The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1900-06-29

all what the external SURROUNDINGS of a
person be-though they be confined to
ever 30 small sphere Of action? It Ia
not the surroundings but the mantle
character of the individual-that makes
a life. And it would seem that a vast
amount OF time, expense and care were
but small price to pay for an education
1t, by it, the mind shall be made sensitive
to the larger life Of the big world, and
the heart tuned to sympathy with 1t; for
the possessor Of such an education is
thus capable Of serving man as well az
being served by man, and by the service
bis life made happier and more complete.
I do think that, If God in his inestima-
BILE grace and goodness has bestowed
upon us all brains to think with and
minds to reason with, it is not fitting
that we should treat them carelessly or
fail to do all we may to make the most of
the greatest gift co man. ''To thine own
self be true, and 1t must follow as the
night the day thou canst not be false to
any manp May we, the class of 1900,
fully appreciate the efforts in our behalf
on the part Of our teachers, parents and
the committeeman, who have all con-
spired to help US attain this secondary
education, and feel it our duty and pleas
ure to extend to them hearty thank you.
"Happy is the man that findeth wis-
dom and the man that getteth under
standing; for the mer chandiae of it is
better than the merchs ndise of silver and
the gain thereof than fine gold. She is
more precious than rubies and all the
things thou canst desire are not to be
compared unto her. Length of DAYS In
her right hand and ia her left hand are
riches and honor. Her ways are ways of
pleasantness and all her paths are peace. /.
SOME THOUGHTS ON EDUcAT1oN.-BY
ARA F. WELLS.
There ia time in every mans educa-
ton when he arrives at the conviction
that envy is ignorance, that imitation is
suicide. 1t Ia easy to see that a greater
self-reliance must work a revolution In
all the offices and relations Of men-in
their religion, in their education, in their
pursuits, their modes OF living, their
association, in their prosperity, and in
their speculative views.
Now in order to obtain an education,
whether it be great or small, we must
study and work. But, what are studies
Tor what purpose do they serve? Studies
serve for delight, for ornament, and for
ability. Their chief use for delight ID in
privateness and retiring. Crafty men
contemn studies, while, on the other hand,
simple men admire them and wiae mon
use them. Certainly custom is more per-
feet where II begins in young years.
Thia we call education, which is In effect
but an early custom. The child UNDER
stands that though he ID only an individ-
ual, he Il also member Of the Political
Life In which he must give and take, de-
Ter and obey, adjust and correlate, and
that. without all these, there can be no
and no progress. OF the adj
vanced stage Of human culture, Dante is
The immortal exponent. John Fiske has
said that this earth. the fair home Of
man, WAS placed in the center Of great
wherein al things were ordain-
"a tor his sole behoof. The sun to give
him Light, warmth, etc, AL for the bless
lnga o. the warnings, Or the chidings OF
ne chief among Gods creatures man.
Despite thu fact that onr age Ii one Of
development and the unllis-
puted prinacy q thought. ThouRht mot
4 m gonian " sense, for the one dread.
A nsterial II 4 III lost il terrors.
Reople heve u naintain themselves il
Ions indep tIe,,ce IL : vorld il |
iv1Iie Is IN hseII n ri fInere ~ ~ tl,rea