Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-06-04
UNWILLING THE TABLET.
Interesting Exercises in Memory OF
Miss Winnie McNaul.

Miss Winnie McNaul.
The lower hall and stairways OF iht
central school building we're crowded
Yesterday afternoon when president
4. II. Malott of the school board called
the gathering to order for tue exercise
at the unwilling of memorial tab.ei
to the memory of Miss Winnie McNaull
| a former teacher of the schools. A
Guartette consisting of Misses BoLell,
Wilson, Gleissner and uOising tJn,
who were fellow teachers with the
departed, followed with selection
1t was sweetly and tenderly sung and
touched all hearts. Rev. +. 5. Blay'
ney made feeling prayer asking for
blessings on those who have the young
in charge that they may do their worH
we'll
Mr.. 7, L. Dewey then made the
address of the occasion. 1t was re-
plete with true appreciation of the
sweet life gone out into the hereafter
and every nearer felt the better for
having listened to it. After outlining
briefly her history, ending with heI
death last December, he said:
That is the story of her life briefly
told. 1t is a simple story and hers was
plain, simple life. You, then, who
4, \ u-a Il
ask why We have erected this tablet
and it is TO answer that question that
now address you.
Ordinarily it would be uuwise on
our part to do an act Of this kind.
Many have labOTed faithfully for these
schools during the last two decades
and many more will follow, all OF
whom must die some day. II we are
TO erect tablets for faithfulness and
for the conscientious performance OF
duty then i'll the distant future these
walls will have become covered with
marble. But there is LO gratitude in
this act. Gratitude is the least of
men s virtues. 1t is not for what Miss
McNaull did for us that we pay this
tribute TO her memory. She perform
ed her duty faithfully and cOmscien-
tiOusly. We paid her for that. She
was a pure, true, Christian woman
We employed her for that. But, my
friends, somehow, in some way, she
won our hearts aud we loved her.
That is the edsOn for this In Memo
riam. 1t is a tribute of love for "A
woman who was worthy of all that
men can bestow.
Again. this love is not the ordinary
personal attachment, nor is 1t ordinary
in its extent, Were it so, we could
not have preserved the memory Of her
in this way. 1t came from the hearts
of superintendents, principals, teachers
patrons and pupils, without exception,
and it came with respect that comes
to but few people in this world. l do
not know how she won this. Her
character was so symmetrical that 1t
is impossible to point out a predOmlna-
ting virtue. 1t is enough that every
one who came to know her felt the
better for it.
This is not a personal act on the
part of the members of this board. 1t
is purely representative. This is the
act and offering of this municipality
to her memory and how sweet it is to
be permitted to give this lasting express
sion of peoples love for a worthy
woman.
AS these little ones come in here year
after year, and 60 on, and up, and out;
as new teachers come forward to take
the nIaces Of these. who have PLAYED,
and studied, and taught with Miss
McNaull; as new patrons come up here
each wear to witness exercises such as
have been seen in the rooms today;
the one question to be asked by each as
this tablet is seen for the first time,
will be "Why?" and we hope that ira
dition will so preserve the answer that
it will always be "For Loves Sake
Only"
After the address the quartette sang
again and Rev. w. L. SeabroOk closed
the services with the benediction.
The tablet is placed in the north
wall of the lower hall, where it can be
seen by every person entering the
building. 1t is of plain white marble
and bears in raised Old English letters
the words. WINNIE McNaull, died
Dec. 20, 1890. Erected by the Board
of Education 1t is fitting memorial
of a sweet and noble life,