Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1900-06-14
Anna Rsbeoca Clayton. essay, "perserver

Anna kebecea Clayton, essay, "Perserver
ance"
The Principal in his remarks before pre-.
senting the class, dwelt on the fact that
systems of education are a growth, and, to
; be normal. must have an intimate, vital
connection with the home life of the
pupil. He, therefore, urged that all
parents take a greater interest in the
schools of our city by studying the work
of the schools, and. especially, by obsery-
ing their own children TO 6nd, if possible,
the laws and true order Of soul-develop-
ment that parents carefully train, in the
early years of childhood, the powers of the
child TO use Alright the hands, the eyes,
and the ears-three powers lending the
strongest aids in the future systems Of
education; and that parents communicate
necessary information to the teacher
interested.
He also assured the public that the
Board had, during the past, very zealonsly
labored for the advancement of the schools.
The teachers received words of praise.
10 presenting the class, he referred to
the great worth of the life of each individ-
ual, and urged upon each member Of the
class the duty of seIf-respect as guide in
their future career.
In presenting the diplomas to the grad
yates DIR. Fl. A. Wilson said:-
Ladies and GenHemea- Members of the
graduating class 1t is with great deal
OF diffidence that / stand here tonight to
perform the duty imposed upon me by my
colleagues of the Board of Education.
| At the same time it affords me much
pleasure, young ladies and gentlemen, to
be able to present to you this token that
your faithful labor has brought forth its
natural result, and you stand here tonight
| graduates of our Public high School, a
part sOf that great educational system of
which we are SO proud, and upon which
rests to SO large an extent, the honor,
integrity, even the stability of our govern
ment.
| We have watched with interest and
pleasure your gradual growth and develop
ment from the primary grade up through
the advancing stages, and have been glad
to so observe in all the steps the earnest
ness and diligence with which you have
labored. and which have eliminated in
the honor being shown you here tonight.
| | used to wonder, when boy, why the
term commencement should be applied to
the closing of school year, and while /
know now that it means also the beginning
of new year in school life, l think the
term has deeper significance than usually
attaches to it.
You, young ladies and gentlemen, have
| finished your course in our High School,
and have come to your commencement !;
You have also come TO the commencement
of life in n different phase; problems of a
different character, and wider and more
far reaching in their significance will be at
once presented for your consideration and
solution.
Some of you will pass at once and forever
from the school room into the arena of
active life, and the serious, absorbing prob
lens of life you will be compelled TO solve
Meyer for an instant imagine that because
you have graduated and are done with
the school room, that the necessity for
work and study will be over. Here you
have simply laid the found alton the
super structure will be added to day BY
day and year by year. and will only be
completed when you are hidden to cease
from labor and to come up higher. Those
of as who have been in active life for
term of years, know that it is only by
constantly and persistently grasping and
overcoming the difficulties that arise each
day that we are able to advance, or even
hold our own in the struggle going on
around US, and it has been the aim of your
teachers through all these years, to so
prepare your minds that you may be able,
not merely to solve specific problems and
demonstrate certain theories. but to enable
you to take your places in the ranks of the
worlds sOOrkers that by reason of your
education you may be broad and strong
enough to appreciate the questions that
are engaging the attention of thoughtful
people to day, and keen and logical
enough to assist in their solution.
And to those of you who propose TO
continue and complete your studies else
where, can only say that the hours
spent in the sehoolroom heretofore, will
be found to be of the greatest benefit
Here you have formed the habits of
application and concentrated thought !;
qualities that not learned in our early
school lives, are seldom acquired later
| We shall follow you in your studies. and
subsequent career with the greatest inter-
est, confident that you will reflect credit
| upon your Alma Mater, your teachers and
| yourselves.
And now, young ladies and gentlemen,
| it gives me much pleasure to present to
| you this diploma; intrinsically it is of
little value, but it represents years of
earnest labor; it bears the stamps of
approval of your principal and teachers !;
1t bears the seal of the approval of your
own consciousness of well directed effort.
After the presentation of diplomas there
was profuse presentation of flowers. Then
came the class song, and benediction by
Rev. j. M. T. Childrey.
The exercises are voted the pleasantest,
most instructive and enjoyable held in
Woodbury. in recent years.