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In 1963,
Vance Agee was named Valedictorian of Buffalo Bennett High
School Graduating Class of 1963, 1/400, with a 97.8% GPA.
On occasion, he had been number one on the entire honor
roll, 1/2000, with a 99% GPA. The year before,
his dad
died, but his dad had been the proud father of a son who was
on the All High Scholastic Honor Roll and in the newspaper.
There had been no cheating, no fraud, no tricks, just being
at school every morning at 7:05 to study on a stone bench by
home room 107 near the front doors. The family doctor said
that the pressure to succeed at that level must be immense.
It was.
When Agee
turned in his drafts of a valedictory, teachers were
horrified -- it was too short! It offered not enough
erudition, I guess. Is erudition more important than truth?
Agee had learned some of the most important truths of life:
friendships, memories, good times that last beyond time! He
amended the address, and it was accepted and printed.
However, when it was given from memory before 2000 persons,
it brought down the house. One man next to Agee??™s mom said,
???I??™ve got to read this again.??? Later, after the ceremony, a
teacher, Ms. Gerace, said, ???Well, you must have known how it
would sound.???
Conclusion
of Valedictory : ???Let us go on down the field of life for
God and
man, for
truth and right....???
Yes.
Agee had.
?© 2003
Vance Agee
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May you be blessed today
Bob Johnston
Editor / Publisher
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