The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1884-06-07

/ inform you that the Federal Govern
ment, with its overhowing treasury, is
coming to the rescue Of the States with
an appropriation of seventy-seven mill
ions Of dollars. Surely we have no men
in this commonwealth with the least
smatter OF learning, or the feeblcst glim>
mering of craftsmanship, that will reject
the splendid boon. on account of mere
political technicalities. Such men may
claim to be organs Of public.opinion, but
they are simply colossal sphinxes, endow-
ed with the power Of speach that mutters
and chatters, without any idea Of prog
ress 5y
Some Of you may leave this hall to be
soon engaged in the actual strug.
giles of Lille. Take with you the
kind, gentle advice Of your teachers,
the precepts Of your text books. and
strike for your honor, your country and
God. Place these three cardinal senti-
ments before you, as light houses on
life's tremulous ocean, and let them
guide you in all the relations that yon
shall sustain to society and the world,
and when the cons of unrecorded time
shall be made UP, you will stand with
that mighty host, whose works have en-
titled them to an mortality of peace and
happiness. But there are others, who
must remain here for months to come
and some for years. Children do you
know that as mind advances, responsi>
bility accrues? How important then,
! that you who are further advanced in
age and learning and experience, should
set an example worthy Of imitation by
these little ones, which seem to consti-
tute majority of this school? You
elder ones, should be the stars, to whom
these little trembling dewdrops look for
larger light--brighter rays Of duty and
right. These little people with their
rounded limbs, their ruby lips, their
blushing cheeks and their dallying curls,
have been in all ages, with painters and
-sculptcrs, the models of graces, that have
peopled, the grottoes of the mountains
side given music of the oceans swell,
and song to the rivers flow.
You are here educated together, the
males and the females, and in my humble
opinion, the best way of bringing up men
Of knightly bearing, and women OF trust
ed character 1t is here that you learn
each others faults, and prize each Others
virtues. Politeness and gallantry on the
one side, grace and confidence on the
other, area the natural outcome of the
co,education of the sexes; and the i'm
propriety Of separating them because OF
the possibility Of occasional troubles, is
no more sensible, than hiding the sun
light, because the sky is now and then
overcast with clouds and darkness. The
little arrangements that take place be-
tween you, are simply the April changes
of childhoods growing season. The dis
tance, in childhood and youth, between
1.-the smile and the tear, is 80 short, that
they are frequently blended and the
sigh and the laughter comming'e as one
You have in your chief Mr.. j, j. Gage,
Jr., young man whose moral and hero
ic coerage has been equal to every de-
mand of public and private duty. Hav-
| ing devoted his life to the profession o
teaching, he has studied human charac'
LeT III CulluTeH ds WCii IT'S IcdTHluS IL
books The first he has mastered so tai
as to gain control over the affections O
those under his care, and consequently
can command, without the rigors Of au
thority. I congratulate you in having
such chief. Ia his assistant and co.
worker, Mrs. Lou Payne, you have no
only a lady Of refinement but mothe
! who knows all the secrets ofthat un
| quenchable fire that glows and burns tC
such perfection, as in a apothers. heart
| Your sorrows and your Joys COME home
20 her, as naturally as the dove returns
to its nest. Accomplished in graces, ed
ucated in books, and sympathetic in feel
ings, you are happy in having one Sc
able to help you in the second depart
tment.
! Permit me to say that these closing
exercises have been attended with littl,
tormality, and yet have been sufficient tc
show Improvements creditable to pu-
pills and plimen tary to teachers, anc
that the State may continue her llberali'
ty to the cause of public education un.
til every child of every race and color,
feels the inspiring and uplifting power
of moral and intellectual Improvement,
is my most ardent wish.
/