New Iberia enterprise. (New Iberia, La.) 1885-1902, 1900-06-09
THE CLASS OF 1900.
Essay by Miss Lille A. Mates, Graduate N,
Iberia High School, Glass of 1900.

Ny friends, standing as we do, at that
point where ife's morn almost touches
noon and the shadows fall still to the West,
It's meet that we dwell, for while, at
least, in the meadows Of the past. When
tourist, after many falls and missteps,
attains the summit Of lofty mountain,
his first act is to face about and view the
rugged way which he has trod.
Away down below he sees the grass
grown, valley where his journey began.
where all is peace and plenty. Men and
women come and 60, and little children
frolic and play in the summers sun. And
now, few, more aspiring than the rest,
| with staff in hand, begin the way which
he so lately made.
A little higher up, he sees the cold, bar
rem rocks, with sides both sharp and steep
which required all his strength and cour-
cool, refreshing spring, where weary and
athirst he lay down to rest. He sees all
this, and in memory climbs again. till he
wakes from this revery, and finds himself
on the top.
Then he thanks God in his heart, for
strength and courage, for all the glorious,
visual, feast, spread in such bounty before
him. The journey upward is forgotten.
OF what matter the hurts and the bruises
which he has sufferedi The pleasure Of
the picture before him, the knowledge of
triumph repays this and even more.
My friends, we stand tonight on the
summit of the scolastic mount. Let us
turn and look back, 1'Lest we forget, Lest
we forget" the way that brought us here.
Let us live again, meath the azure sky and
the lowering clouds, mid the smiles and
tears, the Joy and the fears Of the past ;
that we may gain hope for the morrow,
and courage to climb the steep mountain
of life which now rises before us. Let us
open our histories and read. Our lessons
and tasks are now ended. "Tis time for
the school to dismiss and as our school
mates gather around MS to bid us good
night with kiss, let them remember that
the race is not always to the swift nor the
battle to the strong, but to him who sayeth:
Faint heart be still, where there's life
there's hope, therefore will, l will.
Some years ago, the time can scarcely
| remember. five little tots stood by their
mothers knee. They were only five, and
that i've were we. How carefully she
brushed our tangled hair, and smoothed
our trOCkS with mOtheTS care, ana then
with kiss and parting touch, she bad
us away to the school.
My friends, can You ever forget that first
dayf believe We were too scared to play.
Twas then that We began our histories to
write, and though we did not realize it
then, those first pages formed the introduc-
tion to what has followed. Now open your
books and follow, while read from what
was to us in those days the book Of all
books. The FIRST page is soiled and worn.
lis an heirloom in the family. Brother
and sister before us have toiled and
pondered over it, pages, and lnarveled At
It's pictures. 'Tis book Of mysteries, and
wonders to behold. This old, blue back,
spelling book. How We labored Ger the
little pictures, and the words written just
beneath. Look, here Is Stain, really
believe tis tear, which Bella she'd wher
she spelled rat With {, and here is . place