St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-08-30

by Series OF mOSC DTlll1ant EXPLOITS
during the late war both on sea and
land our country challenged the respect
aud admiration of the world, and took
its rightful place in the front rank of the
nations of the earth and the hero par
excellence Ct the most important battle
of the war, a battle which is destined to
make an epoch in history, and is worthy
of being classed among the few decisive
battles of the world, is son of Vermont,
the brave, modest, diplomatic, level
headed Dewey. But wherever, and
whenever, in the interest of humanity
and OF civilization, American arms shall
exhibit American valor, and introduce
American principles of government, it
have been preceded by the representatives
of the Prince of Peace. Standing on
either shore looking over the waste
OF waters, listening to the cry for help
and obedient to the Divine command to
go into all the world and preach the
gospel to every creature, many grad
yates of our Academy are included in
that noble and selfsacri6cing band of
men and women, who have left home,
friends, country, and all except devotion
to duty, which life holds dear, often at
great personal peril, to carry the light OF
life to those vino dwell in darkness. The
influences which have gone out from our
Academy like the ripples when the waters
will 60 on ever widening and extending
until they break in gentle murmur
upon the distant shores of eternity, and
only when the accounts are closed out
and the books balanced in the Day of
Judgment will it be known in its fullest
extent, the influence which the Caledonia
County Grammar School has exerted
during the century and more of it's
existance, upon the education, the civili-
cation, and the. Christianity of our
country, and of the world.
Our thoughts, however, on these occa-
sions OF reunion shall not be altogether
retrospective, but inspired by the success
OF the school in the past, we should look
forward with equal hope to its future.
1t is true conditions have changed.
Competition is much keener now than
then when the school started or than it
has been during the greater portion of
its history, and yet our Academy pos
sesses some advantages which, so far as
l know, are not found to an equal extent
elsewhere. The development of the
material resources of this state and of
adjoining states along material lines,
has side-tracked this town; the railroads,
the modern evangels of progress along
whose lines traffic moves and the restless
stream Of humanity flows, pass it by on
either side, and the only sound which
comes to the ears Of the jewellers in this
quiet nook OF the rush and roar of the
busy world and the daily ebb and flow
of its human tide is the occasional shril
whistle of the distant locomotive as it
echoes and reverberates among the hills.
This is land-locked haven, an ideal
place for the young during the years in
which their education is being acquired
and their habits and characters formed.
Where no distracting intrusion from the
! great throbbing world OF business and of
pleasure interrupts the current OF their
thoughts or divides attention with their
studies, but where all the conditions are
favorable to that concentration of mind
and attention upon their studies which
is so essential to the successful pursuit OF
knowledge, and where, moreover-and
this to parents is not its least attraction
the entire social and moral atmosphere
which surrounds the pupil both inside
and outside the school is sweet and pure
and wholesome. These advantages, to
my mind more than Offset the ease OF
access and the other attractions which
many schools located in larger centers oil
population and of business possess, and
should surely and steadily operate to its
continued and uninterrupted success in
the future. But | am trespassing too
much upon the time of Others. One
word of a more personal nature and |
close. To many present this occasion OF
reunion and all its attending incidents
and events serves to remind them only OF
the experiences of greater or less length
OF school days passed here, to many
Others there are added the tenderer recol.
lections which cluster around their BIRTH
place and early childhood days. In
closing my remarks trust it will not be
considered presumptive in me in behalf
OF the latter to say just word express
sive of our happiness at being permitted
once again, and especially at this time,
to revisit the scenes of our childhood
days, where every feature in the beauti-
full face of nature as we again look upon
it recalls hallowed associations and
revives the tenderest recolections, where
the pleasant smile Of recognition, the
friendly word OF greeting and the cordial
grasp of the hand by oldtime friends
warm and rejuvenate the heart, where
sleep the honored remains of loved ones
gone before, and where other loved ones
to our unspeakable happiness still linger
with us, with loving hearts and tender
greetings to bid the wanderers welcome
home.
LEWIS II. MEADER's ADDRESS.
Two significant events of this century
are coeval with the active life of this
Academy. The one occurring at the close
of the Napoleonia Wars in Europe, and
the other so recent as to be but matter
of newspaper history; yet both are marks
of progress and full of suggestions as to
future problems. The Vienna Congress
and the Holy Alliance marked desire to
restore the rigid conditions of the past in
Europe and to break up the reforms that
followed the footsteps of Napoleon.
While these events stirred Europe, popu-
lar government was struggling for exis.
lance on the shores of America. This
Academy, with similar institutions.
trained the men who made popular gov
eminent a success. These men from the
homes and schools of America met their
problems and gave them heroic treat.
ment. They made our land in reality
the home OF the free, they made it posi-