Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1858-12-18


This school house, he said, had cost thousands
of dollars but if you children shall have i'm
proved your time and be ma ie wise and good
men snd women it will not be deemed, rs
money rsspent, but will repay many fold the
| whole investment.
| He did not like. however, the words Of one
Of the songs, "Get out of the way with your
| Old School Houses" He remembered one
old, red School House, feelings of plea
sure. II did not look out over great city as
this did either, but cut over fields and woods
ami streams, and when these things were men
/ toned, it touched tender chord in his feel
ings, and all the glorious "reminiscences OF
those days and scenes csme thronging back to
him But those old dmgy, rude School hous-
| es produced useful men and women, and so
| can these, fine and elegant houses, if the
| scholar SO will.
| On previous occasions much was SAID in re-
I gard the fitness Of the names OF these public
| Schools. When the name of Jefferson is
| r..eutioned | an reminded of recently learned
la > regarding his devotion to education, his
! tondness for children, his love Of the domestic
| circle. These even surpassed his ambition in
public hfe. Il will make his name hereafter
one loved and rcyered by the American peo-
pie On his death bed, in his will. he said his
epitsph should be-not that ne was the Au-
thor Of the Declaration of Independence -
or that he proposed the first act Of religious
freedom for the American people-but that he
wSA the Author Of the system Of public ed
ucationp This was whs, he felt most proud
Of in his dying moments. We have named
this building, then after him, to perpetua.e the
name Of one who deemed as we do, the most
important thing for the nation, Was the educa-
,iou of its youth.
Rev. Cyrus Brooks said he did not know
what he was expected to say, hardly, ana ne
had not expected to say anything. He want
cd the attention Of the children particularly to
what ne would say, though. The School
Houses Of olden time had been mentioned
contemptuously. slmost, and yet what excel
lent men and women they made and they led
the way, too, for these new and finer ones
flo knew of School Houses that even Mr.. Tay-
lors was a palace to, almost But tine school
houses DO no good, unless the children them
| selves study 10 take advantage OF it. They
have chances which we had not, and We feel
glad of il. You will be thankful, 100, when
you grow up, for the privileges you enjoy.-
But, look beyond your manhood or your wo-
nsnhood. Remember that there Is a here
sfter--tha:
at is not all Of life 10 live,
Nor all OF death &c dlev'
You are framing yonr character nov for enter
nifty Itself.
The children owe the fact Of their advantages
to thei- generous parepts--to the liberal Board
of Education--to to the spirit OF enterprise that
prompted the building Of these School Houses.
But they must lock higher-and feel gratitude
to - Him from whom corneth down every good
and perfect git."
MIR. Ludvign, editor of the Stats Zsitang,
made few vel chosen remarks, which we
could not vel hear, on account of the noise
made by jisnissing some Of the children at
the time. ard his distance from US.
Horny J. Horne Esq, Of the Board Of Ed
ucation said that he deemeda good editice ne
cessary for School, but he considered good
material for it more necessary, and to look
around on the happy and intelligent faces OF
The children here, he felt convinced that it ex
isted, and that in twent, OF thirty years from
now, St. Paul would have ar intelligent pop
, uialon
Mr. G.. Kescltine, Principal Of the School,
also made short address hoping ~. parent
, Pa. euartilqns Of the scholars would interest
themselves in the welfare ofthe School, and Wis
it il frequently. lie then addressed the schol-
ars. urging them to embrace and profit by the
advantages they possessed,and fit themselves
! for the parts they would be compelled to act
. on the stage Of Life.
Aitef few remarks by Benz. Drew, Esq,
Principal Of the Schools, in which he said he
hoped ere long to see High School erected in
! the City ,sthe exercises closed.