‘Y’all come back now, hear?’

A wonderful thing about America is that you can go anywhere and choose any career you wish. In some countries, you would be told what education you will be able to get; your career choices would be limited to what the State tells you to do, and you would have to get state permission just to move to another part of the country.

Many of our seniors are anxious right now to explore this God-given right (remember what the Declaration said: we are all endowed by our Creator), and they can’t wait to get out of Hemingway or Johnsonville.

You can tell eighteen-year-olds – but you can’t tell them much. They already know it all! And one thing they know is that small town life is not for them. The lights of the city beckon and they are listing to the call. They want to shed country ways; they want to become sophisticated.

Right now, those who are stepping into adulthood can see clearly the faults of their parents, their school and their community. The positives won’t come into focus until they’ve had a chance to see others who did not have as much.

Graduates - our community may not be perfect – but consider this – it produced YOU. There must be some good in it, though it may not be so clear right now.

As you get an education, please keep two things in mind. Your home town still has a lot to offer; and your home town needs you.

The city certainly has its attractions, and some of our graduates will stay there. But city people are different too. Do you want to take on their attitudes? Do you want your children to become city folks?

City people can be as anonymous as they wish. If you are up to no good, it’s easier in the city without snoopy neighbors. But suppose you need help?  Would you rather have an automobile breakdown in Hemingway or in the city? In which place would people be most likely to stop and help?  City people tend to be afraid of each other; country people tend to help.

If you get your education and you come back, you might not make as much money (nor will your cost of living be as much), but you can bring your new skills and your youthful energy back to return something to the community that has already given you so much.