The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1893-03-17
A TREAT.
Senator Donnelly and Judge sever
ance Give Eloquent Addresses
Before the Normal
School.

ing and was met at the depot by a
committee of citizens and escorted to
the Saulpaugh. He spent this fore
noon looking over the needs of the
Normal school, visiting the classes
and observing the practice work.
The committee of citizens and other
visitors were also present. At l2:2o
O'Clock the school assembled, and the
guests took seats on the stage.
Senator Donnelly was introduced
and said he had no speech to make.
His visit had been a great pleasure
and source of great enlightenment.
He had peculiar interest when he
stood face to face with the represen-
tatiyes of the next generation. When
/ look into your bright and happy
faces cannot help but feel that 1t is
time for US old fellows to pack our
GRIN and 90. At no moment is the
water in the Minnesota river the
same: so it is with this great life OF
ours. The world is in a constant
process OF fiuX, change and movement.
The material that is here to-day will
pass away and you will take It's place.
Another generation is back of you IN
the model school, and back of that is
a generation in the cradles. Back OF
that is the unborn generations OF
millions and millions as long as the
world will last.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said that a
key dropped into the ocean would
make constantly widening circles
whose unseen vibration would reach
the shores of Europe. He who pro-
duces influence on the minds of peO-
pie does that which will last for hun
dIeds of years and the effects OF
which will last as long as the world
lasts.
| cannot help but think how happy
we should be that our lives are cast
in such a happy era as the present.
Go back two or three hundred years
and you will find shallow and
unworthy race, superstitious and
ignorant. Now how changed
it is. There is universal charity,
kindness and friendship, extending
even to our voicelesS relatives. If
there should be no untoWard causes
operating against it, this civilization
must extend for many generations.
/ am glad to see you here, and
especially SO many young ladies. In
many of the classes the young ladies
put the young men in the back seats.
That is right, that is the place they
will occupy liz the future. The race
cannot rise higher than its women.
A remarkable change has been
wrought during the last few hundred
years in the condition of women.
They were in the middle ages look
ed upon as temptresses, toys, demons,
and the ecclesiastical law taught men
to avoid women if they would have
true happiness. They were consider
ed by MahOmaJans as being devoid Of
souls, and later having been depriv-
ed of education and equality. There
are now numerous societies of all
sorts for women, literary, scientific,
ETC., and to practice parliamentary
law. They should acquire the capacity
to speak in public, you know they
have always had the capacity
to speak IN private. This is
one Of the greatest studies
you can have, to train all pupils, male
and female, in the powerof public dis
cusSion. All should go out prepared
to rise to their feet and argue their
opinions, if | had my way. We can
not tell when we may need the power
and it is of the utmost Importance.
In the present higher civilization it is
more necessary to come together and
reason. | remember when, in Phil
adelphia high school debating society,
| first arose to speak, my timidity,
SlOwneSS of thought, and impossible
ty of expressing myself. Many De-
duu OlCClOS udfC SOuC uOW
TO nameleSs graves because they could
not overcome their timidity.
hope that your good work will con-
tinue. l see your necessities and
when go back to the senate chamber,
when the proper time comes, l shall
say how you are hampered for lack OF
room, and will do my little to widen
your power and increase your facili,
ties.
l was interested in the essays read
this morning and am gratified at the
improved methods of education which
you have. l remember that when d
child education consisted only in
memorizing. You cultivate the di
vine faculty Of thought. Never cease
to think and never reach that limit
where you say II accept unQuestion
ably" All progress is derived from
doubt. The faculty of origina
thought is beyond all else. 1t can bt
developed easily.
You must not forget the magnitude