New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-12-25
NEW ORLEANS, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1875

seek oat the path that will best serve your
tcuest interest. Tonight you do not think
of the past, nor think that as you 90 forth
from this room you leave behind you the
brightest portions of your lives; but in after
years longingly you will look back and wish
| that you could live them over.
Time passes, and must now beg you to
consider my remarks kindly. nor deem
them ont of place, but remember that in
| taking leave OF you, dear seniors, my heart
| is filed with love for you now, as in the
| future.
We part tonight but we may meet again,
and trust that our friendships may con
tinus the same In the name of all nv
classm ates, wish you joy and happiness
| In the future, with many other blessings to
| attend you. and 1 tender to you our last
and loving Farewell"
The valedictory, by Miss Ada Benedict,
touched the hearts of all:
| tleetly, swiftly the years have passed.
and thrice have bloomed the summer flow
ers which bore the fruit which we now
pluck, Steadily time advances. He con.
| structs for our eager footsteps a frail
bridge that spans sparkling river, con
Meeting the dead past with the living pres
| ent. We eagerly haste to tread its span.
| though it sways and bends beneath US.
| The banks are fiowery, and are hedged in
by living green. Behind us lie the sunny
hours of the past, and reflection brings the
sad fact that they are gone forever. How
| nuch meaning lies in that little monosyla-
| bic, gone! Ave, are there not volumes con-
tanned in it! We see that childhood, with all
| its innocent gladness, has fled and left US
| on the threshold of new existence. Let us.
| then, determine to make our life what every
woman's should be- a noble one let us go
| forth together. clad in the armor of God
1r,r hat ,ha l,z 4
| well.
The panorama has shifted its scenes; the
past has become enveloped 10 lethean
rnists, the present quickly dssolves and
me,,s into the past; each advancing mo-
ment becomes transformed into the future.
Ours has been the guardianship to which
these years were given, and now the "still
small voice" propounds the question, "Have
those past ysars-aye, even hours and mo-
ments-been properly spent
| Busy memory is at work and conjures up
hosts of little moments idly spent and van
ished into the depths Of the abyss forever.
Pleasantly tonight do we recall our past
hours OF study, OF generous rivalry in the
pursuit of the same object: but ah! there
are neglected opportunities, thoughtless
words, little acts of unkindness which
twers well to forgive and forget. These
are the dark spots looming up in the midst
of our present brightness.
| 1t ia but natural for our hearts to bound
a. the thought of freedom, release from
that thraidom which binds the eager pur.
suer after knowledge. But we should re-
member that fame and honor are never
achieved with folded arms and mastery
inactivity therefore, we must not throw
aside the bonds too quickly, but seek ever
! to eulighten our minds.
ldienese will procure naught. The won.
, dertul discoveries in science anu art were
. NOT rua1a nv men who rpuarded life az n
holiday OF ideness. If you would achieve
fame; If sou would win a place in society
as an ornament; if you would retain your
, own selt-respeot, then remember that it is
necessary stiil to labor and to study. Nc
one intent upon gaining knowledge after
her school days have departed has reason
f3r discouragement for what she gains is {
permanent and real possession. My deaf
classmates life is too short; the span o
years, SO soon broken and crushed
is not half sufficient for the neces
sties attending it. But while thu
educating the.mind we must not forget the
| education of those moral virtues and atfec
tions which give to woman such nameles;
charm. which makes her home a sunbea N
LONELINESS of form and feature may charu
| the eye. but when we reflect upon ii
perishabe nature, we involuntarily sigh fo
those internal beauties, whose essence il
derived from the beneticent Power, who's,
| illlLs arc DcU -dlCoS hEU NhOoo uuEalLOu II
| eternal
Passing from the threshold tonight W,
embark on an unknown, untried sea of tn
future. Happy hearts gush forth. Long
iugly have we looked for this night, doubt
ing and fearing, and our hopes were vel
- nigh wrecked, but staunchly we clung t
| the good ship. and have at last reached ou
port in safety. Pleasantly have our live
: passed during these years but not withou
4 times of sorrow which seemed to US so vic
f lent that our hearts were sore, but with th
elasticity of youth we looked on the brigh
sides once more, and memory wooes N
l back tonight to the time when first we en-
9 | tered the portals of this familiar room. S
swiftly have the years sped that wonde
10 tId myself before you, murmuring
: loving adieu. Dear classmates. love,
e friends of my childhood, farewell, fare
| well. My heart is too full to express al
:, that would say ere we part, yet my Low
and good wishes freely 60 with you, and
g bid you all godspeed and farewell. Dea
!, Juniors and First Years, to each we bi,
farewell. In leaving our places vacant
= we trust that they may be more worthil
filled. Alas, dear Juniors, you have on
vacant chair; we miss one familiar face VIII
, was wont to greet us daily, but will gree
1 us no more She now hears sweeter strain
', than ours, and IN fairer scenes does sh
l | now dwell.
To our principal we must say that W
> | pray, from her, divine virtue of forgiveness
l will be accorded us, If we have failed il
our duty toward her, if We yielded not i'm
plicit obedience, or if by our conduct VI
, have added TO her great responsibility, W
hope we may be forgiven, and would bu
| ask that when she thinks of us in the fu
, | ture she would weave one thought in kind
| ness and remember that we knew not tina
! | We erred. OF our other teachers We mus
| lovingly entreat the same consideration
t coming among us as they did unwittingly
/ | while our hearts were sore from our recen
/ losses We could not so readily etface thu
{ | images that for years had been there en-
|, shrined. Time would soon have proved ou
desire to do Justice to their noble efforts
We ask our worthy superintendent ant
committee to accept our thanks for tn,
kind interest and attention always bestowed
upon us.
/, And to our friends gathered here we ask
| if there ia not room for our band in tn eli
midst. Will they not kindly admit us, helI
, and guide US in our new life. Classmates
teachers, friends, must now bid you all |
final farewell, trusting we may meet il
after years in some useful path of life.
Before the farewell song was sung Rev
Mr.. Hartzel, chairman of the committee OF
high schools, presented the graduates thei
diplomas making few timely remarks.
Taken as a whole or singly, the class dit
credit to themselves, their teachers and t
the school.
After Poe.
A meeting of journalists and other lit
1 ~