The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1896-06-05

will best know the folks and they
will feel that he is one of them.
Addressing himself to the gradual
ing class he said:
Young ladies and gentlemen
| would persuade you to do what you
can to carry this work of welfare for
ward though it be slowly. Ii you
haste too much you will blunder. Do
not get out of patience. The people
may be hard of hearing, but their
deafness is not incurable. DO not
wait The feet of the confused and
troubled and the pain stand on red
hot iron. Do not delay. Be example,
illumination, help. Reforms, anchor
atiOnS and welfares wait on your
altertness, your culture, your energy.
Open the doors and the shutters and
let in the sunshine. Today's sunlight
pledges tOmOrrOW'S. Sunshine is the
greatest of diSinfectants.
Sow broadcast your ideas; they are
germinal: they mean friendly trees,
fireSides and temples; they mean heal
ing medicines, cOnvalescence, sanity.
You cannot rise too high if you are
to lift others up. Our common
culture and manhood are at too low an
ebb. Dare to believe that God has
sent you into the world to do some
noble and uplifting work and that he
continues you here that you may fin
ish it. DULY by your own Quickened
soul can you quicken other souls.
Your conventional platitudes and
common place will go a-begging; but
whatever is born of your own soul will
find a market even in the dullest
times.
Success is a calculation and an
endeavor. Form your plans wisely
and then stick to them. DO not be
annoyed by people; there is room
enough for you and them; even great
men are only other men. Do not wor-
ry. Do not borrow trouble: you will
cause trouble enough from time to
time and will not need to borrow any.
Go slowly; but go. Your life is now
happening; it will not happen again.
Time will do nothing for you but glide
by and leave you older. All of nature
and all of life are freely at your SER
vice. Your chance is great
and it is here and now.
Do the most good you can in your
neighbOrhood. Try to bring the best
things to pass there. Join yourselves
to the Invest and most enterprising
persons. Take your stand in the front
ranks. Be ardent Americans Always
be doing something to benefit others.
Your schooling has been at the public
expense; be sure to serve the public
welfare.
Be honest. Be frank. Be affirma-
tive. Speak and write plain English.
Believe in God, in your fellow men,
and modestly in yourself. Everybody
wishes you well. Never give anyone
just cause to say you did him injury.
Let no one who has believed in you
and helped you, ever be disappointed
in you.
Get off the merry-go-round. Look
up and look ahead. Live much out OF
doors. Go slow; but go. Say your
prayers Pay your debts. Return to
their owners the things you have Dor
rowed. Send flowers to the sick and
to the disheartened. Have your teach
ers in everlasting affection. Eat three
square meals day. Sleep eight hours
in every twenty four Grow only the
best wheat and do not commit the
laundering and awful sin making bad
bread out of good flour. Avoid the
awkward squad, Do not covet the
sweet-meats of life, but be content
| Will d lew VI lUS udluUlcS duu GdSOl
for it's realities.
Be Industrious. Face your difficult
ties: cOerce them. Never shirk. New
er be behind hand. Know how to be
silent, and how, betimes, to make
your thoughts vocal. Grow great pur-
poses and great faculties. Become
adequate to the problem. Keep clear
of dyspepsia and of nervousness. Know
| ~ ell ole Ii Nd
ers and daily live in sympathy with
them Be cheerful and bravelY per-
sistent. So shall you be manly, use
full and victorious.
Miss Alma Wagon played that
charming piano solo, LIE Dernier
Sourier.
Supt Kenaston then addressed the
class at some length, earnestly and
feelingly, words of warning and God
speed. He said that honest labor
brings the only satisfaction. You
must choose your own course. You
will do well to nail to your masthead
your motto, Growing, not Drifting"
Drifting for the next few years after
school is dangerous. Better be
a galley slave with Ben Hur and come
into future honors. Each of you is a
Columbus, and like him have a voy-
age to make, with its risk and it's
promise. Today's duty is to ponder
the lessons of the past and then bend
to the task of the future. Follow the
maXims your fathers have given you
from the tombstone of trial. Go
forth as missionaries of truth, intelli-
gence and fidelity. Remember that
every victory is beyond the battle
field, every Italy is beyond the Alps
Do not blame God and heredity for
failure. You start out now in the
morning of life, with every promise,
and may you do every duty of the en-
tire day.
The class then stood up in semi
circle, and Supt. Kenaston handed
each member diploma, saying:
"These diplomas are simple memen-