Pike Co. Scholars’ Banquet
April, 2004
Beginning a speech… Bummy
Surprises… relatives among those honored…family bloodline is improving Seiler still alive. Edna Mae Brown..my piano teacher (play a bit?) I never told you, Edna Mae..but I’d just gotten my license.. I took piano lessons as an excuse to drive to Pittsfield every Wed night. Never dreamed you’d actually turn me into a piano player. Fingers curved like a hay rake…Shenandoah…
I’ve taught high school seniors for 32 years. Coming over here tonight I asked myself, what you’d most like to hear from a speaker. I came up with these words, “Thank you very much for coming tonight. Please drive safely. Goodnight.”
Nice intro…but it reminds of me of when my Grandpa heard about my getting an honor in high school..He said, “Yea, but what good are?” He meant, quite simply…what are you going to do with it? My question to you tonight…yes, you’re a top scholar. You’ve made the grades, you’ll be winning lots of honors over the next month…but… What good are ya? What are you going to do with it?
Marie..salt and pepper shaker collection…
Dad told me about a man from Griggsville…had quite a bit of money. A mean man. Was dead several days before anyone knew because he simply had to friends who ever called or checked on him. The road commissioner smelled his body while going by grading the road. Had to hire six men to carry the casket. He didn’t have six friends. What good was he?
If you really want to make a difference..ask yourself, “Who am I trying to please?” Hiney the Mule.
Matt.. baritone. Sometimes What you’re good for is simply teaching people a valuable lesson.
Despite what you’ve been told by poor, misguided friends, your main job is not to be successful, make money, put your money in IRA’s and retire early. Any idiot can do that. Some of us idiots can’t. The only important thing you can do in your life is to please God by serving your fellow man. Not make money off him.. but to serve him.
30,000 kids are dead tonight in Africa…kids who woke up alive this morning… 40 million people alive tonight will die of AIDS 1.3 million kids in the U.S. will experience homelessness this year Meth labs are popping up faster than convenience stores. I’ve worked in drug education for 25 years. The number one factor in a person developing a drug-free lifestyle is positive relationships…a group of positive friends.. How about you? What’re you good for?
Our choices for political leaders are becoming pathetic. What’re you good for?
You are smart, you are capable, you have undiscovered talents to make the world better…What’re you going to do with it? What’re you good for? Bill Gates: “I have enough employees who know technology. What we need in the 21st century are people who know people…”
What’re you good for? And I don’t mean what’re you going to do with it after you get out of college, after you have your family established, then after you’ve retired to Miami. I mean what’re you going to do with it tomorrow morning.
Puppy story. You are very blessed to be here. I was raised in the same county as you…where parents love their children and take a large role in their lives. You come from small schools where some of your teachers become second parents. You’ve been given the gift of freedom, of security, and in most cases, of faith. To which much has been given, much will be required. You live in a community where lending a helping hand is second nature… Yesterday’s Pike Press is filled with reports of those who spend their days in service to others. I won lots of awards in high school and in college. _____ read a very flattering biography… but none of that counts if I don’t do something with it. There are other places we could have gone tonight.. Friends next to last episode and All-Star Survivors are voting off Rob right now. ..I hope. But we’re here…to honor you. What are you going to do with it? What’re you good for? Please show us. I’m not exaggerating when I say the whole world is depending on you.
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