River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-05-27

But the times changed; the genius of
free institutions could not long abide
the Academy system. The trainers
of the Academy had built wiser than
they knew for at a time when the dis
trict perhaps would have found it diff
cult to build anew building they found
the old ready at their hands, and a
liberal offer being made by the corpo-
ration to transfer it to the district,
property that had cost about So, 900
was sold to the public for half that
amount and the career of the River
Falls Graded School commenced. This
transfer took place about the year
1854 and the building was occupied for
public school purposes until its de-
struction by the criminal hand of the
incendiary in 1879. Thus has the site
been consecrated to the sacred cause
of education for quarter of a century,
and from the ashes of the old the new
building. phoenix like, shall arise,
browning with glory this beautiful
spot, a token to future generations of
the wisdom, hberality and forethought
of this people.
1t is fitting that yeu have come
here to-day TO lay this corner
stone; first, because it is the first
important public building erected
in this place by the people at large,
the old Academy having been erected
by private muniicence. Never could
the feeling for the old building equal
the interest you will have for the new.
This is your first born. The son of
adoption can never awaken the love
felt for the child of nature gift. The
interest aroused by your visit to-day
to these beautiful grounds will lead
you to come more often and to watch
with Jealous care each stone and tim
Der as it is built into place. And you
viii feel growing deeper and deeper
the sense of ownership. 1t is your
own building and under your own di-
rection, and Wien the work is done
and the ediiice ready for its use your
| interest in the schools will be more
| manifest. Your school meetings will
| be more largely attended and the tax
| es needed more literally voted. Your
| schools will have more visitors and
| the sympathy of parents be elected to
| Il greater degree as an outcome of your
work to-day, for every act we do deep
| ems our interest i'll its object. But we
| must remember that this building
| alone cannot make school. just as
| the skillful artisans must come to rear
it after the materials are prepared SO
we must furnish the teachers to make
out of our children the citizens of the
| next generation and they must have
our cordial support.
| 1t is well to that our Masonic brothers
! have consented to lay this stone with
| their beautiful and impressive ceremo-
MES. 1t is not new this making the
| perfected temple symbol of human
life; it is as old rs the days of the
| Psalmist when he sings of our daught-
| ers becoming as corner stones polished
after the similitude of palace as old
| as the times of the apostle who urges
his brethren to be ''living stones fit
| ly framed together into Il temple OF
| God. And as our brothers have by
their ceremonies pointed out to us the
| higher and mystic meaning of their
| symbolic acts, let us accept this day
| as token of blessed future. Edu-
| cation is the hope of our free institu-
| tons, but this must be on right ba-
SIS, for it must be remembered that
! knowledge may be a power for evil as
| wen dtS SOOu. anu WlSuOIh luloulI0SCCo
| the cause of calamities as dire asa right
one of happy results. Thus we must
accept it as our duty to train our chill
dren upon the level and square. Their
| education must be upon the plane of
| true morality and must lead them in
the right path to teach them their du
| ty to themselves, their country and
their God and if this be accomplish
| ed our labors will not have been in
vain. And as the sun breaks through
| the sky, clouded till now betokening
| the coming of brighter day, may we
| not accept the omen as token of
Heavens blessing upon our acts aud
this day and this laying of the corner
stone of the first born of this people
as the beginning of future brilliant in
it's results and fraught with good to
all coming generations.
At the close of Mr.. Yields address
the procession reformed and marched
back to Brackets Hall and disbanded.
The exercises were interspersed with
excellent music by the Band, and ev-
erything passed off in satisfactory
manner.