tru e democracy. We are proud that we are graduating from Babylon High School. We hope that we have in some way contributed to its long . history, either by our scholastic achievement , or of our efforts on other areas of our education. To say we have been free of problems is to be totally unrealistic. We have tried to suggest constructive changes as well as strengthening that which already exists . To the entire faculty we say thank you . Mos t of you have been inspiring and hel pful. We hope to be better individuals as a result of your efforts . To our parents we find it impossible to find words, for the sacrifices they have made and we hope that our future lives and accomplishments will be our thanks for what they have done. Although we are stepping into a world full of adversities , I believe that I can better express the optimism and confi dence of our youth in the words of the prophet Jermiah , when he found himself in the conflicts of a di ffi cult life , spoke with words of confi dence in God . The Lord is with me like a mighty champion! Thank you. \ Following the speech, the members of the class stood up, and enthusiastically applauded. The members of the audience also applauded. Afterwards , the Closing - Benediction was given by Rev. Calvin Gray. Cou rt Approves New Pool State Supreme Court Justice Frank P. DeLuca , ruled last week that a controversial second pool can be built at the Lon g Island Yacht Club in Babylon . Roge r Schillig, who lives near the club , had filed a lawsuit and he and other neighbors had charged tha t the second pool would add to noise and disruption of the area. DeLuca ruled that the proposed construction of a second swimming pool was a permitted accessory use of the club , which has the status of a nonconforming use. On May 10 , State Supreme Court Justice Arthur M. Cromarty blocked construction of the second pool and ordered Schillig to post a $5 , 000 bond to cove r the club' s losses if , after a nonjury trial , the club won. The club , at 307 Little East Neck Road , was built in 1958 and was granted its special zoning status after a court fight. Fire Destroys Yacht THE BEAUTIFUL YACHT \COQUETTE\ IS NOTHING MORE THAN A SHELL after a raging fire swept her from stem to stern last Friday. The 57 foot Chris Craft , worth nearl y $100 , 000 , was moored behind the home of Mr. Al Sirotkin of Sequas Lane Center , West Islip, where it arrived the day before the fire from Bermuda . The owner lives in Montana and the yacht was here to be chartered for another cruise. The fire was discovered by neighbors early in the morning, and was caused by trouble in the electrical system. G roup Is Formed To Oppose Sewers Although the referendum of two yea rs ago was a pproved by Suffolk County voters on the need for sewers in this area, the ac- tuality of installing and paying for them has again raised many questions as to the practicality of the plan-and a new group in opposition to it called the Com- mittee for Water Preservation , has been formed. The group oppose the sewers as an \ ecologica l , business and fiscal disaster \ and the \ greatest folly in the history of Suffolk County \ . The group is composed of the West Islip Joint Civic Council , the Suffolk County American Legion , International Ladies Garment Workers ' Union Local 107 , the Baymen ' s Association , Citizens for a Better Environment and many other local groups who are against the plan. Conservationist Charles Pulaski is chairman of the committee and said in a statement to the press , \The sewers are being brought forth to solve a problem which doesn 't exist. Top tha t for a fiasco \! James Mackey , president of the committee and hea d of the West Islip group, described the present conditions of the water supply and said that this area would probably be the only one tha t would be \ stuck \ with a sewer district in the part of the county where it won 't be any good and will only have the opposite affec t by possibly contaminating the drinking water supply instead of saving it. \ He called for an im- mediate halt to the pr oject. The committee plans to petition county legislators to declare a mora torium on all construction. One of the Suffolk County legislators who is in favor of continuing with the sewer con- struction is Thomas Downey of West Islip. When asked to comment on the actions planned by the newly formed Committee for Water Preservation , Legislator Downey said that he too had originally opposed the plan for many of the reasons that the group has stated. However , after two trips to Washington to confer with experts in the Department of Environmental Control , Mr. Downey said that he had to conclude that there was no better alternative than to built the sewers as soon as possible. A delay would probabl y only mean a greater expense in the future , since their construction is almost surely inevitable in the years to come. \The concern of these people is good and they are asking the same questions that I did\ , Mr. Downey said , \but we are not qualified to make a proper judgement on the , , question. The problems are valid but what is the alternative? I am convinced that this is the only answer . \ Mr. Downey said that Commissioner of Sewers Flynn would be availabl e to talk to the group if they wished and explain why the sewers must be built as planned. IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT of the Babylon Lions Club , Frank Bailey is shown with the new President , Paul Melander , at a recent Installation meeting. Navy Seaman ALESSANDRO FEZZA , son of Mr. and Mrs. Rocco J. Fezza of 737 Third St., Babylon , has returned to i<~ .i is ui~i , xv.l., auudi u uic cur- craft carrier USS Intrepid , following a six-week cruise to Portugal and Spain. ON USS INTREPID WB Boa rd Sets Schedules The West Babylon Board of Education will hold one meeting in the months of July and August. The July reorganizational meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, July 5 , being the first Tuesday, July 4 is a legal holiday. The August meeting will be held on the first Tuesday, August 1. The sessions will begin at the usual time of 8 P.M. and they wiii be hel d in the board room of the Administration Building at 10 Farmingdale Rd. All West Babylon residents are invited to attend the sessions. ^. m The Beacon ^llllllllllllillllllllllllllllllllllllllllli lilllllllllllllllMIIIMMMIIMIIIMII Ilflllflttfllllllttllllllie s = 1 BABYLON TOWN'S LARGEST I |PAID CIRCULATION WEEKLY NEWSPAPER ! SPublished every Thursday - 86A Deer Park Ave., Babylon 11702= ^Entered as Second Class Matter at Babylon P.O., N.Y. 11702 -
