Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-06-05
CLIMBING RICHER.
The Ninth Grade Graduation this
Afternoon.
Interesting Exercises at Harper's
Theatr e..-The Pr0xramme-..Presi
dent Thomas Address.

The annual commencement exercises
the ninth grades OF the Rock Island
schools were held at Harper's theatre this
afternoon st $50. The stage was beau
tifully ranged. the national colors being
visible everywhere and neatly interviewer
with the flowers of nature. The fora
gifts Of the graduates were arranged 10
the form OF bank about the edge of the
stage. President Thomas. of the board
OF education, presided. The graduates
whose names appeared in yesterdays
ARGUS. had seats in a pyramidal form on
the stage. The programme of exercises
included
March, Kate Studer; prayer. Rev Kerr;
chorus God is Ever Good school;
recitation-Make the Best of Everything
Mamie Erhhorn; trio Vacation Song
school; piano duet, Hattie Ire
men and May Walker; recitation,
The Rising of re. Fred Green; trio;
recitation, Ride of Jennie McNeal, Blanch
Warren; violin. piano and flute, Alfred
Bear. Oscar Schmidt. Tully White, Sam
barrow. Will Totten; calsthenics; re-
citation, Unappreciated Efforts, May
SCHNEIDER; trio; recitation, Patriotism.
the Great School Lesson, Clarence
Spaulding; chorus, My Native Land,
school,
Following this came the presentation
of certificates of promotion by Mr.. T. 81.
Thomas, president OF the board of educa.
ton, who spoke as follows:
Pupils of the Ninth Grade:
In behalf of the board of education l
congratulate you in having completed the
course OF study prescribed for the ninth
grade. which entities you to certificates
OF promotion to the Rock Island High
school. Before presenting these certif
Gates TO you, | desire as business man to
call your attention particularly to our ex
cellent high school and to impress upon
your minds with all the force l can com
-mand. the great advantages to be derived
from higher education; and l believe
that any one of you who has the oppor.
tunitv TO enter our high school and does
not embrace it will regret it when too
late
Recently some of the ablest. self made
business men of our country have been
giving careful thought to this subject:
is higher education benefit or detri-
ment TO the youth of our country" This
question has been discussed thoroughly
by such able men as Carnegie, Depew,
Law, Hewitt and others. Mr.. Carnegie
says in an article entitled, How to Make
Fortune A graduate has not the
slightest chance, entering at twenty,
against the boy who swept the Office
or who begins as shipping clerk at
fourteen. To refute this idea large
number of S lf-made business men
have sprung to the defence of
higher education, and certainly the
weight Of experience and evidence is
against his views. Mr.. Depew says:
My observation leaves me to direct the
contrary opinion. | never met self
made mar who did not believe he had
been handicapped. no matter how great
his success. by deficiency in education. .
MIR. Hewett says; If you ssk my opin-
ion upon the value of an education.
Quote me as saying. if | were offered a
fortune without education. or education
without 4 fortune. | should unhesitst-
inglv accept the education" Mr.. Colby
says: Il admit that a man may succeed
in banking or business without educs
ton. but ] earnestly believe that il two
men OF equal ability start together in the
race, one an educated man and the other
without al education, the educated man
will win every time in the long run" Mr..
Ives says: That a man of ability edu-
Gated is better. no matter where he may
be placed, than a man Of ability unedu
Gated
In conclusion l hope the opinions of
these able men as to the great value of
education will induce everyone of you
who can to enter our high school. l
now have The pleasure of presenting to
you your certificates of promotion.
The little people all discharged their
parts well. and especial credit should
also be given Mrs. barrow for the pains
taken in tie training Of the instrumental
quartette.