The Clayton call. (Clayton, Del.) 188?-189?, 1897-07-06

lie sent forth dore from hin. /"
Gen. s. s.
We are met together here to-day to
send out the graduating class of the
Smyrna High School into the great, wide
world. And if have chosen the above
text as the thought around
which to gather what haYe to say this
morning it is because | think l see in
the sending forth of the dove from the
ark striking parallel to the intention
underlying the ceremonies of this occa.
sion. For you. my dear young friends.
your graduation is verify a going out Of
the dove over the worlds flood for that
bird stan DIS in the Bible for gentleness
and inexperience of character and, with
its silver wings. for fresh and pure ex-
terror. There's nothing SO charming to
the eye in all the world-not Solomon IL
his glory-not the lily with its white
ness of untrodden snow-nor the silver
wings of tie doYe-as the plumage with
which nature clothes the young, un-
worldly, life in the Springtime of its ex-
istence. And as to the internal traits
symbolized by the dove. I trust you
have the doves gentleness and inexper
ience. do not like to see old heads on
young shoulders. I do not care for the
boy or the girl who has his OF her mind
stored with the suspicious and distrust
and evil surmisiDgs of the aged. You
will, some day. have an experience OF
your own and the world may beat you
into a harsh-tempered, suspicious,
traYelI ed-stained unfortunate; but until
that day dawns cling to the kind voices
and the pure thoughts and the guileless-
ness of heart of youth, For believe me
the hour will often come hereafter when
you will long to push time back in lis
flight and think and feel as you do to-
day, looking wistfully over the years at
the shadow-faces of the companions who
sit now beside you; reaching out your
hands to clasp their vanished hands, and
listening for the sound of voices that
will be sill. Therefore do not borrow
any of the evil from your unliYed years;
sufficient unto the day is the evil there
off,
1t is as young, really young, people
that venture to address you this morn
ing and to point out to you the signifi-
canoe of this present gathering and those
which will take place in the next few
days. I am here partly to congratulate
you that you are ready to go out from
The ark of school life. take for granted
you have used your time and advantages
TO the utmost, take for granted you
have appreciated the efforts of the officers
of your school to give you the very best
education possible under the curriculum.
believe they have done their part by
you to fit you for this hour; I ask you
now. have you done your part by your
selves in receiving their instruction and
in learning how to think? Let me take
this for granted also. Then you are for
tunate indeed in going out with the
training that will greatly help towards
your future success in your struggle in
the arena of life.
These gatherings also mean the saying
goodbye 10 your dear school-days' life IL
Smyrna and the severing of ties which
haYe grown very strong indeed as you
have matured-t ties which now you viii
regret to have broken, lam sure. only
mention the fact; could not venture tC
voice the feelings that fill your minds
the minds of your teachers and parents
on such an occasion as this. Poets have
endeavored to throw your complex
thoughts into verse and have failed
Painters have attempted to aston can
vas the eloquent pathos incident TO the
breaking of home ties and as we havi
looked at their pictures we have invari
ably felt that not half has been told. Th
whole could not be told in human Ian
guage. In order to have before us al
its pathetic charm we must see with ou
own eyes one of those scenes In the his
tory of family when the son OF daugh
ter breaks the sacred circle about th
fomily hearth by the former going on
to make his fortune. the latter, to th
sound of the marriage bells, removin
to another household for life. How loy
ingly they all hang about him or her
What scores of unsaid things are 10 b
SAID i'll the hurry Of parting Wha
scenes of childhood days are bein
hastily recalled-What words of anxIou
warming and loving counsel are droppin
from the fathers and the mothers lips
How fnssily does the old mother bus
herself over those last noth1ngs of pre-
paration in order to hide the tears tha
have silently stolen into her eyes an
voice! What pathetic pretense to il
difference the dear old father affects 0
speeding the parting guest, as thor 3
he would say in callous tones: Se
how easy it is to say goodbye, to brea
up the sweet home life and send til
loved one out upon the food of time t
God knows where to come back some
where in the future years God know