New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-04-21
SCHOOL LITERATURE.

The following were recently read by young lady
graduates Of the Fourth District High School. Both
eyince considerable literary TALENT aud will be SURE
to win the admiration Of all friends Of public schoo
education.
Thoughts on Leaving School.
We must take one long lingering look around this
cid familiar room for We are soon % leave these nails
OF study Yes the day 10 which We have looked for
, ward with so much Of trembling anxiety and sad
| gladness, has arrived; and now, but a few short
hours and our school life will be buried in the mighty
| grave Of the past. Standing we do in the rosy
portal Of girheod notwithstanding the bright antic
pafions Of our tnmntuous hearts, the mind will be
swed as the mysterious future looms up before us
50 dimly in contrast with the shining track Of our
childhood. We are gazing with the eve Of magma
tion down into the "misty coming !; yet. the voice
OF the past engages ears and in its tones we may
recognize the history of past lives aud listening
ask ourselves IL they have been such as to fit US
for usefulness in the broad arena OF fe which lies
before us.
Within these walls we have conned the pages which
have disclosed TO US the phases of our beautiful earth
for ages back of her heroes, conquerors, and mar.
tyrs; but that to which our minds revert with a
pleasure almost amounting 70 patriotic zeal, is the
history OF the generous sacrifices and noble struggles
OF our foreathers until right and justice riumphed
over oppression and tyranny, and the "stars and
stripes noated proudly over our glorious land Of
hperty. Has this taught encouraged TO struggle
through LIES mighty conflicts, until the banner Of
truth and honor shall wave around us
We have learned how fra man has called ''the
swift and perllous lightnngs from the clouds, and bid
them hide themselves in earth beneath how this
vast earth on which we live is but accumulation
OF atoms, whose diminutye dimensions exceed all
that the mind can conceive or the imagination con-
iectufe and yet. if we separate from the whole mass
If these minute constituents, its entire desruc
ton is as impossible would be the attempt of man
to create them. Has this taught us TO mould our
characters 10 queach the flashing fire Of passion in
the calm cool waters OF reason, and to bear in
ind That ,lt
leaves an impression on the heart and conscience
which no time can wear away
We have investigated the powers and functions of
that great principle within us by which man is ele
waited above the brute creation, and which, being
destined for another life we feel and know will sur
vive the wreck OF this mortal tenement. Has this
investigation induced in desire TO cultivate those
faculties, so that when render account of our
stewardship we may hear the joyful words, swell
done, good and faithful servant"
We have contemplated the vast world of the
heavens, bathed in illmable space all held and i'm
PEELED by one great force in their respective orbits
and revolving around one common CENTER until ina
gnation grew dizzy listening to their busy whir and
our understanding seemedzgto be faint light whose
Pickering flame gained occasional brilliancy from am
bitons breath. Has this contemplation OF the world
oil nature taught 30 look from nature up to natures
God; to govern our motives aud actions by the one
great principle-0bedience TO heavenly Fathers
will or to fix Eearts through all the changing
scenes OF life upon the great center from whence
alone cometh our life and light
Day after day have we been encouraged by the
cheering voice and smiling face of her who guided
our pleasant labors, at times when we knew her
mind to be weary and her heart sad. When future
years bring to us their of care and anxiety
when the dull monotony OF facts, familiar to us BY
study observation and experience, fatgues our men
tai faculties when contact with dull Incompetent
siye minds has almost exhausted scanty patience-wi
the image of our noble, selfsacricing teacher rise
before as and cause cur hearts to thrill as now with
gratitude and love, or excite as strong desire as
now exists, to initiate her bright example?
And finally, schoolmates we have spent many hours |
OF happy intercourse together hand in hand we |
have hbored up the steep hill Of science in the pur.
suit OF knowledge, and closely have we been knit
together in the bands Of sstery love aud friendship
that to the skeptic in disinterested love we could
have used no more convincing argument than-Look
upon our merry school band When years and ex
perience have rolled away the canopy OF the future,
when adversely oyershadows us-and they say it
friends forsake and loving hearts grow
sold-and they say they will-shall we grow caIlons
too, or will the memory Of our schoolgirl love and
sympathy reassurc the sinking SOUL and teach US 10
i've 80 as TO meet one another around our Fathers
throne, where parting is no more2
LoULIE PAYNE.