Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-08-01
GRADUATES AND THEIR TOPICS
A World Of wis,lom Grntultously Oncrci
Each commencement Time.

A World Of Wisdom (srntultously OEcrcd
Each Com,nenccmcnt Time.
Juvenile oratOry and rhetoric were
recently at flood tide. The tendency
among the Young graduates to take
high-sounding topics for discussion
was hardly so noticeable this year IA
formerly. but still many profound
.b.ects were boldly grappled with.
Moral laws are aid down with pre-
cision and air OF authority that must
etfectually intimidatc any rash per
sons who might wish to dispute the
conclusions. and the deepest prob'cim
or life are taken M u. d disposed at
in a way that would seem to settle
them ter all tine Nearly CIV ~
school contains statesman who set.
ties the labor problem to his own
satisfaction, and there are but few
schools without some young man o.
eighteen years or SO who feels it his
duty to warn the nation OF its danger
in not regulating the tariff, the cur
rency, or other publ; matters ac-
cording tn the system set forth ly
him. Municipal government, too l.
favorite topic, especially with the
10y who lives in Il small town. Ills
sister is rather given to considerin.
"Ths influence OF the Theater," and
is usually of the opinion that it Is
bad These young perso0s are alSa
inclined to answer the question, ".IEc
Large Cities Conducive to the High
est Development of Man." in The
negative, after Il careful cOnSid era-
ton Of the matter. Modern leach
ing, current information. and affairs
OF general interest influence to the
choice of such themes as .sThc Gold
Cure for Drunkenness ''Thc Raj.
way Problem" THE Future OF Elcc.
tricity." Purity of the Ballot"
"Na.ionalism, and the like. hut
there is also the young person in
nearly every school who Is impelled
to ask what Is Life?" and to answer
his own question at length, COM
monty in somewhat pessimistic way
| No commencement would be com.
plete without the touch of sentiment;
| found in an essay on ''rhe Ministry
OF Flowers or "Let Us Gather
Lilies" and the people who gradu-
ated some years ago, and would
hardly feel that all was as it should
be without discourse on Character
building Looking Upward" 'Bc-
yond the Alps Lies Our Italy" "rhc
Marble Lies Waiting" etc, are sell
dom disappointed.
These older people are Inclined To
smile at the self-confidence of their
Juniors in their handling of such in
tricata and abtrusc problems and are
apt to forget that they, too, showed
equal assn ance in disposing Of the
same questions. The truth Is that
these young men and women in their
teens have a sense OF being very ma
ture. They know great many things
very we'll and have not yet reached
that depressing point OF life where a
regret creeps In that they cannot be-
gin over again and learn it all better.
Graduation from school is very
serious and important event in life,
hut it is much more serious and inn
pOrtant to the graduates than to the
Onlookers. The latter are apt to de-
rive considerable cynical amusement
from certain OF its features These
spectators, however, are not unrea.
sonable, Knowing, as they do. that il
the boys and girls lacked this crude
and toploftical juvenility and wore
old heads on their shoulders. cynicsm
would have something worth working
upon. AS it is, the children add
something to the general entertain.
ment by amusing il they no not edIfy.
What IS more important, they en- loY
it all to the very utmost themselves.
indianapolis Journal.