Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-06-16
SCHOOL DAYS OVER.
HIGH SCHOOL COMMENCEMENT AT
THE ACADEMY LAST NIGHT.
ADDRESS BY REV. ". A. BARR.
puiiding Thronged with Pupils and
Their Friends-Intcresting Exer-
cises Heid-DipIomas and Medals
Avarded-Certifcn Presented.


bic occasions. the Academy was thronged
with friends Of the pupils. The graduates
occupied seats on the stage, while the
other students sat in the orchestra The
young ladies on the stage were all dress
ed- In white, and with background of
beautiful flowers, they formed a picture
Of loneliness seldom excelled.
EXERCISES BY THE PUPILS.
Promptly at $50 O'Clock the graduates,
who had gathered in the lower hall.
walked on the stage. and marching slow
ly 10 the front, turned and repaired to
the seats arranged for them. When all
had been seated Principal Thomas adj
vanced to the front and presented Miss
Lucy G. Armistead, who read in clear
voice an essay, entitled women Want
ed" In her essay Miss Armistead treated
woman as the peer of man intellectually,
and his superior in many other things,
and, deving into literature of ancient
DAYS. brought forth many utterances of
brilliant men to prove her contention.
Following Miss Armistead, Mr.. AuDln
c. Terrell was presented. and recited
"The Soldiers Dream assisted by
number of his young schoolmates VINO
interspersed the recitation with reallsuc
singing. Miss Martho c. Davis recited IN
most pleasing manner. THE Launching
OF the Ship" After an overture by the
Blues Band. the High School Music
Club, composed of young ladies ana gem
tlemen from the various classes, were
escorted TO the front of the stage anu
rendered some highly creditable numbers
fytlfta
Mr.. Chastan Northen delivered an
adapted Grafton on the Character OF
Stonewall Jackson" and after the APP
plause which was accorded him had dled
away. little Miss Wilma Newman tT1pped
to the footlights, and, In sweet voice.
sang the song especially written Tor her
by Miss Julia Henning. Miss Newman
was forced to respond TO an encore, so
sweetly did she sing.
Miss Resale II. Corson was next pre-
sented. and she recited humorous Sc
lection. "An Important Occasion bring
ing down the house. The High School
Sextette, composed OF Misses Alma At
kisson. Jessie Marshall, Nellie Garrison,
and Edna Mccartney, and Messrs.
Thomas McCaul and Howard Woodfin,
rendered a selection in most pleasing
manner. and were forced to respond TO
an encore. When they concluded Mr.
Thomas advanced to the front Oh the
platform and asked the audience to STAND
and unite with the entire school in sing
ing America" All complied, and the
result was inspiring.
ADDRESS OF DIR. BARR.
When the echoes had died away Mr..
Thomas introduced Rev. w. A. Barr,
pastor of Monumental church, the orator
of the evening, who made brilliant
address, which the audience applauded
very generously.
From an old English motto, TO be
rather than 10 SEEM" said Dr. Barr, 81
take the subject, Real Life use II
not in the current acceptation, but rather
I'm its literal signifcation-real life as dis
tinguished from false life or apparent
life or unreal life. The Saviour of men
tells us that tho apparent life must be
cast away If we would find the life that
is real. The first step towards making
life real is to put ones self into cores
epondence with God and eternal things.
IF we are, indeed, TO sustain relations
with unseen things, life can nave no
reality until these relations are definitely
assumed. Reality consists in conformity
with the actual condition of things and
to live as if the unseen things We're not
real is to transform life from sublime
reality to an empty dream
ENTRUSTED TO OUR KEEPING.
Life is a trust from God. To our keep
ing is entrusted the highest development
of ones own characters, and in some &c
gree the well-being of the world in which
we are placed. AS to ones own nature,
life is a period of education Of three
fold character-moral, intellectual, and
physical The training of each OF these
natures is an end TO be kept before us.
Their relative Importance is in the order
] have named and to confuse this order
is to introduce unreality into life.
"But life can never assume the highest
reality until we recognize that we nave
some mission in the world. TO be caught
up and driven on by the Divine con-
seriousness that we have come into the
world to minister this is reality
'And If we would make life real we
must not leave its shortness out of view.
1t is a vapor. not in its emptiness. but
i'm it's transformers. Whatever we do,
we must do quickly, for we have but
once to live, and it will soon be done for
ever.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE.
eft is not a premature question that l
nut TO the pupils of the High School
What do you propose to make of life?
Remember in the sense in which l have
spoken. you have the question In your
own hands. Are you looking forward to
life as something you will put TO your
elyice in a low sense? Or, do you nan
If as a blessed opportunity to realize the
best I'm you and as a field for consecrated
service? AS you take one or the other
path your life will be mockery or
reality. The future, as IT stretches away
before YOU. is all hid from mortar eye
What IL has in store for you VINO can
saw? Whether you are to occupy num-
HE or conspicuous positions, whether
your lot is TO be more of JOY or pain
what IS the nature Of those gifts the
days are bringing in their hands; all this
can only await the slow solution or time.
Rut this is not the point. Only remem-
Der that
"'Not enjoyment and not sorrow
Is our destined end or way,
But to live that each tomorrow
Find us better than to-day
MAKE YOUR LIFE REAL
"The outward conditions of your life
will be largely beyond your control; the
path in which you walk cannon always
he of your own choosing; many OF the
circumstances that environ you, you may
no noverless to alter, and IL Will be sell
dom indeed that you can mould your
sphere entirely 10 your own Will.
''Rut whatever the scenes in which the
drama of your life may be enacted, you
can make it real Keep this motto l have
GIVEN YOU. in it's deepest Interpretation
with Nou always, and 1t Will prove
talesman that through all life's mazes
win lead you from glory TO glory, untli
the revelation of that supreme reahty
cor which we whit