Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-06-14
MIR. PALmER's ADDRESS

MN. PALMER's ADDRESS
To the members 81 the Graduating
Class In Ottuuawa aHiEh Schesl.
One of the pleasant experiences of
school life is the public recognition
on the part of the parents, friends
and teachers of the completion ola
course of study by the earnest, indus
trious pupil or class. 1t is your privi-
lcgc and right to be thus recognized
to-day. You hive wrought for four
years i'm the department ofthe schools
with commendable zeal and patience.
You have accomplished all that has
been required of you, SO that to-day
YOU go forth into life with the writ
ten assurance of this high school,now
your Alma Mater that you are
worthy of all that she has bestowed
upon you. As she now gives you her
parting bcnediction she only asks you
i'm return TO be mindful of and true
to her interests.
As the absent child has an increased
and deeper affection for father and
mother and brothers and sisters and
all else that reminds him of the dear
old home, so will yourlove for this
highest department of the schools
deepen and become more abiding as
YOU are removed from its immediate
presence and protecting care and
equally true is it that this high school,
the honors of which you have already
received, will anxiously and lovingly
watch, if it may but catch glimpses
of the path that leads You out into the
busy, stirring and selfish world.
Let me urge upon you that this,
your alma Mater may never suf-
| fer at yopr hands the least detriment
for want Of intellectual ability to dis
cipline and instruct, for ample finan-
cial means TO support and a generous
ly and frequently expressed sympa-
thy to encourage and sustain. May
you, as grateful children, never sps-
pect even that it would have been
yours had never been begottcn and
reared neither may you eyer desire
that her life may be shortended nor
ever tempted under any of the more
rigid and cxacting conditions of life
to withhold aught that rightfully be-
longs 10 hsr.
You will delight, | am sure, to
hereafter make frequent pilgrimages
to this old home of yours with your
arms and hearts freighted with all
excellent things for the fond mother
Wi n lc T., a
world with her choicest blessings. ]
am happy to make favorable mention
of those who have In previous years
gone out from us, having just receiv.
ed the advantages of this high school,
and who have done us honor by their
persistent and manly purpose in
life.
l do not forget that Dartmouth
gives to-day prominent position as
scholars TO two young men who were
formerly members ofthis department
of our schools. | refer to Norton and
Dietrich, Qthprs there arc who arc
evincing the wisdom Of what they
here received by their success in life.
You,mcmbers of the graduating class,
leave us to-day giving the assurance
that you, as citizens Of the cOmmuni-
ty, are to make stronger and more ef-
ficient these schools by your intelli-
gent aid. You go from us having the
love and best wishes of your teachers
for successful life.
DO moi forget thai life Is MADE up
of facts and q fact means iteralll,
something done. An earnest act is
worth more than the spoken word,
possession is superior to profession,
practice is better than preaching, and
yet in spite Of this truth a merely as
sumptive life passes too frequently
current with MS all. A man is to be
regarded as a man only as he shows
himself such. 1t iscomparatively an
easy matter for one to speak tenderly
of the wants of the poor and needy
and yet il is the highest wisdom to
withhold Judgment of such ones
bcnevolence until you see the hungry
outcast at his door begging for thu
crumbs that fall from his table. Be.
nevolence is to be found in the ac
rather than in the word, and no ont
can rightfully claim this virtue who
is not willing to give and to do at {
personal cost and sacriice.
Remember that to be true men ans
women we must underscore our pray
ers by consistent christian acts.
Let your convictions Of duty and
of right be intelligent, then follow
them with no uncertain step. It il
more than possible that yOurneighbol
may unkindly criticise, but the ulti
mate right will be yours if you but
persevere; then be untiring in every
manly and womanly effort. Have q
large charity for the wonderful diff.
ferencps you will SO frequently find
in the personal character and ability
of those whom you meet in every
day life; you must not forget tina
while many a man is created upon a
generous plan, coming into life will
all noble impulses, there is many anoth'
er with whom nature has dealt most
sparingly- You are to he especially
liberal with such az these, aerer fail
ing to give them full credit for what
they deserve. Let justice be your
watchWora.
II gives me pleasure, Mr.. Parker
that am able ON this public occasion
to bear Unstinted testimony to your
excellent management Of this high
school for the past year both as to its
discipline and its instruction.
Your requirements have been man.
ly and just and your teaching broad
and exact. You will please accept
my thanks personally rs well as my
thanks IN behalf Of these, your pupils
and friends for the ability and faith
fulness with which you have uniform
ly labored and the satisfactory
condition in which you aoW return
this department of the schools to my
hands. Although l regret that you
are not persuaded to remain longer
with these pupils, yet do not doubt
that hearty welcome and q gener-
Gus success awaits you elsewhere in
our public schools, for ability and
scholarship will always find a promi-
nent position in the educational field.
j can express no better wish for you
than that your success may equal
your merits. do not forget that the
instruction given in this room the
past two years has been ably supple
mentod by the assistant teacher
Miss Nicholson has earned a good
word from her pupils and these par
ents by her patient and intelligent in
dustry. ! should be doing injustice
were l not to speak heartily of all
my teachers. My reception among
you when first arriving a stranger In
Oltumwa was generous and full and
the treatment received at your hands
for these three years has been that of
kindly sympathy and cheerful aid.
Whatever Of success ! may have
reached in my supervisory duties is
largely due, teachers, to your uni
form and pleasant cooperation.
Whenever | have asked you for assis-
lance you have pramptly and liberal
ly responded and have more than
once felt amply repaid for asking Of
you such as i needed in my official
duties simply on account of the gen.
crons manner of yoar gicing. Has it
ever been your experience, teachers,
in receiving favor that it has been
granted yon SO grudgingly and un-
der such protest that the acceptance
oft did violence TO your whole nature
and that it took you weeks to get back
again into your normal condition !;
such occasional experiences make IN