The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-06-06

course; Misses Loenora Withers pooh and
Cora S. Aster in the German course;
Miss Carrie Kemble, and Master J. Wal>
10 Lawhead in the English course.
In the parquet circle were the under>
graduates of the high school, who were
% participate in the vocal parts of the
program. Prof Biehl's orchestra of sev>
IN pieces furnished the instrumental mu-
SIC.
THE PROGRAM
Opened with an overture from Arian by
the orchestra, and then at a signal from
Mr.. G. R. Housed, instructor in vocal
music, the under graduates passed quiet>
y and orderly IL the stage, and In
with the graduating class. sang
sweetly Jesus Lover of My Soul, Miss
Clara Hass playing the piano accompan>
lament. The invocation was then pros
bounced by Rev. R. G. Pearce, of the
iiSt M ~ ShuiCu' anu olCcI TIC Dcauti-
full rendition of GAS the Heart Panteth"
By the chorus. President SInnet intro.
duced Prof J. l.. Pickard, president of
the state university at Iowa City, Iowa
PROF PICKARp's ADDRESS.
Commencing his address on the subs
ject The Building of Life" Prof.
Packard said he wished to address him
self more especially to the young citizens
of Rock Island. He alluded to the small
nlmber of graduates, and said that al
though the number was really six, he de,
sired for the hour to be as graduate
I'VE are seven" he said, land tonight |
wish to act as substitute for that sew
en-. | wish to represent you, for am
scholar too; have been forty-fve years
student, and am not through yet" Cons
tinuing, the speaker said, into the ex-
perience of nearly every individual came
the lessons of travel Progress is the
ormal condition of life; stagnation is
abnormal, and the root of all dread and
misery. The harvest of life means moth
ing more than the stimulous of activity,
and not the end of work. A human life
means more than factories, mines
and railways; it is imperisha-
Bile and of unlimltable capac-
ity for growth. Although these
tools of man must be worked according to
the activity of the mind, they are quiet
when the mind is quiet The mind con-
tains the guide to all.
We are in a world rich with material
suitable for the building of life Man
is surrounded by facts awaiting investi'
cation. And these investigations are the
mark of an active life. Personal effort -
even in blind PATHS rewarded by the
incoming of knowledge. Beccher today
cannot discover the rule of his instructor
in education, yet he gives that instructor
credit for teaching him how to use him-
self
Because we are perhaps blind as it were
to the outcome of what we have thus far
learned, should we vanquish what We al
ready possess? In the autumn the trees
shed their leaves, should it be said that
because these leaves are trodder
underfoOt, the tree is vanquished
Another year will fluid the foil
age more abundant than before. Wen
del Phillips has aptly said; Nothing is
but what has been" Things forgotten
are lost. as their traces reappear to the
casual observer. The human race APP
pears to have followed Paul in forgetting
the things behind, to press on to things
above As you grow to men and women
you grow by that which is interior, the
material that is within, and not without
A mechanic must have his work shop
student his study, and an artist his stu
dio, each one a place where his imagi-
nation may be enlarged. A rented room
is better than none, but the better build
ing is, the one to be erected by you, the
one in which your plans have been con-
suited and carried out. You will have
the home which is better for you.
Intellect has not reached its maturity
at your graduation my young friends, thu
maturity looks far into the future. Tht
foundation must first be laid and thu
corner stone is now laid at the com
mencement exercises. Many people rui
after reputation, forgetting that it is /
mere shadow, and the sun is consequently
in their back. You must follow light tC
succeed, and not vain fancies which leat
you into darkness and Incidence. The
Jersey Lily" may be adored Today TO
her her facial beauty, but Florence
Nightingale has a beauty that will en-
dure forever. Life means far more thar
the power to absorb; it means continued
self activity. The intellectual buildin!
started in youth should be improved a
the mind grows, and so erected as ID livv
when the mind is at its final rest; the res
resistless There is nothing more beauti
full ia age than the light of pure intel
lect, and pure heart.
If continued effort is the success il
the building of life, then Indolenc
should not, and must not be tolerated
To every man there is opportunity t.
build in some direction. Man is expecte,
to be master of the forces placed at hi
command, not merely to become displa
of the latest fashionable garment. Aris
tocracy is no way necessary to the erec
ton of the building of life. How de
testable is he.who scorns his butcher, BIZ
baker and his tailor, who have made hir
what he is. Our position in society