The future? What can be said about it? About the future itself we cannot
say much, but about our attitude towards it quite a lot.

     The first thing that can be said is that it is full of opportunities for
everybody. Did I say everybody? Yes. Let me say right here, however, that
everybody will not recognize and accept them, for only those who are prepared
will do that. Those graduating this year and those looking forward to
graduation in following years are preparing themselves now for future
opportunities. I believe that we today are looking out upon a future that will
demand our deepest thought and surest action as those have not been demanded
from any previous generation. 

     Let me illustrate what the future is demanding. Most of us are aware
that in the present world conflict the idea of digging-in or depending upon
trench-warfare or defensive warfare has lost its value. The great battles of
this war have been won by powerful machinery going at top speed. As I think
now of the future and its possibilities I am convinced that what will be
demanded of us is that we get out of the trenches, stop being on the
defensive, and go "over the top". But I can hear someone saying if we go "over
the top" what machinery are we going to use? The answer is: Let knowledge be
your strength; in case of hand-to-hand fighting, let character be your pistol;
if you are going forth to war with an army, that is, co-operatively, let your
heaviest tanks be Persevering SERVICE; and last, but most important of all,
let your covering artillery be Faith in God. Take the offensive. Be Prepared.

     The reason why we have to take the offensive is because there is so much
ground to be conquered. This ground is in the fields of education, economics,
religion and culture. The boys and girls in our schools today are the men and
women of the future who will have to conquer these fields. In the field of
education, we have already gone far, but we have to go much farther. In our
communities the field of education is in the hands of the enemy. Most of our
people allow it to be occupied by the few who are going in for the different
professions instead of by the rank and file of the community of whatever
trade. They think, for example, that education is of no use to the fisherman.
This idea is a cloud that darkens the future and while it remains there, the
fields of economics, religion and culture will never be seen clearly. We must
all be educated and go forward together or we perish. It is as necessary for
the man in the boat to have his Grade XI, as for the teacher or the preacher.
I am hoping that by the time the members of this year's graduating class are
old and gray, the young fishermen will have as much education as they, the
graduates, have today. Is that too much to expect from the future? 

     The field of economics is also in the hands of the enemy and that enemy
is known as "credit business". I have been much distressed by the lack of
interest in school, church, organizations relative to war work, and community
activities generally. But when I look at our economic set-up, I am not
surprised for when a man is denied the privilege of paying from his own hand
his cash for services rendered by an individual or organization, he is robbed
of his independence and individual initiative. With these gone he loses
interest in almost everything except keeping alive the system that gives him
his existence. 

     The field of religion is in full view, for I am fully persuaded that at
heart our people are deeply religious. All that is needed is for each one of
us to put his hand to the plough and never mind the dust that will rise about
him as he plods his weary way. 

     The field of culture is a long way off and, I fear, not in view for far
too many of our people. I have often thought as I have gone in out among the
people that we are a people without a culture. This field will not be
conquered until the other fields have been more fully attained. The space I
have given to these phases of life will, I trust, make the students in our
school conscious that the task that lies ahead of them is not an easy one.

     Now let me say a word about our future school system. Our people are
aware that the Commission of Government has decided on a compulsory school
system for Newfoundland. It must be clearly understood, however, that it is
still a denominational system. How does this affect our local school
organization? For considerable time your local board in conjunction with
representatives with [of] the Salvation Army has been working to get a kind of
amalgamated school service for Little Bay Islands. We feel, and no doubt you
do too, that what is needed is one school under one roof with about four rooms
for all the children of the community. Our denominational system will not
allow that. The other alternative is that the Salvation Army build a school
close by ours and this new school to be one room but a part of the other
school. It would have certain grades of both denominations and the grades in
the other rooms would have both denominations represented. Personally I feel
that it is beneath the dignity of this community and an insult to our
community life to have for our children two school buildings almost within arms
length of each other just because we happen to represent two denominations.
Yet it seems it must be so since the Commission of Government refuses to pass
the necessary legislation for us to have it otherwise.

     Up to the time this is written, your board has not reached a decision.
Even if both of the above plans are rejected the United Church Department of
Education has informed us that it will give us the necessary money to enlarge
upon our present building, so as to accommodate all the U.C. children under
the compulsory system. This in itself would improve our already very
satisfactory school system.

     No matter what the new arrangement may be, I have a vision of more
beneficial conditions for our boys and girls. The vision is this: They will
all be attending school. They will have a playground, a gymnasium and a
library. This library to be available to the whole community as well as to the
students. These are possibilities of the future and can be attained.

     To the graduates I extend my very best wishes as they enter upon their
life's work. To the other pupils a happy holiday. To Mr. Burden, who has been
with us for seven years of faithful work, a great big THANK YOU. To Miss Small
the best of everything.

R.N. Rowsell (Chairman)


To Rev. Rowsell:
     We, the editors, thank you sir for the above article and the good wishes
you have extended to us. We also thank you for the great interest that you
have shown in all our school activities during the two years that you have
been with us; and also for the keen interest that you have taken in all young
people's activities. As you leave us this year for another field, we heartily
wish you "the best of luck".  The Editors.