The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1874-05-21
"Advancsment'-ELa Hdnscons.

may be fitted to form the minds of child
dren in the best and truest way.
"Advanc,ment'-E Hdnscons.
The idea prominently brought forward
was that Of progression in ell things. Man
is continually advancing in matters con.
nected with the material as with tho in
tellectual world. By his great inven-
tive genius he binds and turns to his use
the forces of the elements, and he untir-
ingly seeks ont the mysteries which lie
hidden in the far-of armament, in the
rocks and in the flowers. Each genera
ton bequeatha to its successor . store Of
garnered wisdom, and it is in this wy
that the march of civilization is ever on
ward.
"Shipaorecks on the Seas of Time"-Addie
Glover.
The part Of eternity Of which We take
cognizance is called time. A strong analo-
gy exists between the time esmprehen ded
IN the span Of mans life and the sea. As
the sea is q boundless and trackless ex-
panse so also is the ocean Of life, All have,
the same starting point and al the same
barbor in view, and the success or failure
of each is due not to wealth or birth or
great mental gifts but to his moral quail
tiles and proper training. In the voyage
of life they are successful whose vessels
are constructed in the interests Of Truth
and Right. This granted, the only ques.
lions which need give us anxiety are,. With
what shall We build? and how? The
great ocean of life is full Of rocks and IN
seen dangers and only BY following in tho
straight path Of morality can ship
wreck be avoided.
Prof. Moore then introduced Hon. H.
B. Wilson, State Supsrinten dent Of Public
lns truction, who addressed the graduating
class. We give some Of the more import
ant parts of his remarks:
LHuES6
Permit me to congratulate you upon the
event Of your having completed your course
of study at this institution and upon your
receiving your diplomas, the usual testi-
monials besto we'd upon those who make
successful efforts in gaining an education.
This is an eventful era in your lives. In
coming years you will often look back to
the period you have spent here as one Of
the most pleasant Of your lives. 1t will
be sunny spot IN your memory. Here
you have striven to master many of the in
tricacies Of science. You have struggled to
Sore your minds with such materials of
thought as you are to draw from in COM
ing years. During the period you have
-hnA- ~vuu eo.-A With this institution, you
have added to the facts you before pos
sessed, by the application Of your mental
powers, such knowledge as will give cul-
ture to your faculties, and which will en-
able you to use those powers in developin 6
thought. Iscarcely need remind you of
the fact that the whole scope and object of
school training is to create thinkers. That
oft-repeated maxim, that knowledge is
power" is not strictly true! In order that
it may be SO, knowledge must be directed
by thought! Men of thought are the only
men Of power. Men of thought are the
men of influence. To them the world
looks in emergencies! In days Of dark
ness, they stand forth as tho guides of tho
people and the saviors Of the nations.
Because you have completed your course
of study here, you are not to fancy that
you are now profound scholars that your
education is flushed that you no longer
require disciplin to fit you to meet heroic.
ally the sterner realities of life. Yeu have
now only just begun your mental culture
You have only just learned how to study {;
how to use your mental powers. The
thing We call education is q life work. It
will only cease when life shall end.
There is plenty Of room and opportunity
for all to work. Every department Of bust.
ness, every trade and profession, needs
laberers. All can find employment. There
never was time when the world stood 30
much in need Of more faithful workers
than now. More and better teachers are
demanded. Full as are the ranks ofxthe
profession, there is still plenty of room for
all the good ones that can be produced.
Teaching is fast becoming profession.
Those having special training for this
calling, or those specially adapted to it,
are being more and more sought after.
The day has fortunately gone by when
intelligent people can be made to believe
that any body possessing a smattering Of
book-learning is qualified to occupy the
| important position of instructor Of children.
Intelligent people are daily becoming more
and more convinced that the occupation Of
teaching is one of the most important and
most honorable Of earthly pursuits, and
that none should DO permitted to enter
upon that sacred calling except such -
are worthy and we'll qualified. There
never was time when young ladies and
gentlemen, especially young ladiee,-for
they are coming to monopolize almost
the whole business Of teaching in the COM
mon schools Of our oountry-had greater
inducements to fit themselves, than tho
present.
A common school teacher, who is pos
sessed Of this wider culture, will also work
with more method. A Well-disoiplined
mind will more thoroughly discipline those
of her pupils. Her illustrations will be
more exact and pointed, and her thoughts
will have finer flow. Her language will
be moro elegant, her manner more re-
fined and graceful, begetting IN added
refinement and grace in her pupils, and
a. consequence the whole work Of the
sohool-room will rest upon broader basis
than is possible where the teacher has seen
nothing more than the inside Of . district
school, is untasteful in dress, rude in
manners, and uneultivated in thought
whose life has not been exalted BY inter.
course with minds Of loftier impulses aud
nobler aspirations. Upon the teachers Of
our public schools, more than upon anv
other agency, devolyes the duty Of forming
in the minds Of our youth correct habits.
YOunp Ladiea and 6.n&1>->. o.