Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-07-01

| one JouCHeu upon StNtrul OIhci oil'h'
forces in nature and then turned to the
intellectual and spiritual forces which
effect our lives.
"A life is moulded and formed, not
by what the world sees, but by wonder
full silent forces whose power is known
only to the individual heart. Expert
ence Is one of them and it is IA wonderful
teacher Social conditions of a people
have been accurately determined by
the standard OF its literature. Impure
and light reading creates impure
thoughts. AS man thinketh in his
heart so is he While on the other
hand good literature elevates and re-
fines. Smiles and frowns are silent
forces which are directly opposite in
their effects"
Many more bright thoughts were
advanced in her ably written article.
ROBERT EARL WILSON
Recited Webster's Bunker Hill ora
tion. He was in excellent voice and
rendered the great orators address,
while standing in the presence of that
great monument to the heroes of rs.
in very creditable manner
CARL GRANGER
Made fine impression when he came
upon the stage and began his address,
the subject of which was Passwords. y
"From the earliest times, the human
race has been divided, as it seems TO US,
by Divine providence into divisions,
clans and nations, and these again have
been separated into tribes and families,
each with its own peculiarties and
institutions and these characteristics
are the only barriers to the mingling
Of all the people OF the great earth.
These are the passwords that admit or
bar out new acquisitions or rather that
preserve intact these tribes and fam
lilies. We have but to refer to the
people of Europe, Asia and Africa.
These different nations can mingle only
by the adoption of there institutions or
passwords of another people. Foreign
ers can only become Americans by
accepting our national password which
is allegiance to our constitution and
flag
The speaker referred to our secret
organizations, the division of commun-
tiles and societies. and of the customs
to conform to as being pass words.
Money, he said, was great password,
which admitted people into high and
low society and stripped them of their
prison stripes when incarcerated
Great is the power of wealth.
There was but one password for the
schol ar, no royal road to learning. 1t
was constant and careful study.
He had given his subject much
thought and it was listened to very
attentively.
WILBUR SEVERANCE WILSON.
His subject was support OF High
Schools and his paper was among the
best, containing many bright and
sparkling thoughts.
"There are TO be found in every com
munity two different classes of people
| The first, are those who care not for
the welfare and happiness of their fell
low citizens in particular, nor for the
growth and prosperity of our country,
but whose only aim IN life is to get a
| living. On the other hand is the class
of people who are trying to gain an
honest living, but not only that they
are always looking out for the welfare
of the community; they work to keep
up the churches, schools and other in
stitutions which help TO raise the
moral standard Of their community
This is the class of people who have
received an education in high schools
aud colleges, or who dependent of these
advantages have seized every oppor-
tunity to improve their minds by read
ing and studying as we do in our high
schools only the best books written by
the best thinkers and writers of our
time. In these days of financial dis
tress there is some talk concerning the
uselessness OF our schools as now orga-
nized. 1t is fact that nearly all the
objections raised come from the classes
first mentioned. Those who never had
interest enough in life's battles TO fit
themselves for successfully overcom-
ing its obstacles. Sad indeed will be
the day to this country when the idea
OF that class shall prevail, If prevail
they ever do. The great bulwork of
our nation is education and our public
schools are the best means of perpetu-
ating the glorious career of our own
America"
Mr.. Wilson then made a strong plea
for the support and encouragement OF
the schools OF our land through which
must come the men and women OF the
future to make this a greater and
grander nation. He closed by saying
"God forbid that the day should ever
come when the American people shall
cripple that noblest of her many noble
institutions, her common schools. Let