The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1899-07-15
From Professor Hines.

To-day, my dear friends, reminds
me that u month and a half has pass
, ed since the close of our school, and
the lapse of little more than the
same length of time will bring us to-
gether again to take up our work
wherewe left off in the spring. Hope
that each one OF you is getting a suf-
ficient amount of rest and pleasure
to enable you to enter upon our Sec
ond round of work with glad hearts
and a hearty relish for the tolls that
await us. l have improved in health,
and am greatly enjoying my vacation.
| After spending week and a half on
the way / reached home in time to at
tend the commencement of the Bran
don High School, which was a source
OF great pleasure to me, but found
only few taking part who were in
school when / attended. Most of
those who were in school with ME are
either enjoying college life or have
taken up business life in different por-
lions OF the country. Two or three
who were in the primary department
when finished, received their certifi-
Gates OF graduation this spring. The
commencement exercises were good,
but had been greatly interfered with
by sickness. | then attended the
commencement at Millsaps College.
This was, indeed, a treat to me. But
there gloom was cast over the exer-
cises by the shadow of death which
claimed as it's victim the wife of Prof.
Hammer, a very popular member of
the Millsaps faculty Mrs. Murrah,
the wife of our president was also
very sick, which interfered further
with the exercises. Notwithstanding
these draw backs the commencement
was good.
My homecoming was also saddened
by learning of the death of my high
school teacher, Of whom you have
heard me speak often. A better
teacher and a more perfect man |
have never been associated with. |
and his death is a source of very deep |
grief to me. The instructions that / |
received from him have been worth
more to me in teaching than those
received from any other one man.
His life has greatly influenced mine,
and now, that his life work is ended, |
| can only pray God that his mantle
fall on me. He was for five wears
preceding his death principal of the
jackson Graded Schools, of Muncie,
Indiana. Session before last his en-
rollment reached six hundred. / do
not know what it was last session.
hope you will bear with me while
give to you few extracts from the
I'm Memoriam" of his life. 1t will
give you better knowledge of his
work, and you can better understand
the glief that his death brings to me:
"On March %, 1899, there passed
away one whose works will ever live
after him.
Gentle, honest and earnest, J.R.
Griffith was loved and respected by
all who knew him. His fellow teach !
Frs regarded him as a friend and
brother, and his pupils proved their
owe for him by their earnestness and
Effort to do their best while under his
;are. During his sickness his pupils
Kept the sick room supplied with
lowers, and when his critical illness
vas announced, school was dismissed
IN account of their grief. . - He
vas member of the NJ. E. church for
ears, and his life was proof that he
ollowed in the steps OF the Savior.
lulet and retiring, yet standing firm
or the right, he exemplified his relig-
ON by his works. He was q
eacher who felt that his duty was
My partially done when he had i'm
arted to them the lesson laid down
n the text book, that this was a
mall part of the education necessary
Dr. success in life. He felt a keen sense
I personal responsibility for the NOR
lie OF those under his care. He
'as SO quiet and undemonstrative in
all, that one might easily have un-
GRATED his influence, but studied in
ne light OF the outcome in the lives
his pupils and the universal esteem
which he was held by his fellow
sachers and others, it is seen to be a
lightly power. The opinion
abroad that the teacher follows his
ork for the money alone that ia re-
irned to him. This may have been r
'ue in the days gone by, it NAV be
ne in some localities to-day, but it :
as NOT true in the case of the person T.
hose body lies before us. He indeed
und his iife-strength, hope, love-
! IN his teaching, and he lost himself
his endeavOr to give to Others the
gher ideals and motives of Christ.
ID In doing this be has found his
ernai lie The principles II
taught, yea LIVED, are the princi- \
es OF the everlasting God, and they r
III appear again and again in the
ords and deeds of those in whose n
arts he implanted them. Is
Our echoes roll from soul to soul, N