The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1889-06-20

quired, at least temporarily, to stand
for themselves in the world. 1t has
been too long true that woman's
only independent vocation was teach
ing. One of the most distinguished
educators in the South, told me less
than week ago that she was over
whelmed with applications from young
ladies who were all well qualified for
teaching and yet for whom there were
no places. To day | wish to congratu-
late the management Of this institu-
ton on making provision for young
ladies to qualify themselves for useful
ness and for earning livelihood by
telegraphy, by typewriting, by book
keeping and by other methods that
have hitherto been almost entirely
closed to women. Salem Academy is
still on the upward grade. This ven-
erable school is still in the van.
And then we have here to-day
graduates in music as well. [ need
not say to an audience in old Salem,
which has certainly developed most
faithfully every particle of musical
talent which the great Creator has
given them, that this is one of the
most delightful and enviable accom-
plisbments of educated womanhood.
l know it would be exceedingly dan
gerous for me t. make any remarks in
this presence upon the science of mu-
sic, as much so as to "talk about war
in the presence of Hannibal" and yet
in my desperation this afternoon as to
what [ should say when l was called
upon to speak, have gotten thought
which l shall venture to express. |
was reaching out for some straws and
l have gotten a few from one of these
young ladies, and l wish to charge all
graduates, academical, commercial and
musical, to make one element Of this
science IF sweet sounds type and
ideal of your future influence, and that
is harmony. In painting, as my
young friend has already intimated, it
is not one color which gives most
pleasure to the eye, but the harmony
of blended colors. In music it is not
the repetition of single note which
gives most pleasure to the ear, but the
concord of sweet strains that differ in
pitch and quality This same idea of
harmony was the chief element in the
ancient conceit about the music Of the
spheres. Plato taught that each planet
had syren whose song was in perfect
accord with the movement of our
sphere and others. My wish for each
of you is that you may be the Heaven
sent syren, the sweet troubadoar,
whose harmony of character shall
carry music and gladness to every So
cial and domestic circle that is bright
ened with your presence. And my
highest wish for all is that the princi
pies and the training, the lessons, both
mental and spiritual, which you have
here learned may be to you an ideal
which you shall realize in your future
life like the angel dream of the sculp-
tor:
'Chisel in hand stood a sculptor boy,
With his marble block before him,
And his face lit up with smile of joy
AS an angel dream passed DER him.
"He carved it then on the yielding stone,
With many sharp lncision,
His face with Heavenly beauty shone
He had caught the angel vision.
'Sculptors of life are you as you stand,
With your lives uncarved before you,
Waiting the hour when at Gods command,
Your life-dream passes Ger You"
My dear young friends, may it not
be that the principles which you have
here learned are intended of God to
be the life dream which you shall
realize, carving it day by day into
your future, slowly, steadily, painful
ly, it may be, but with glorious re-
SUITS?
May you carve it then on the yielding stone
With many a sharp incsion,
Its Heavenly aeauty. shall be your own,
Your lives that angel vision.
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