Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-05-29


The Diamond Badge. which requires the con-
ditions necessary for both department and
scholarship medals, was awarded to F. L. Nc
Cue.
The Spelling Medal to F. L. McCue, who did
not miss word during the term, nor during a
written examination, which embraced five
hundred difficult words.
All these awards eicited considerable APP
plause from the pupils of the school
While the Band was playing another air the
Chairman of Declaimer's Committee reported
that they could not agree, and requested that
Fauntleroy and McCue be pns up for a second
trial This, the Principal refused to permit.
through consideration for his audience and his
boys. The latter were then conducted by the
Committee to q private room, where they had
8 re-hearing
Meanwhile the following programme was
carried out:
Washington and Lee University Scholarship
In brief little talk, Hon. ]. Ran. Tucker. on
behalf OF Washington and Lee University,
presented University Scholarship to Mr.. Lou
is Wake, of Maryla who had come = the
| fall course OF study and had made the highest
average Of scholarship.
IfedaIs for qreGteSi accuracy in numerical cat
cltlatioas were awarded 10 G. B. Blackley, 3.
Dunn, C. e. Sneed, and W. i. Patrick. The
last three are from Texas.
Di:tinctions-to those whose general average
ia 80 Or more--T. ". Abrahams. T. W. Burke,
G. B. Blackley, W. Danny, B. Dunn. F. Elder,
E. Funk bouscr. R. <. Ker. ]. W. McChesney. j.
R. Pace @. H sneed, w II. D. Warfeld.
! The following were announced IS "Duees,"
| that is those who lead st least one class: g b.
Blackley, C. Catleti, Denny, Dunn. r. Y. G.
Fauntleroy, Funkhousor, Hansel, ker, McCue.
Pace, Patrick, Sneed, Wake. and Warfeid.
Mr.. R. S. Ker, then pronounced the valedic-
tory, which was marked by unusual good taste,
and given with remarkable grace of manner
and purity of voice.
After more music, the Principal came for
| ward and said:
| You have for some time been listening only
to youngsters now beg leave to present one
of the "Big Boys OF Virginia, who, although
| he has climbed so high in the esteem and con-
f1dence of his fellow men. and has always re-
f1ected again upon them in double measure the
honor they had conferred upon him, still had
not outgrown his sympathy and fellow-feeling
| for his younger brothers. who admire the
bright example he has afforded, and who have
asked for the wise counsel which he ia here to
give them now-Hon. J. Ran. Tucker.
ADDRESS OF HOY. J. RANDoLPN UCKER.
AfSer few preliminary remarks TO the
appropriateness OF the occasion as slime for
| the young gentlemen to pause and reflect upon
the affairs oflife, he announced as his subject,
| Education - which, in his characteristic way.
he ably and methodicalIy discussed under the
heads of the Subject, the OBJ eet. the Method,
and the Result OF Education. The subjec, Of
education was the embryo of humanity, and
was constituted of mind. soul, and body, each
| of which should be cultivated and developed.
The mind was both receptive and perceptive
It's receptive character was illustrated by COM
pairing it, especially in youth. to = sponge,
which would absorb as readily the foul water
of the cesspool as that of
"The purest fountain in rocky cave
Where never sunbeam kissed the wave.''
Our youths should be surrounded by infiu-
ences that would fill their minds with pure
thoughts, and saturate their souls with the
principle of the good. The idea of sowing q
crop of wild oats in youth is a great mistake
1t is bad crop to sow and worse one to reap.
In youth knowledge must be gathered, and
the memory should be cultivated that it. may
retgin the knowledge then acquired TO be uti-
lized in after life.
The mind should be cultivated but n OF at the
expense of the body or soul. The body should
be cultivated and strengthened, as well as the
mind and soul--we should have sound mind
in sound body, otherwise the sword Of fhe
mind would wear ont the scabbard of the body.
The soul should be cultivated that at may
govern and give proper direction to the mind;
for an educated mind with an uneducated soul
is the agent which Satan uses to suhserve his
purposes-the smartest men are often the
worst. II is the object of education to develop
the faculties of the mind, soul, and body to the
greatest degree ofwhich they are capable
The method usually adopted to elect these
ends is based upon a radical error, and that is,
that all are equal and the same appliances OF
education are used with all. The real truth is
that there are no two persons equal-no 1--WE
endowed with similar talents in equal degree.
Some have talents for one thing, and some for
another, and the proper mode of education
tion adapted to them.
Education was individual and not social.
Each mustbe educated for and by himself Self
education is the best, and without it no great
excellence can be attained. Each was designed
by his Creator to accomplish a purpose tina no
one else could do SO well.
The mind should be exercised by thought and
all systems OF Learning made easy" are wrong
The best part Of education is learning to think
and the harder the task the better for tn pupil
He favored the study OF the dead languages for
the reason that it was a good discipline of the
mind, as it required thought and discriminate
ing judgment to translate correctly into our
language the thoughts expressed in different
language two thousand years ago.
the result of proper education, which de-
veloped to the higest degree the mind, soul, and
body, was to enable men to be OF service to the
world. 1t enabled them to think Alright, and
thought was the most powerful agent known.
1t changed the character of GENERALIZATION and
wrought wonderful revolutions In science,
government and theology. The thought of
Lavoiser. which resulted in the discovery of
oxygen, revolutionized thescience of chemistry.
and the thought Of Martin Luther revolution
lied the civilization OF the world.
Some consider ambition vice and not
virtue, and that 1t should be discouraged and
condemned. He would not give baubee for
man who did not have ambition. for ambition
is but the aspiration o the soul for higher ex-
celience. He did not mean that law and base
ambition which controlled those who sought to
fill places for switch they were unfitted, but
That virJuous and laudable ambition which
impelied persons to make themselves deserving
to fill them. The man should lit the ofiee-
and This was tue purpose aimed to be alta ined
by what is known Civil Service Reform
not he office fl the mzn, is now too fire.
quenbly the case when men are put into Office
10 manage pubic affairs who have never been
able to manage their own private affairs.
Itwas the du y OF parents in their homes to
give proper parental education to their chill
dren. 1t was The duty Of parents to bring The r
children up in the way Ia which they should
go aud 1t was The duty of chil1iel to honor