The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1895-01-17
UNIQUE ADDRESS.
DELIVERED IN WORDS OF ONE
SYLLABLE.
Mr. A. p. Edgerton's Remarkable Ad-
dress to the School Children of Fort
Wayne-Ti!e Strength of Simplicity
in Writing Or Speaking FoCibIy
iiius:rated-A; Lesson for Young
People to Copy After.

t!Icd1D l1tldIu.
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 a
graduating class at Fort Wayne i'm
pressed itself on the minds Of the
listeners with a force that made them
remember it. The President Of the
Board of Trustees was Mr.. A. P.
Edgerton, afterward National Civil
Service Commissioner, 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.
81 say girls and boys, for when
three-sCore and ten years have come
10 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 sgirls 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 has 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,
Il 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
" Now for you, young men, this
truth is told:
" Go where you Will through the
world, and you Will find on the front
door OF shops and mills, Ct stores and
banks, and on ships, on farms, on
roads, n deep mines where men toll
for wealth where laws are made that
make some men too rich, and men of
worth ard work through all our land
to- poor where men by law are
taught to plot with sin, to spurn the
right, that charge and cost and spoil
may make old 'Quirk's law firm
rich where law is 50 plead that III.
Judge must guess to find what's law
where quack, most fight DER sick
mems pans and dead mems bones
where type 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 tear. Step up and ask tor
work brains Will get it. Don't let |
dare not wait on | wOuld'-lke the
cat that loves fish, but dares not wet
her foot.
eff 1t be said, What can you do?
VIII YOU learn a trade?' say Il 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 deep? That
plow, IN lis 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 wheel, which make the wealth of
the earth and cause it to roll and to
ho1t to and tro from place to place
where 1t IS best for man 10 use it
Can you spin the thread and
weave II, which makes robes for kings.
and silks for the rich an1 vain, and
dress for the poor, and all that skill
and art have wrought 10y loom and
hand tor mans use?
These things are all shot through
with threads Of nght-the light Of
mind and art and skill which shines
each day more bright and dlms all the
old by some new found light, as the
years go on.
eli you say that you do not know
how to do all this work, bu, you viii
try TO learn some OF it and to do it
we'll, then viii be SAID to you, Can
YOU and will YOU work? And will YOU
speak the truth and in all things strive
10 do no man wrongo If you say
Yes. then all the doors where mans
good and great work is done Will
SWING tor you TO pass IN 10 do your
part ; and thus YOU Will see how God
rules, in all his ways, in mans good
works and deeds. Some may hope for
fame, but if they doubt that God rules,
have no, trust and faith, they we'll may
fear their fate New books, not old
coins, keep charge Of fame. Look well
to books, for through them the worlds
best thoughts and deeds now speak.
"To you, young girls, must say a
word, not to chlde nor 10 praise You
can plant the rose which shall bloom
and give It's sweets to all; or you can
the 49,, -, II ,A:.,..c., ~