Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-06-23
CLOSING EXERCISES.
HIGH SCHOOL, MINERAL POINT
Thursday, June Is, 1882.

Thursday, June is, 1882.
The close of the school year was
celebrated in the customary manner
on Thursday. The pupils of the
high school held their exercises,
consisting of essays, Rotations and
music. On Saturday all the depart
ments participated in a picnic, held
on the grounds of the First Ward
school.
A class of six completed the old
Cor three yearsD course of study in
the high school and received their
diplomas.
We give here a brief synopsis of
the essays read by the members of
this class. Miss Lizzie Coad wrote
of the Relations of Ignorance to
Crime" History shows that the
darkest crimes have been committed
in the ruder ages of the world. lg-
norant people of all times have been
guilty of the most atrocious as well
as the most frequent crimes. The
only remedy, then, for disorders in
the body polite is the diffusion of
intelligence. 1t is the duty of more
enlightened nations to impart the
wisdom which they have, and by
means of which they enjoy SO much
tranquility, to those yet in the dark
ness of ignorance.
Miss Matte Hutchinson discussed
the question of Foreign Immigra-
ton" There are good reasons both
for and against it encouragement.
Many of the best as well as the best
known citizens of onr country have
come from foreign lands; indeed the
period is not very far in the past
when all the civilized people of the
country were immigrants. But while
there is much to favor the immigra-
ton of Europeans, the limit of safe
ty, or at least of profit, seems to be
reached when the Asiatics begin to
throng in upon u.s. Hence the en-
actment of a law by congress to re-
strict this species of immigration.
Miss Anna JACKIE wrote upon the
Benefits of Science" noting how
largely the world had profited by
the discoveries of the last few centu-
ries. Within that time the telescope
had been invented, the capernican
theory established and most of the
facts and principles Of astronomy
discovered; steam has added a thou
sand fold to the productive forces Of
the world, and electricity thrown
open as means of communication
between man and man and nation
and nation, giving to human life a
higher interest and more perfect hap
plness.
Miss Beulah Joiner: Failures pave
the way for success. In many cases
they furnish the stimulus that re-
suited in higher degree of success
than would by any other means have
been attained. To fail to profit by
them is conclusive evidence of lack
of energy or resolution. Nothing
but lazlness accepts defeat as final.
Disraeli's conduct in the British
house of commons while suffering
the modification of failure was in
dicative Of the sort of resolution that
turns failure to the best purpose.
Miss Lulu O'Dowd wrote of cam
bition.n This is motive whose val
ue is determined solely by the moral
rectitude Of him who is actuated by
it. President Garfield was ambi-
tious; SO likewise was Napoleon; so
was George Washington. The diff
ferent objects sought by these indid-
uals justified or condemned their
ambition. Youth is characterized
by this impelling force; it is impa-
tient of the advice and warnings and
experience of those Of ripper years.
Middle life and old age are rarely
stimulated by it, but in those cases
where it survives the lapse of years
the highest attachments are secured.
Miss Florence Tramel, in a paper
expressive of the feelings of all who
are about to leave school and its as
sociations, dwelt upon the new life
that succeeds that of school. The
occasion is not altogether one of en-
joyment, for sorrow at the thought
of severing associations, and possibly
regret for time not always employed
to best advantage, mingle with the
other emotions, But we are inter-
ested in the future as well as the
past; and though we resolve what
our career shall be, determining that
1t shall be one of honor and useful
ness, we know that our impenetra-
bic veil is interposed to hide it from
us, and whether it shall be what we
design to have it must depend on
other purposes than our own. For
us there is the simple, clearly indi-
Gated course to live up to our high
est convictions of duty.
The reading of the essays was fol-
lowed by the presentation of the di-
plomas, and after few remarks by
the principal of the school, explain
ing the new course of study and urg-
ing upon parents the necessity of
effort to secure a good attendance in
the two highest grades, the exercises
were brought to close by the sing
ing of the class song.
4 Rrida Shot Dead