In honor of the upcoming Oscars, I give you my “Thankyou Speech” delivered on May 30, 1978 at my St. Thomas School 8th grade graduation.
It’s very hard to thank eight years of wonderful people in a few short minutes but I will try my best.
Eight years ago we entered 1st grade as little children who didn’t know what to do or what to say either here at St. Thomas, St. Vincent, or any other school. Now eight years later we leave, not as children but as confirmed adults ready to face the world. And today, we want to take time out to thank these people who helped us over the toughest years of our lives, the years in which we changed from children to adults. The first ones we should thank are the two people we love most in the world, the ones who had to put up with us for more than eight years, Our parents. They loved and cared enough about us to send us where we could get the best possible education and by the best possible teachers which brings me to the next group we would like to thank. The people who spent eight to nine hrs. a day trying to teach us. Our eight years of teachers. We thank all these teachers who inspired us, taught us, and watched us grow. We would especially like to thank the two teachers who had the hardest job. The job of preparing us to receive the Holy Spirit and to enter adulthood. Mrs. Bellamey and Sister Gerald Francis, we want to thank you. We know at times it has been tough but you didn’t give up on us and for this and everything else you’ve done for us…thank you. Also, we would like to thank the priests at St. Thomas and at St. Vincent for all the help and counseling they have given us through the years. And to Sister Mildred Marie (principal) we know it must have been tough for you having our class the year we were leaders of the school and excited about graduation. But we thank you for putting up with us this year.
And last, but not least, I would like to thank you. The people I’ve gone to school with for the past eight years. I don’t know how to say how I feel about leaving some of you behind when I go to high school so I looked around until I found this poem. Which I think says it all. The title is “Make New Friends but keep the Old” by Joseph Parry.
“Make new friends but keep the old;
those are silver, these are gold.
New-made friendships, like new wine, age with mellow and refine.
Friendships that have stood the test – time and change – are surely best;
Brow make wrinkle, hair grow gray, friendship never knows decay.
For ‘mid old friends, tried and true, once more we are youth renew.
But old friends, alas may die,
New friends must their place supply.
Cherish friendship in your breast –
New is good, but old is best;
those are silver, these are gold.”
What I’m trying to say is thank you for being my friend now and forever.
A few things occur to me as I look at this typed speech of yesteryear. First, I remember feeling so nostalgic in the moment. As eighth graders, we ruled the school. High school was going to be starting all over. As this pivotal moment of my life, in all my grandiosity, I was confident of who I was and wanted to thank the people that got me there. Second, I love the phrase; helped us over the toughest years of our lives, the years in which we changed from children to adults.
I’m not sure what is more amusing. That I believed I had just completed the toughest years of my life? Or the belief that at 14 I was an adult? Even in my naivete, I do believe my peer group accepted more adult responsibilities at an earlier age than our modern-day counterparts. At 14, I had a job and was saving for college. If I really wanted a new outfit or something frivolous, I bought it for myself. For me, self-sufficiency came at an earlier age – not 14 but definitely in my early 20s – because I embraced adulthood earlier.
Lastly, I love this poem. I’m certain it was just a convenient find in my 1978 speech preparation. It’s only 35+ years later I better understand the importance of friendships of silver, gold and the platinum members. Those eighth graders I promised forever to aren’t even on my Facebook fringe. Yet since then, I’ve had plenty of opportunity to discover new friends that have become old ones. “New-made friendships, like new wine, age with mellow and refine.” Cheers to that!