Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-06-04
SCHOOL DAYS OVER,
Commencement Exercises of the
Class Of so at Harper's
Theatre.
AN ADDRESS BY W. H. HATCH.

Distinguished Educator Gives Some
Wholesome Advice to the Boys and Girls
on "Self Observation-Disclosures Pre-
sented by President Robbins of the Board
of Education Name OF Graduates.
Harper's theatre presented pretty
scene last evening on the occasion of
the graduation of the seniors of the
Rock Island High school. The house,
the stage of which was tastefully dec
Grated in the national colors and those
of the class. pink and green, con-
tanned a large assemblage of the rela-
tives and friends of the graduates.
Suspended from the center of the
stage was an immense green wreath,
in which was embedded in pink roses
the motto of the class of '9S, ..Maius
Opus Moveo''
Bleuer's orchestra rendered APP
propriate airs during the exercises.
| After the overture, prayer was
offered by Rev. Ira w. Allen, Jr. The
address to the graduates was made by
W. H. Hatch, formerly of this city,
and now superintendent of the Oak
Park schools. He was introduced by
Principal Robinson. of the High
school. and was accorded a cordial re-
ception as he advanced to the stage.
He spoke of the pleasure it was to
him to be afforded an opportunity OF
coming among the people whose ac-
quaintance and friendship he formed
during the pleasant years he spent in
Rock Island. Addressing the class
on Self Preservation, Mr.. Hatch
said in part:
Each individual is an ever chang.
ing self. He is in sense two selves
THE real and the ideal If we think
of ourselves, our desires and ambi-
tions as they were year ago and as
they are today, we realize something
of the change that is going on-some.
thing of the growth of ideals with
ideas, and something of the progress
sive absorption from the ideal into
the real as we journey on. Health,
growth is Il realization of self-trans
fer of the ideal into the real. Their,
can be no standing still in life. Al
is movement. friction. strife-a strug
gle for survival. We may think such
conditions hard. but were the deat
level of mediocrity to prevail lif,
would not be worth living.
There are limitations in every life
These limitations are often decried a.
obstacles in ones pathway, prevent
ing the realization of early ideals
They may be instead the means of de
Iveloping the best that is in us. A.
the dam produces the water power
and the carbon points in an inter
rupted circuit the electric light, S,
these limitations or duties that inter
fere may be necessary to produc,
character.
The function of education is to EN-
able one to realize this ideal self. |
is more than mere preparation t,
learn living. 1t is preparation fo1
| living. 1t is life. How to live, how
to get most out of life, how to ge
most into life-what has ones schoo
work had to do with this problem
The progress of a man in his think
ing may be given in successive stages
First, he knows it all; second, finds h
does not know it all and becomes al
agnostic. he knows nothing; third, h
knows few things and knows tina
he knows them; fourth. he knows tn
few things that are essential to hi
best Standardization.
lin stepping forth from the higI
school does the scholar owe nothin
to this community? Contrast tn
school buildings in Rock Island toda,
with those of 16 years ago. Hun.
dreds of thousands of dollars hav
gone into these buildings. willingl
paid for the good of the rising genel
alton. who are assuredly in debt fo
this. Interdependence is feature c
civilization and the higher the grad
the greater the dependence. Only tn
savage is Independent; he can 90 int
the woods and satisfy his needs Civ
ilization has given our nation tire
wars which illustrate its progress
The first was the revolution, whic
secured personal freedom. The Sc,
ond was the war against the souther
rebels. which brought freedom to til
slave at home. The third is the Gu
ban war which represents freedom fo
the oppressed in other lands. In il