Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1897-07-08


the world today rests. Aud set the
Roman republic was supplanted by
an empire. Bat il may be said
that these ~ere aot commercial na-
tions. Tell me why the republic of
Venice fell i. Venice the home of
science aud ART. venice, within
whose limits were ceatered not on
ly the genius of the day, but which
became the commercial mistress Of
the world and whose Rialto was the
forsksdowing ola Wall Street. And
yet the republic of venice perished
from the earth. So that none Of
these physical achievements seem
to guarantee the life of a republic.
What then must we rely upon to
hope for he perpetuation of our
form OF government. Certainly it
is beyond the question OF dispute
that we cannot depend upon any Of
those causes which were insufficient
to maintain the existence Of former
republics. know Of but two things
upon which We can rely and upon
which we can build any substantial
hope for permanency in our form Of
government. One il universal ed.
ncation and last and best of all re-
ligious federation. Never will we
be safe and secure in the preserva
tion of our liberties and rights un-
til the ballot is in the hands OF
voter intelligent enough to cast it
for his own and his neighbors in
terest and until political parties are
brave enough to nominate candi-
dates for their fitness alone as
Americans and without reference as
to whether he is q jew a Catholic
or a Protestant.
i And this brings me to the con-
sideration OF the mission of this
glorious old school. 1t is essential
in the methods OF education that
the old style Of instruction which
dealt chiefly with the cultivation oi
the memory should be revolution.
lied. To make education available
and valuable the student must be
taught to reason and to think. II
!; is just as true today, as when ut.
; tered by the wise man Of old, "thai
little learning 10 a dangerous
thing" The world is still full oI
errors. The means for enlighten-
ment are often ipsincere, incompe.
tent and sometimes corrupt. Edu.
: cation must be disinthralled, no
symbol of pound sterling or q
} dollar mark must be allowed to cir
! cumscribe her field of usefulness,
, Unless man who reads newspa.
per has the power Of reflection and
, of analyzing what he reads he il
: very apt to take the whole dose and
! 60 off persuaded that NIL he hal
read is true. Here comes the ben
t eft of teaching boys and yonnl
| men az school how tn think snt
reason and how to cultivate th'
habit of snalyzing for unless it i
7 done they are likely to accept con
|, clusions which ready writer's MAJ
J. seek to impose upon them. / ven
] ture to express the hope that thi
e system will be rigidly enforced o
Y old Charlotte Hall. This school i
e the source of instruction at an,
s from which the youth especially o
t one section Of our State deriv
t whatever benefit they may Obtain
: from liberal edasation. The his
e tory OF the school demonstrate
2 that it has been admirably con
q Quoted in the past as am sure ]
k is today. While the urns Of he
g alumni may not sdorn some Apis
o way or the accumulated wealth G
y her positions has not been ampl
n enough to endow her with indepen
l. dent scientific chairs, yet some q
y the brightest lights that have orns
d mented the professions, shone upo
, the bench, ut the bar. on the rot
n strum and in all the learned pro
}, fess;ons. graduated from this ol
,, institution. None, | am sure, VIII
l. ever spent their school boy day
It here but will look back upon hs
1t with degree Of affection almost {
D. intense as was that Of the Athena
le who loved the city OF the viol'
is crown. Let the young men VII
J. are to be her Representatives in I'll
e, future guard and promote not onl
h of her interests and welfare, bs
Nv the best interests and the welfare
ne those with whom they are associs
Id ted in life, and let toe reflected ligi
h. of their good citizenship and q