Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1891-06-30


act illustration ~ the only possibility of
true education or successful life ~ what
can appear only from the dlllgent AMI
accurate use of opportunity and maierl-
al.
The eye Of how many . poor boy or
girl will turn up Ia this gateway, Win
untold longing to push up IT, coveted
way; yet an apparently hopeless long
lng for lack of means.
As dlsheauenlng t0 them a. was the
prospect for this building five years ago,
when trustees and anxious friends said,
''The plan l. beautiful on paper - but
utterly impossible Ia raise the siO'u''
Among the youthful aspiring ones, those
Who will do for themselves, a. some have
done for this building, planning, sacrl-
icing, PRAYING. writing a thousand let
ter. not beggars bat workers ln any
lsudable way ~ Divine Providence, do
Ing ~ did boys on these hills, from whom
arose such men a. Gov. Albion h. Parris,
and Dr. Adam Wilson, What earnest ones,
~ genuine pluck. courage, capacity, and
good fortune. may not reasonably h0pc
to reach fair education and honorable
pO.ltlonf
While score. and hundred. ~ the chill
drrn Of afiiuenc. will Do wasting patsrnal
fortunes, throwing their live. away, In
idle friVnlities, from these s'rHggiiag
one.. rislng by the tollsome process here
40 happily Illustrated will continue "a
arise the real men aud women; the
Mary Lyons, Harriet Newells, the
Gariields and I.lncolns % the coming
age.
Through the crowded avenues of that
famous old city. 20 perpetual throngs,
never noticing a tone from that mystic
tower.
The stranger Of special ear il caught,
held spell bound, In the enrapturcd
chorus of that sweetest chime of bells In
the world.
How many may idly pass this door,
with no aspiration for the Nay 90 which
II opens. but the sarRss youth from what
ever grades ~ prominence or Obscurity,
catching here the idea of life's true
armor aud m. guidance Into the Held for
IL. proper use. will make Il the avenue
to the labors. honor. and reward, OF
noble life.
n /. beautiful custom ~ some grad
uating classes to leave In their academic
hall. some choice memenio ~ what may
have aulckened the impulses ~ their
student life leaving In the Greek ROOM
possibly, some picture or efhgy of lio-
mer, the Acropolis or the Parihenon' ln
the Latin room such reminder ~ 'aesar'
Virgil or the forum; or something ap-
propriate for the department. of history
science or art.
Commendable a. that may b., the
true. vastly higher purpose of each hon
orablc graduate Il tO put somewhere Ia
the active world, not an lnanlmat picture
bat a living, Inspiring, cultivated, model
man or woman.
Thecomplacent maguates Of the metrOP-
oil. spurnci the suggestion Of accrpt-
Ing FROM the little obscurc Beihlsh.m
retreat, ANYTHING for ublic,-especially
national influence: while from thence,
iust then, was coming the most potent
element that ever entered human society
for touching the destiny Of every nation,
Kingdom aud throne through all time.
Prom this qulet of far Northern New
England hills. what can ~ to D. per-
ccptIble atom amL the tccmlng millions
of population In the rtar Of commerce,
the .ufging, rrslstle.s tides of business
In the commanding crntrcs, In the
crowdlng western domains OF the
amazing rrpubllcf
Titled or hereditary, aristocracy
might control pact uatioualities. Hut
the power of cultivated mind aud char
acter must b. more aud more la the a.
cendant. Already unexpected Apcrs
lighted st thi. distant, Obscure literary
are what acknowledged
llghts In commanding positions.
And Ia accordance With the divine plan
which called the most honorcd king from
the .he.pfold, how confidently We eN-
pe,t. that life, rising "a strength among
pure mountain breeze.; true character
developed In this literary and moral
atmo.pher. will continue to furnish Tor
most Important places, some of their
essential. guiding, saving elements. =,
~ often a. the genial spring shall
cause buds aud .pringing Scriure herr
Ca follow the departing SHOWS, or the
crisp autumn ha. It, gathered fruits,
az these opening doors renew their
semester welcome, the sous and daugh-
ter. II how many homes, lust awAklng
to the thought II life, and flt. unknown
possibilities, with such a mlngllng ot
fear ami hopc and ambition about sue
cess, followed by the benellction of
father, the prayer. ot mother or With the
more Intense struggle of orphans, viii
enter these halls, on the way toward
the solution of that question of life.
Therefore, a. we see them coming, In
their lcngthening lines, what a JOY i
10 u to d,,iicRs these completed apart
ments 10 their use.
For though thi. building may well b.
a memorial of gratitude for the founders
aud past friends Of the academy, " can
be ~. suitable memorial for them In ac-
corlance with their spirit, only a. We
now Dedicate Il especially Ia the great
purposes of the fifHre to the Interests
~ true learning aud .afe discipline; to
the best development of physical, intel
lectual aud moral capacities; 20 the guild
ance of mind aud heart upward to the
most beautiful, symmetrical, complete,
useful life.
Thu. reaching the suggestion Of the
main purpose, the ultimate design, here
let me b. done.
have recently glanced at the cata-
lopue of $50; faded reminder Of my
flr.t acquaintance here. OF that entire
board Of trustee. and examining CON-
mlttee one name alone represents lly-
Ing one on earth be- retired from service
In a western state.
The name Of my brother Richardson
represents the only living one associated
with me on the board Of Instruction.
OF those 100 students and the honored
citizens who then frcquented these rural
paths, how large proportion have
graduated from earth.
OF the head. of families In all these
dwelling. scarcely one remains. She
who va. az a devoted mother to so many
% "a, God bless her, In serene age, stiIi
lives, In Bangor.
With Indescribable recollections OF
that time, when, direct from student life,
With the trembling step of inexperience,
I came hlther for my first imperfect
public service. forty year. ago, " sa
singular privilege and honor to return
for what may b. one Of the last OF such
public services, To unite with all these
older and younger friends, In now dedi-
eating exactly the chosen and most de-
.ired academy home, to the great pur-
pose. Of thl. honored campus, aud for
our best dedication, uniting our earnest
petition that the God Of the Fathers,
viii make Il for the enlarging Glasses OF
the coming generations, the busy, de-
lIghtful arena for heroic, successful, 1T
erary. scientific and Christian endeayor
and 20 the honorcd gateway toward the
best Of noble lives and toward immortal
felicity.