Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1853-08-11

For the Eastern Times.
The North Grammar School and its Play
Ground

Inc NOI Ill 0TdHllnaT SCHOOL anu lCS RAY
Ground
Mr.. EDITOR lin my communication for
your paper, two weeks ago. intimated that
should have something to say upon the sub
ject at some future time, and with your per-
mission, will now fulfil the intimation.
Ifthat lot OF land Of which spoke, is pur-
chased, small gore on the north line can be
sold without the least injury to the play
| ground, TO Mr.. Arthur Brown, and for which
he will pay one hundred and fifty dollars.
Now have proposition to submit to some
Of our wealthy men, and one which | hope
will meet with something more than passing
notice. The proposition is this, that some
one or two OF our wealthy citizens, and we
have many ofthem, make liberal gift or do
nation In the purchase Of that land for the use
of the schools, have the buildings dedicated
and called by their names, and have busts of
the donors placed upon niche in these school
rooms for the imitation and encouragement of
4 the young who shall hereafter drink at the
streams of learning that shall spring from
these fountains. If the donation is made,
Will engage to see the other part of the COM
pact properly and faithfully executed.
They have in Massachusetts their Washing
ton schools, Howard schools, Phillips schools,
Tyler schools, &C., &C., and | venture the
assertion, that nothing will tend more to en-
balm the names Of those great and good men
nj hon l. IL
down to posterity with more lasting or endur-
ing love and veneration, than being thus con
nected with her educational interests What
names, | ask, are held iii more esteem than
those of John Harvard, who did so much for
education by his munifcence to Harvard Col
lege over two hundred years ago, and Elijah
Corlet, the first New England schoolmaster
who taught school and wrote Latin verse in
the new worll, while Milton, his classmate
and senior, by one year, taught a private
school and wrote Latin verse in the old.
Now see no good reason why we may not
justly desire and have with equal proprie-
ty, Patten school, Moses school; a Drum
mOnd school, Sewall school, Clark.
Ridcout, 1fulant, Clapp, Magoun,
Bailey, SwantOn school, &C., &c, which
shall not only be an honor to their name, but
a lasting benefit to the young of our city.
know you will tell me that the noblest re-
nown is posthumous fame; and the most re-
fined ambition is the desire of such fame
And it is true. But there is a posthumous
fame which is no Illusion The only postum
nous fame that is truly permanent, is the
memory of God; and the only deathless names
are theirs for whose living persons He has
found place in His own love, and in the love
of holy beings like minded with himself
Many a casket has been broken and the gems
Of fine fancy have been scattered on the world,
and the name of the selfimmolating genius is
now forgotten but that box of ointment which
was crushed over the feet of Jesus, will pour
its fragrance through all time; for wherever
there is Gospel, the Lord Jesus has secured
that there shall be spread the story And al
though, fearful of posthumous fame, the dying
Shaws, the Mrs. Fryes and Miss bikes of
our race, may direct US to place a sun-dial on
their graves and let them be forgotten, they
cannot expunge their labors of love from the
book of remembrance, and they will never be
| forgotten.
1t was the custom of the ancient Romans to
place the images of their ancestors in the halls
of their dwellings, that they and their chill
dren might be daily reminded of the deeds
which had made their names illustrous
This became a legal right of the great fami-
| lies, and one of their most cherished privileg-
es and distinctions. The usage was founded
on a natural sentiment Of the human heart
All men in whom imagination and feeling are
not dead, draw inspiration from the silent pres
cncc Of the pictured marble semblance Of an
illustrious man. His lips move not with au-
dible speech, it is true, he has neither voice
nor language, yet as we gaze upon the like
ness, the mute eloquence of his solemn warn
ing or lofty encouragement is more impressive
than the page Of history and sinks deeper into
the heart.
At the dedication Of the Washington School
House in Cambridge, Mass, last summer, by
the liberality of a few gentlemen, busts of
Homer, Shakespeare, Milton, Dwight, Bow
dich, Allston, Franklin and Washington were
obtained and placed in the school room, thus
bringing this high influence of their virtues,
their genius and greatness TO bear upon the
pupils who shall henceforth be trained in the
presence Of these representatives Of mans high
est genius and glory. Have we not some man
among us who will emulate them; and prove
himself worthy to have his name celebrated in
no less a paragraph in our future history!
A CITIZEN.
Bath, Aug. 8th, 1853.
! ....... ..- r.. For The Eastern Times.
Mn. EDITon 1T is interesting, and per-