Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1896-05-23
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victories. The public schools, and

In their victories. The public schools, and
the children in them, are ours.
1t is such q little while since these youths
and maidens first entered the s~choolroom,
and now they ore leaving 1t for college or
business life, so swiftly do our ~schooldays
pass. From the time the A.. b. C.s are
learned, from the pretty nursery blocks,
not even the watchful mother showing
just when or how, to that proud, glad day
when q course Is finished, the question often
arises, What Next?v One step taken In
vltes another, a victory gained makes an
other possible. The primary and inter-
mediate grades passed, grammar and high
school courses become q necessity to the
ambitious student. One glimpse into
learnine's delightful fields inspires him
with such a thirst for knowledge that lie
| cannot be stayed in his earnest progress.
more r' .'Further 70 "Higher !U he
cries, as each goal is reached. Tonight,
each ono Of you is inquiring, "What
Next" and we are asking it of you as we
read the record of the past years in those
significant rolls Of parchment you have
received in our presence. No youth need
lack courage with he example Of Abraham
| Lincoln, shining like q star, before him.
No young girl who reads Alright the life OF
Frances Willard, may hesitate to set her
standard high. They travelled no royal
road, the priz@s they won were at The end
of a long, lard race. Abraham Lincoln,
earning twenty five cents a day,aacd solv-
ing problems on the back cf a wooden
shovel with a tit OF charcoal, BY the even
ing freight, saw not the presidential
chair, the love OF q nation and q martyrs
crown In his future. Miss Willard never
dreamed during the anxious days OF her
student life, when, fetherless end with
little money, she perseverei in obtaining
\ an education, that her fftieth year would
see her a leader of the worlds %philanthro-
pIsts, an honored guest 10 foreign lands
| and blessed by the love of those whose
cause che had succored. It is a fortunate
thing to be living iu this age,
but 10 he ynang In this latter
part Of this nineteenth century, Is grand
beyond expires sion. Invention and dis.
covery are at white heat, enthusiasm and
ambition know no bounds and opportunity
was never SO great as now. The best liter
ature Is accessible to al, honest labor IL
digni6ed, aud compensation, for the most
part, consistent with the demand, Cor
ruption is having the searching white High
| Of truth turned full upon ii. and evils Of
every kind are being hunted down. Yet,
even in these environments, there turks q
danger. 1t Is easy. in the race for any
prize, to become Sc fish end thoughtless OIL
others. II, In the struggle for business
pramatlon, \ regard fer the rights of other;
is sacrificed; il in climbing fer o position
fellow aspirants are crowded back II, In
any pursuit, self ohscures a brother, how
poor and p!ti:ul is the thing we cal
''sgrceesV
Sometimes the purest. highest success
comes In humble guise. In an eastern city
not many years ago, there lived a young
phi stefan, DOOR, not very strong, save in
bis desire t. benefit mankind, whiuh be pull
even before his devotion to his sssmliy.
The cholera broke out in the feir cisysof his
home. IL ragged during the scorciing beat
OF summer. He responded to calls, day
and night. AT length hs became Known
as the ''poor mans friend" for be went
where poverty roigned, with no thought a
r~ecoDpense. AT last death claimed him
when the scourge had spent its fury. AT
his funeral, net only his rich patrons
mcurned the loss of tbeip beloved physi-
cian, but the ppor, to whom he had been SO
true a friend, gave fearful t, stimony 10
his brave, unfelA-h life. The only in5eri.
lance he left his children was an honured
name, which they have been proud to
bear.
10 a numbering district Of northern
Iabored for FIVE years. At that time
a church being organized, a minister
was called. Everywhere he found races
of her influence. The Sunday school vas
OF her forming; the church the outgrowth
u ~ ueI uay-scuoCl,S NJ not only sum-
ulated thorough, enthusiastic study, but
taught her pupils lofty ideals OF life. She
organized q reading club among the young
people, and introduced them to the best
books. She waeed a quiet war against in
temperance, with great results, for she was
winning as we'll as wise. Old and young
lamented her call to a BROADER field. /
never heard that she made any money or
became famous, but | should like to leave
the record she did and bless as many lives.
One of our modern wise men has left
these golden words; l would hsve you
bind them on your hearts, remembering
that there is a place waiting for each one
OF youth this beautiful world, and a work
that no one but you can do: .Money is
not needful; power is MT needful; clever
nessis not needful; fame is not needful:
even health is not the ena thing needful:
but character alone; a thoroughly culti-
vat d will is that which can truly save US.
and { we are not saved in this sense, we
must certainly be lost. Therefore, if you
would be healthy, be good; if you would
be good, be wise, and il you would be wise,
be devout and reverent, for the fear of the
Lord Is the beginning of wisdom.'n