Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1896-06-25

There is desire upon the part OF
many to cut off the frills of our system
of education. They say, and justly to,
that Latin, German and Greek are not
necessary to education; nor are Geolo-
gy Botany or Chemistry. These as
we'll as other studies are mere orna-
ments and in most instances are dis
continued with school life. The
primary object Of school is To teach
the rudiments, TO lay the foundation
for starting the youth on the pathway
of life, equipped to follow any profes-
sion ne may choose; be ii the arts,
sciences on mechanics. The youth OF
America is being educated away from
the practical instead Of toward it, We
are being decked with the ornaments
| instead of strengthened with the solid
sub-stratum OF wholesome everyday
| knowledge.
The sons and daughters Of this quar-
ter of century are growing up to fill
the places now effectually filled by
their fathers and mothers. lf they ac-
quire a knowledge Of the requirements
Of these places they will be able to till
them with credit, and America will
indeed be the land of the free and the
home OF the brave.
Let us therefore gather useful know
ledge, such as will better fit us for the
duties and responsibilities OF life. Not
life without contests, not a life with
out disappointments, not a life in
France or Germany, not a life in Rome
two thousand years ago nor in the
moon now, but manly and womanly
life in the Republic OF the United
States during the next fifty years.
Tonight is but the beginning; the
end OF our destiny we cannot see, but
the past has taught its lessons, the
present has its duty, the future has its
hope. Let us then take our fate, bear
il and esteem it blest, and work un-
coasingly upward and onw ara etowaia
success. There was never, probably,
a time in the worlds history when
high success in any profession demand
ed harder or more inccssant labor than
now. The world is no longer clay but
rather hard iron in the hands of its
workers. This is the iron age Of labor
and we, who would win places for our
selves, must hammer them out by
steady and rugged blows. Win your
own laurel for it is the rule of prov
idence the world over and in all time
Rather deserve applause without OBJ
tanning it than obtain without deserv-
ing it. Rather let men ask why no
stutues were erected TO you than why
they were. Rather own manfully you
have caught no fish than buy up
string on the way home.
Let us not be content with the bor
rowed lore taken from our books and
teachers, but gain hour by hour, and
day by day another line, deeper
thought from nature, and as the beau
tiful coral is built by each tiny insect,
casting its atom in, so let US strive To
leave the world little better for our
having been.
The past has been long, weary
march to the battle field of life. The
paths were rough and stony; it was
not royal road. Yet our stand to-
night proves that we have finished the
march and are ready to take up arms
against the world. The fife and drum
are calling US to fall in line, every man
in his place ready for the fight. Upon
this battlefield we will find thunder,
fire, dust and groans. But with the
help of our all wise commander, who
directs all things Alright, when the roll
is called up yonder on the last great
muster day we will rally round our
glorious standard and shout victory.
HISTORY AND PRoPHECY-.MABLE SUIT
TON SPENCER.
''What is history" asks Napoleon,
"but fable agreed upon?" If this
in mind it has been strictly agreed up
on; and therefore fulfills the require
ments Of a truthful history.
We, tonight, have reached an epoch
in history; an epoch Of the utmost inn
portance, TO US at least. We are
making history every day, history that
will tell for veal or woe in our lives,
history that will make our nation the
better or the worse.
We are what we would be; what
Plato has thought, we may think,
what Shakespeare has observed, we
may observe; what any saint OF his
tory has felt, we may feel. VIII weY
be this as ii may, now we leave our old
school life, what have we accomplishedy
OF our number only one, Ellis Ranney,
began school life in this city; in the
fourth year Pearl Roosevelt entered the
class from the Eureka achnol. four