The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1894-01-27
4 REMARKABLE ADDRESS.
Delivered Entirely In Words Of One syl-
liable.

-
Delivered Entirely In words Of One Syi-
liable.
The strength which lies in words Of
one syllable has been often demon
strated, and no doubt the simple di-
rectness of this address delivered to q
graduating class at Fort Wayne im-
pressed itself on the minds of the listen
ers with force that made them re-
member it The president of the board
of trustees was Mr.. A. p. Edgerton,
afterward national civil service COM
missioner, and his advice, given eleven
years ago, is still worth preserving.
The greater part of it is here quoted:
"This day we close for the year the
Fort Wayne free schools, and we now
part with you, the girls and boys we
are no more to teach.
II say girls and boys, for when three
score and ten years have come to you
you will be glad to have your friends say
that health and peace OF mind have
kept your hearts warm; that you wear
no brow of gloom; are not borne down
with age, but still, in heart, are girls
and boys When these years come.
and hope they will come to all, the
tide of time will roll back and tell you
of your school-time days, when the
fair, the kind and the true found
love, but the false heart found
no friends, no tongues to praise.
These days bring rich gifts to
age, and when you shall cease to
think of them your fire hes burnt
| low, and your light has gone out You
have been here taught in the hope that
the free schools of Fort Wayne would
| help to make you of use to your friends
and to the world; would give you faith
| in all that is good and true. and lead
you to seek work; for this you must
seek and do if You would have good
name, wealth, a home, a charge to keep,
or trust to serve Go forth with
bold, true heart to seek the work for
you to do
Keep In mind that the hours of work
run through each day, and that Gods
great law of life is: In the sweat of
thy face shalt thou eat bread
'sNow for you, young men, this truth
is told.
1
world. and you will find on the frontdoor
of shops and mills. of stores and banks,
and on ships, on farms, on roads, in
deep mines where men toll for wealth;
where laws are made that make some
men too rich. and men of worth and
work through all our land too poor:
where men by law are taught to plot
with sin, to spurn the right, that charge
and cost and spoil and make old
sQuirlx's' law firms. rich: where law is so
plead that the judge must guess to find
what's law; where quacks most fight
DER sick mems pains and dead mems
bones; where types are set, and none to
mind the proofs; where priests do
preach and pray, and where schools
are taught this sign: Brains Will Find
Work Here
Don't fear Step up and ask for
work: brains viii get it. Don't let i
dare not wait on / would'-like the cat
that loves fish, but dares not wet her
foot.
"If it be said What can you do? VIII
you learn trade? say 4 have none,
but can learn one and put brains in
it. When you go to place where
brains should hunt for work and will
be sure to find it, it may be said to
you, DO you see that plow? Can You
hold and drive it deepY That pillow,
in it's wise use, gives all men food.
do you see that wheel and that
crank and those shafts and that press
and do You hear the rush and the hiss
of the steam which moves them? Can
you make and hold and run them? Can
You build and drive the works and
wheels which make the wealth of the
earth and cause it to roll and to float
to and fro from place to place where
it is best for man to use it.
Can you spin the thread and weave
II, which makes robes for kings, and
silks for the rich and vain, and dress
for the poor, and all that skill and arr
have wrought by loom and hand fol
mans use?
.sThese things are all shot through
with threads of light-the light o.
mind and art and skill which shines
each day more bright and diins all ths
old by some new found light, as the
years go on.
"If you say that you do not know how
to do all this work, but you will try Il
learn some of it and to do it well, theI
will be said to you: Can you and vii
you work? And will you speak thu
truth and in all things to do no maj
wrong?' If you say yes then all thu
, doors where mans good and great worl
is done will swing for you to pass in =