The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-05-30
END OF The SCHOLASTIC YEAR
Commencement Exercises at the
High School Yesterday.
"on' - Anon Watts Addressed the Grad
uattng Ciass-rhe Awarding of Diplo.
mas and Presentation of Medals-Ad;
dress OF Rev. DIR. Campbell to the
medaltsts - Superintendent Rust,s
speech-He Praised the Teachers.

Inc commencement exercises of shc
high School took place yesterday
morning In the chapel of the First
Baptist Church in the presence of q
largo number OF the parents and friends
VI tne teachers and pupils. The ex-
DR.. w. Campbell, OF the Fret Pres
eyterian Church, after which Hon. r.
Allen watts spoke for half an hour to
the graduating class.
Mr.. Watts said he had promised n
year ago to make this address, and
nothing could give him more pleasure
than to keep his promise.
DE said that the system OF education
winch we now have in this State is the
outcome OF the shoughs Of the philoso-
pher and statesman, Thomas jefferson,
wno' In his retirement, after 80 many
political honors had been heapsd u non
him, devoted himself at his beautiful
nome, monticello, to philosophical in.
quiry and the bestermens of his people.
de planned system Of education which
should begin at the foundation and
build up; the free or public school fea-
ture Is embraced in this for the cage
nelo thas the schools would act as feed
ers for the colleges and universities In
pursuance Of thie theory the public
school system has been inauRurAted
snrOuR nout his b. o I'd lnnd,
Unless children are taught to distIn-
gnlsh between good and bad, there osn
Do no such thing as perpeiuating re-
puohcan governments and political tree
dom. de also added that one euuipped
with the knowledge to be obtained In a
oigh school could enter any college in
the country or 60 ON through life with
the feeling that at least their minda
hsve been trained.
de congratulated the young ladies of
the graduating class, but reminded them
tnst the young man who was grad.
uating with them would now be allowed
10 enter the Institutions Of learning as
blacksburg, Lexington. FArmville, will
namsourg or Charlottesville, but on 40.
count of the old fogy ideas prevalent in
Virginia the Normal School at Farm.
Vile was the only one they could enter
free OF expense after they leave school.
Referring TO the teacbers he said:
The teachers in 8 school like this are
the best missionaries, next TO the min
issers. that can go to town, because
tney lnculcate those things which give
an ambition to get up bsYond and ABOVE
the ordinary walks and pursuits Of life.
Inc teacher can do vast coed he can
show TO scholars and people not onlv
mere book knowledge, but ne Can teaoh
broad and general knowledge, q broad
soo general citizenship and . broad and
general patriotism shat 1T this day and
time are sadly lacking.
Inc diplomas were then delivered to
the graduates in the following order:
Misses Clara Hoffman BarnhArds, Annie
Hughes, Lila w London. EN- q Foster
McEldowney. Fannie Lee Sherman,
Florence Burrige Funknouser, Lille
May Ramsay; also to Forrest Everett
Barnes. Miss Lila London was the first
graduate OF he school, but her Diploma
WAS awarded third in order.
AFTER the presenting OF the diplomas
10 the graduates. Rev. DR. Campbell ad-
dressed the three medAlists. After q few
appropriate Introductory remarks the
speaker said that the great hope OF The
country Is tue ten or twelve millions of
children who are attending the public
ana Su nday schools He re joiced to see
the bright faces Of the growing genera
non for 1t means we are developing.
Men might talk about anarchy, but
when he saw such faces az those before
MIN he had strong hopes for the future.
a hundred years ago twenty million
people spoke the English languages;
TO- day thoy who speak It number q hun
ored million. The two things tnsthAve
given the Anglo-SaxCn race It's great
power are its religion and education.
DR. Campbell concluded the presents.
tlon speeches by handing beautiful gold
medals TO Miss Lila w. London. for pro-
hciency in English; to w b Stone, for
general scholarship, and to Harry
Hughes, for mathematics
Superintendent Rust then addressed
the graduates and school. giving them
timely advice. and urging them 10 keep
on striving, He paid high compli-
ment TO the teachers OF the school, and
asked for the sympathy and prayers of
parents.
The exercises were brought to close
by DE- Campbell pronouncing the bene-
diction.
Lynchburc for silver