The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-07-13

In Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois, three
great central states where self support is not
difficult, one in ten of the illiterates is
pauper, while OF the rest of the population, on
ly one in three hundred is pauper. In other
words, in those three great central states,
given number OF children suffered to grow up
IN ignorance produce thirty times as many
paupers as when given an average common
school education.
In 1870 special investigation was made In
10 states, of the inmates, to the number OF
1898, of aims. houses ank ihfrmaries. OF these
4i32I, or nearly 80 per cent. could not read ana
write; while in those Is states the average per-
centage of illiJerates was only about per cent
OF the whole population. From this per cent
came that 50 per cent of the paupers:. or, to
express it another form, a given number OF
children IN those 10 Sta4es suffered TO grow up
in ignorance, produced % times as many pau
pers as the same number of children would II
gwen fair common school education.
Similar results may be obtained from the
census OF almost every country IN Europe and
America
We may safely say then that it is general
law of modern civilization that an illterate
person is from 20 to so times as liable to become
pauper, and charge upon the public, as IS
one with an average common school education;
and that the annual loss to the community IN
the United States in the productive power OF
the illiterates, and in the support OF paupers
made such by illiteracy, is nearly II not quite
equal to the amount that would be required TO
establish and maintain free commonaschool6tne
year round, in every state OF the Union, amply
sufficient for the whole fifteen million children
OF the school age in the United States.
The annual expense of maintaining paupers
--96 per cent. of whom have become such
through lack of proper training while young
is at least ten times as great as would have
been the expense to the public of securing an
education while young to each OF these pau
pers sufficient TO have enabled SIS per cent. OF
them to support themselves, instead OF being
charge upon the public.
knowledge leads naturally to industry,
sobriety and economy, by making one con-
Eeious of the benefits resulting from these
habits.
Statistics proclaim in no uncertain voice
that education is the surest preventive OF
paup6rism; and that the expense of providing
and applying in season this preventive is not
one-tenth that now brought upon society by
pauperism.
The first incentive to action is self-support-.
gaining a livelihood. This is the very basis OF
personal Independence, of individual charac-
ter, respectability and influence. The key OF
self support is education. Money and labor
invested in education is capital invested In
such a manner that the principal is absolutely
safe, and the income large, sure and prompt
ly paid.
possibilities. 1t is said we carry nothing out.
doubt that. Education once acquired in
heres in the human mind and soul. 1t goes
with them. We not only enjoy its benefits so
long as this life lasts, but who can Eprove. it
separates from us at the beginning of the life
to come? The natural inference is that 1t goes
with us and that the soul of highly and pre- :
perry cultivated man in the next world excels
that of an ignoramus as much as one star sur
passes another in glory.
The following poem was then read by the
Rev. T. S. Perry OF Cumberland:
REV. MIR. PERRY's POEM.
Alma Mater, mother fair and gentle,
We thy children, scattered far and wide,
Once again have turned our footsteps homeward
By the old hearth once would again elde;
Drawn by pleasant memories ana gratetui,
Once again have gather ed at thy SIDE.
Generous thy nurture was, and ample,
For thy children might it well avail;
Kind thy fostering care and manly culture,
With lis never shall thy N emory fail;
With our gratitude and love we crown thee
Alma Mater, honored mother, hall!
Well remembered scenes, ws give you greeting
Breezy hill aglow with summer shine,
Green embowered streets and sun-bright water,
Overarchng elm and whispering pine
Warmer still the hail and clasp we give you,
Well beloved friends OF auld lang sSne.
Alma Mater, many a year has vanished,
Many and many a year, or dark, or bright.
From thee and each other since we parted;
Welc lme is the day whose kindly light
Brings once again around thy table,
MAKES US young hBdin III eiuo . uSspitc,
Thou hast given us back our youth, Mother,
We are young again in spite OF years:
Scarcely real seems our life of labor
Rainbows painting every mist OF tears:-
Into youthful dreams and fond illusions
Melting manhood's tolls, and cares, and fears.
AS we sit hers, mother well beloved
How our thoughts go backward through the ways
That our widely, devious steps have trodden
Since the olden and thegolden days;
All about us in the old time brooding
With its wondrous mist OF dreamy maze.
Yet, in truth, no dreamefs we mother,
Thy wise nurture was not all in vain;
Know the travail well Of heart and brain;
Know the grippe of toll, the kiss Of SORROW
What we do to do with might and main
Life with us has not been listless dreaming,
Nor the poem once we fondly thought;
Gallant fete, nor feast OF honeyed piessalnsce;
We have learned Heaven giveth naught for naugnt
Learned that faith and prayer, and brave endeayor
Are the price wherewith its good is bought.
Fame is for the few; but for the many
Patient service, humble deeds well done,
Sorrows bravely borne, temptations vanquished,
Days and years well ended as begun
Serving thus in toilful ways and humble,
Thy approval, mother, have we won?
Few can triumph; few are drawn wi tn shouting,
Song, and pean through the wond'ring town.
We have sought truer, nobler guerdon,
Labor's iron cross and iron crown;
Yet among thy many children, mother
Some have earnod a heros bright renown.
When fell treason, grim and iron-handed,
Aimed death blow at the nations heart,
When, as if from dragons teeth, upspringng,
Armed men from al the h land d. did d start,
In the tent the march, the battle slaughter,
Then thy sons did bear a manly part.
When ten thousand cries of desolation
Blended in one dreary wall sublime,
Mid the terrible traHshguratien
OF that awful, thrice heroic time,
Then to God and Fatherland thy daughters
Gave their best beloved in their prime.
Those fierce days over. gentle mother
All the air is sweet with hymns OF peace;
But the war with wrong, the strife with evil,
Only only, with our lives must cease;
Be it ours to strike for truth and duty
Till the last hour brings us glad release.
Unto many, many of thy children
That last hour has come, mother dear;
Gentle words and tender thoughts be given
To those comrades, who with song and cheer
Blithely marched with us to lfe's great battle,
But who come not back to greet us here.
Yet for those who worthily have fallen
Mourn we not, but rather JOY to tell
OF each seemly deed, and fair achievement
Rear to each some trophy where he fell;
Well does he who brings his shield from battle
He who comes borne on it does as well.
With it, or upon it, may thy children
Ever come from life's great battle plain
+! With it, or upon it, living, dying,
Flushed with victory, or pale with PAIN
Be it still their hope and joy, mother,
That thy age may wther not nor wane
Softly may thy fnture years fall on thee,
Many many mother may they be;
| Cruel Time, that erst devoured his children
| Lightly, gently lay his hand on thee;
| At thy side may ever group ana cluster
| Other children wortnier than we.
/ Be thy sons like plants amid the valleys,
Strong as trees are in their sturdy youth;
! Be thy daughters polished like palace
In their purity, and grace, and truth;
Brave thy children be to do and suffer,
! Brave, yet full of gentleness and truth.
WISE o mother, ever be thy children,
| Humble STILL and reverent as wise;
| False and foul and cursed that mocking spirit
! Where to doubt and where trust still teach them
| Where to silent bow with yelled eyes.
| 81 am all that was and is, and shall be,
And no man hath ever raised my veil,
| So they wrote upon the fame of Isis
Knowledge still is scant and thought is frall;
And to voice the silences of heaven
Lips of mortal never may avail.
Teach thy children who to God is loyal,
Happy is, whether he laugh or weep;
| Truth is more than gold, and faith than houor,
Life is more than meat and death than sleep.
| Whether to the flesh or to the spirit
His own sowing each shall ever reap.