The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-06-24
THE VALEDICTORY,
Patrick F. Doyle Speaks On THE True
Greatness of the Republic"

The chorus gave a selection, and
Patrick Francis Doyle gave the vale
dictory and an grafton, THE true
greatness of the republic" which fol-
lows:
The time has come for one more class
to whisper "Vale!" and go forth,
flushed with success, clad in the gar
ments of triumph. But the joys Of sue
cess and triumph are tinged with a
certain sadness, for the hallowed asso-
Citations of high school days, associa
lions which will prove solace and a
balm in adversely, joy and a hap
piness in success, cannot be unfeeling-
ly broken.
Members of the school board, our
first duty is to acknowledge our indebt-
edness to you, the dispensers Of the
city's bounty. With all sincerity we
express our deep sense of thankfulnoss
for your libeFality in comforting upon
us every educational advantage, and
most of all for the clear judgment dis
played in the selection of a tireless,
conscientious corps of instructors.
Mr.. Principal and teachers, no words
of ours can avail to express the heart
felt thanks due you. Now, as we reap
the fruits of your efforts, we can ap-
preciate your solicitude as you guided
us by the still waters of learning ard
character building, the one your Off
cial gift, the other your personal
boon.
Relatives and friends, your efforts in
our behalf are the hardest to requite
because given so unstintingly, so in
cessantly, so kind-heartedly
Classmates, that sentiment knit by
kindred pursuits, a community of in
terests, and a growing fondncss for
alma mater, makes us reluctant to
leave, is creditable in the highest de-
gree, for the ties of school affection
Though light as air" are strong as
links of iron"
Our future school house is the world,
as it We're. Its duties are the support
of every good and noble project, the
solution of momentous problems, the
turning of an attentive ear ito the
sweet sad music of humanity" This is
a world of strife instead of that beau
tiful panorama spread before us today,
a world in which he conquers and he
alone conquers who endures. It the
true thoughts and noble ambitions of
our education fill our minds, If he
conquers who endures," be in our
hearts as well as on our lips, we sholl
have the courage to Withstand all
temptations so that when we reach
the valley of the shadow of death our
fidelity to principle will pierce the veil
of obscurity and light the way to tie
great unknown.
Speaking in his Grafton on THE true
greatness of the republic" he said in
part:
WHY is it that the tremendous mis-
carriage which has doomed the nations
of old seems to threaten our republic?
In the restrospect of human experience,
is il possible to find out when and
where the teachings of humanity be
came the teachings of inhumanity?
When and where the principles of hui
man freedom became the principles OF
servitude? When and where equality
became inequality? Let us see if
brief glance at the past will reveal any
of those elements of weakness which
have everywhere written over national
graves the premature and ignoble cpl
taph; TROY was"
What do we find? The guide posts
of history point to the deserted country
sides. dismantled homes and darkened
BANQUET halls of Babylon and Persia;
the abandoned principles and broken
promises of Greece, while musk-like,
pervading sense of luxury recalls the
II.
When national arrogance superseded
national modesty, when ostentation re-
placed true worth, when armies and
navies drained the free population,
when time-tried and time-proven prin-
cinles were abandoned, degeneracy in
evitablv followed, extinguished the
life and the light Of the nations OF an
tiquity, and handed their passports to
history.
What does this show TO be the gauge
of a nations strength? Is it miles?
Then Macedon was greater than Ath-
ems. Is it money? Then Rome was
greatest when she fell. Is it millions?
Then China is queen of the nations
Happily it is none of these. The ma
tions were greatest while their ideals
were the purest, while the great heart
of the whole people, like the needle to
the pole. was true to freedom, while the
sources of public opinion and public
snirit were unpolluted. while justice
and temperance checked injustice and
creed Without these essentials it is
safe TO say that no nation, and least OF
All a republic, will ever survive, though
tba attempts continue from now until
the Angel Gabriel sounds the crack OF
weighted in the scales of a past so
fr,litf1ll in precious lessons, where is our
renublic today? Those priceless ideals
Of perfect liberty, equality and justice
which were ours in 81, where are they?
Not in use surely or we shouldn't wit
ness the saddening spectacle of soulless,
beartIess trusts and combinations tri-
umphant in defiance of law, Justice per-