The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-07-02

ment exercises of the Dunmore high
SCHOOL,
m GREAT part of the tone and IN
IM spiration of life comes from its
In\ ideals. The life which lacks ideals
UN lacks point and purpose. We re-
quire a goal toward which we may
direct all our energies, and upon this the
main interests of life will center. There
are but few persons who are entirely
without ideality. Often, their ideal is
poor and low enough, being mere hope
OF selfish gain or personal victory, or
dream of ease and Incidence, but
such as 1t is, 1t adds interest to existence.
1t may stimulate hope, but 1t cannot lift
the life to higher level. 1t Is a great
power, constantly acting upon conduct
and character, but not for good. 1t holds
the soul down like clog, and will not let
1t rise because our characters can never
rise above our ideals. We may do far
worse than We hope and try to do, but
we can never do better. If we do not at
tain our highest hope why have high
ideal at all? Because we shall do far
better in pursuit of high mark than of
low one. And If we do not reach the
mark aimed at. we shall find that cur
path has been steadily upward.
o
All true ideals should lie far in advance
of our present attainments. In this lies
their chief value. for their power is in
their loftiness. They furnish q true and
worthy standpoint of life. This is nec-
essary element in all discipline and
growth. A noble ideal acts like mirror
to reveal us to ourselves. to reveal the
difference between our present attain
ments and our ideal. Then we are In
position to profit by the ideal, and in
telligently and successfully resolve upon
efforts to attain 1t. A great advantage is
to set the ideal clearly before the mind
1t must take definite shape before 1t ever
can become great power. The sight of
IL must be a waking vision when all the
powers are in full exercise. 1t must be
intelligently formed. The will must
choose 1t. and determine to follow hard
after 1t with all the energies of life.
Then the feelings-those deep inner fires
which spread their heat and glow over
every faculty and activity of the soul
must be kindled to warm the whole be-
ing with zeal in the pursuit. The prin-
cipal difference among men is in their
capacity to form ideals. We cannot al
ways rightly discern mems ideals. but il
we could pry down beneath the machin-
cry of action and motive, we should find
the handspring of every life in some con-
trolling hope, which consciously or un-
consciously sways each days actions and
inspires each days efforts.
o
The main practical question Is, "What
shall the ideal be?" What is its quality?
What does it include? The capacity to
form clearly and to pursue such an ideal
comes only with discipline and growth.
We have to hold our present ideals of
life subject to constant improvement.
They grow more definite only as life
natures, and as experience brings to
| them new and better meanings. All true
ideals which are practical and helpful
must grow. They must be formed dur
ing the process of life's study and expe-
rience. They must be held in constant
relation to our daily work. They must not
hang in the clouds, so vague and so far
away that they never exert an influence
on our commonplace duties. They must
be a power for faithfulness even in the
things that are least. They must he
able to stoop to embrace the homliesr
| task, and must be strong enough to lift it
| heavenward. A right ideal will embrace
at once the highest conceptions and the
simplest duties. 1t will establish har-
mony and contact between the noblest
character and the humblest and most pa
| tient faithfulness in the duties which
God gives us to do, thus bringing earth
and heaven nearer together.
%
But in order to succeed we must strive
earnestly and persistently and do our
work thoroughly. Abilities alone will not
avail. Every man who has ever greatly
| succeeded has, no doubt. worked in the
direction of his natural genius; but no
| man has ever greatly succeeded without
earnest application. One may be ve'y
earnest, indeed, yet his energy may be
only spasmodc. The reward is promis ed
to those only who endure to the end. To
| make labor effective, we must be per-
sistent in our efforts. This should be re-
ceived as an axiom. The great tempta-
| tion is to try to reach the goal at one
stride, as If we wore seven-league boots;
to fret and grow weary over the inter-
vening steps, Step by step must we as
cend and wherever we stop short of our
| ideals, we have by so much failed in our
object. Let us push forward and do what
| ever Is to be done. Vain wishes, gauzy
| air-castles, sumbrous day-dreams go
| for nothing in the conflict of living real
| tiles.
Such an ideai-clear. positive, high and
| comprehensive-is ar untold power in
| any life. 1t lifts the daily round of toll
| into dignity and divineness. 1t discloses
possibilities of nobleness in every life.
and guarantees go every earnest soul
the opportunity of developing the choicest
traits OF human character. How often
have our teachers tried to impress upon
| the minds of their pupils the impor-
tance of high and noble ideal! Eter-
nifty alone will tell whether the advice
| has been needed by us as pupils, and
| whether the seed sown has taken root
and borne fruit abundantlv. Esteemed
| teachers, If to aid many who need help,
and who can be helped beyond the power
of the arithmetic to tell how much-if to
guide many in the way of knowledge
and into the path of wisdom, opening
| blind eyes to beauty, stirring duh souls
| to wonder, rousing latent energies to ac-
| tion, quickening generous impulses, and
| placing before the mind new amoit!on
| in the atmosphere of which life may take
| on forever a glorifed meaning, If these
| things be grateful task to noble souls,
| then is the work of the true teacher Its
/ own exceeding great reward" From our
| hearts we thank you for what you have
| been to us. OF the seeds you have sown
with answering patience, with a pur-
pose that never relaxed, in season and
out of season. some have already borne
good fruit. Others may have shown no
| sign but the seed is not dead; the ground
is fallow, and in the years TO come it viii
yet bear its fruit in well spent lives bet
| ter lived because of your constant sug-
gestion, keen criticism. sharp reproof,
and kindly counsel. With this feeling in
our hearts, we turn away from you, and
| the old familiar places. We are your
debtors forever! Goodbye.
| o
Gentlemen of the board of directors
| The year is ended and the work is done.
With that work, you in the geeral drec-
tions of our school. have had much to do