[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 98 (Friday, July 11, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1406-E1407]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                          ADDRESS BY AL HENRY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MAC COLLINS

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 10, 1997

  Mr. COLLINS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to submit into the Record an address 
delivered to students of Newnan High School in Newnan, Georgia by Al 
Henry, who is a teacher at the school. This address was delivered May 
19, 1997, by Mr. Henry on the occasion of the Academic Teams Reception 
for Newnan High School.
  Having served in the United States Navy for 22 years, upon graduating 
from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1956, and having served in the education 
field for 16 years, Mr. Henry has come to understand the qualities that 
young men and women need to develop in order to become the leaders of 
tomorrow and to impact the lives of others. Among other points, he 
encourages individuals to make personal decisions of integrity by doing 
what is right in a world that often teaches our youngsters early on to 
do what is expedient. He teaches our youngsters that all professions 
have high ethical standards, and it is the duty of each individual to 
learn to follow them faithfully. Finally, his address urges individuals 
not to speak ill of others or to undermine the community with rumors 
and unverified stories. Rather, he urges them to respect one another by 
living and working with selfless humility.

Address by Al Henry To Academic Teams Reception Newnan High School--May 
                                19, 1997


                          guidelines for life

       Every student here tonight is a future leader of his 
     generation--a person who can make a difference in the lives 
     of others. Tonight I want to give you 10 pointers to guide 
     you throughout your life. What qualifies me to give you 
     pointers? I'm certainly not as smart as many of you, but I 
     have lived longer, and have experienced much in my life, made 
     mistakes and learned from those mistakes. So, perhaps, I am a 
     little wiser.
     1. Be a person of integrity
       Always do what is right rather than worrying about your 
     rights. Integrity heeds the quiet voice within, rather than 
     the clamor without.
     2. Lead by example
       Set higher requirements for yourself than for those who 
     work for you. The most precious and intangible quality of 
     leadership is trust--the confidence that the one who leads 
     will act in the best interest of those who follow--the 
     assurance that they will serve the group without sacrificing 
     the rights of the individual. The leader must also trust 
     those in his charge to do their job.
     3. Uphold high standards
       Be responsible, accept your responsibility and know that 
     you are accountable to others as well as to yourself for 
     doing your job to the best of your abilities in accordance 
     with the high standards of your profession--all professions 
     have high ethical standards. Learn what those ethical 
     standards are and follow them faithfully.
     4. Strive for excellence without arrogance
       While striving to uphold high standards, and thus seeking 
     excellence, remember that excellence with a dose of humility 
     conveys our respect for those around us; others will always 
     recognize true excellence in action. Study art and the 
     humanities. The maths and sciences alone are insufficient to 
     a complete education. It is easy to be an arrogant scientist 
     without the humanities. The humanities and the arts give 
     us wisdom, not data. They inherently enlighten us without 
     overloading us with information. The cognitive study of 
     math and science must be combined with the effective study 
     of arts and the humanities for the sake of humanity and 
     humanness. Remember that the aim of education is the 
     knowledge not of facts but of values.
     5. Do your best
       This is a minimum requirement in all endeavors. If it is 
     worth doing, do it right and do it well.
     6. Treat everyone with dignity and respect
       The greatest asset of any organization is its people. Treat 
     each other well, look after each other, take care of each 
     other, and together you can achieve great things. Remember 
     that respect begets respect and that

[[Page E1407]]

     teamwork and living in community with others is the 
     healthiest form of competition because it requires 
     cooperation. Our prisoners of war in Vietnam learned to put 
     unity over self; they cared about each other and took care of 
     each other and not one of them died because of loneliness in 
     isolation as had been the case in the Korean War.
     7. Tolerate honest mistakes from people who are doing their 
         best
       Not one of us will achieve true perfection, if we live to 
     be a hundred; we all make mistakes. It is important to accept 
     honest mistakes from those who are applying their talents and 
     energies to the best of their ability. Have compassion and 
     help people to overcome honest mistakes.
     8. Seek the truth
       Rumors and unverified stories undermine the bonds of 
     community. Always seek the truth from those who are in a 
     position to know. Also, seek the truth by resolving to be a 
     life-long learner. We can never know all there is to know; 
     however, we can learn something new every day.
     9. Speak well of others
       Gossip undermines our trust in each other. Gossip or 
     speaking ill of others also demonstrates a genuine lack of 
     respect for others in our community.
     10. Keep a sense of humor
       And be able to laugh at yourself. Being able to laugh at 
     yourself increases the likelihood that, when you do achieve 
     excellence, it will be without arrogance. The late Senator 
     Sam Ervin said, ``Humor endows us with the capacity to 
     clarify the obscure, to simplify the complex, to deflate the 
     pompous, to chastise the arrogant, to point to a moral, and 
     to adorn a tale--it also makes our heavy burdens light.``
       These guidelines for life are not mine alone. They belong 
     to all the midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy. But, they 
     are free for your adoption. Be a person of integrity; trust 
     others of high standards; strive for excellence without 
     arrogance; have compassion; treat everyone with dignity and 
     respect; seek the truth; speak well of others; do your best; 
     and always keep a sense of humor.
       Your parents, peers, teachers, and your friends expect 
     these high standards of you. I know that you will give them 
     no less.

     

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