They say old people live on memories. I have to admit that souvenirs coming from my seven years in ACI have a very special place in my life. The class of 1947 was unique in many ways. It was a class of firsts. We were the first class to have the commencement ceremony in the Greene Amphitheater which had just been built. However, it was not in its present size yet. Each year new seats were added. With 20 students graduating, our class was the most crowded graduation since the foundation of the school. Since there weren’t enough seats for all parents and guests, the school administration solved this problem by having two commencements, one on Friday and one on Saturday evening. Another novelty was our school song. We were the first class to sing “Hail Alma Mater”.

Among many memories, I want to share with you one that stands out from others. It is so vivid that each time it makes its turn in my mind, I feel once more the intense emotion of that day.

It was in the spring of 1945. All the girls were gathered on the campus celebrating the end of the Second World War. Some of the girls were dancing, some singing, some crying… It was a day of mixed feelings. Then an announcement was made from the office urging each one of us to enter our class and wait for a teacher to come and speak about the importance of the day. Our speaker was Ms. Danning, a young English teacher. She started by saying what a big tragedy this war had been, how many cities destroyed, so many young soldiers coming back home either physically wounded or psychologically ill because of the atrocities they had witnessed, so many young heroes who had given their lives in order to leave us a better world…

A world of democracy, a world of freedom, a world of brotherhood… And finally she said: “Girls, peace is like a crystal ball. Try not to break it.” Her words touched us deeply and made us think about the fragility of peace and our responsibility in preserving it. It was an unforgettable lesson in humanity.