The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1896-02-27
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Montana's S boast be of her sons not as
warriors upon the field of battle alone
but of warriors that pace the halls of
congress and can manfully stand up
and say: L was taught and educated
in Philipsburg's high school.
| Following the remarks Of Mr.. Han
son, County Superintendent of Schools
G.. B. Stevens delivered an address in
which he said:
"No more fitting season than this
could be chosen for the dedication of
this building to the purpose for which
it is to be used No more fitting sea-
son than this could be chosen for all ex
position of the aim and end of the in
stitution of which this is part.
''We We're living under structure Of
government dedicated TO the declaration
that All men are created equal. Over
| the portal shines another declaration
that Governments derive their just
powers from the consent of the gov
erned. The edifice is founded Oh the
lives and cemented with the blood Of
many heroes. In our national growth
prosperity, wealth and continued free
dom, we have reason to testify to -and
applaud the wisdom of the architects
of the structure. We, too, should be
resentful Of any breach in our rights as
freemen, and be prepared to resist any
inroads upon our prerogatives as the
governed. 1t is meet that the means Of
rerpetuating the memory of their sac
ritices, of their sufferings, of the cause
for which they fought, should be fos-
tered. should be watched with jealous
eve lest their aim should be mis-
directed. Virtue is too complex i'll
character for description but III Wash
ington we know what virtue is. Let
the child be taught virtue from this
model from his life his writings and
the testimony of his associates we know
what patriotism is. Let the child be
Taught patriotism from this model.
The eulogies of a hundred years have
beggared language to fittingly describe
his character and each confesses to
having fallen short of completeness.
Let the child be taught character from
this model. In his life is shown all
that is needful for our safety and for
the perpetuity Of our institutions. 1t
is a beacon lighting the way to a safe
harbor. With him as the guide we can
rest in security that our children and
our children's children from generation
to generation will enjoy the inheritance
until our language becomes archaic and
the deeds of but few remain in men,
Dry. His history is too well known to
require detail and will touch upon it
but lightly. His father was in atf1uent
circumstances for those times. and was
a man of some note in the colony, be-
ing member Of the House of Bur
gesses, and Colonel Washington was
a leader of the Virginia forces in the
Indian wars. The military spirit
seemed to have existed to q considerable
degree ii the family as q brother too
was captain in the wars against
Spain. The father died when Wash
lngton was eleven years of age. To the
careful instruction of the widowed
mother is traced the foundation of
| those maxims of living which had so
great place i'll the formation of his
character and influence in his after
life. Ills education was circumscribed
by existing conditions and did not ex-
tend beyond the branches necessary for
ordinary business. In mathematics he
excelled and he trained himself to be
exact and methodical in his business
affairs He has been charged in some
quarters with want of learning, but he
certainly was an educated man-and
his education embraced those elements
which were destined to be required and
needed in the trying times of later life.
His occupation and training as a sur
veyor gave him the necessary ability to
view i'll all its bearing the contour and
character of the large scope of country
over which he was to later WELD such
wide influence. His association with
certain families of the neighborhood
added to his natural dignity of manner
a desirable finish. Physically he was
beyond the average in strength and his
aptitude for manly sports was fostered
by his associations. In common with
many youths of that day he had a lean
ing to the military profession, doubt
less enhanced by the positions of his
father and brother, or it may have been
an inheritance from his warlike ances-
tors. When the opportunity offered he
occupied himself in acquiring knowl-
edge of arms and in studying from
books the tactics and evolutions of old
world campaigns. His success in ac-
tual warfare, with paucity of means,
can be attributed, however, not so
much to previous training as to his
sound and unerring judgment His
life seems the fulfillment of destiny,
He seems an instrument shaped by di-
vinity for special purpose The guild
ing providence in which he SO devout-
edly trusted seems to have been ever
present shaping his ends and leading
in safety along the thorny path he
was to tread The supreme moment
came! The impassioned words of
Henry coincided with Washington
We must fight The OBJ
stinate infatuation of the king and his
ministry left no alternative. Then
Washington dedicated his life and for
tune to the cause with no thought
however, Of being called to the su
preme direction. He was prepared TO
act i'll subordinate position as his
modesty forbade him to expect any
thing else. But his fate decreed O, her
wise
1t is needless to detail the events of
the long struggle. 1t is needless to de-
tail the discOuragements met with un
falterlng tread in the earnestness and
patriotism OF the people the apathy in
some quarters and opposition in others:
the inadequacy Of the confederation to
furnish the necessary support when and
where needed: the weakness and nm