The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1901-06-21
Commencement Exercises.

AND GRADE EXERCISES.
Commencement Exercises.
The 33d annual commencement exer-
cises of the Paw Paw high school were
held in the rink Wednesday evening.
The stage was built as usual across the
south end of the rink, and was beauti-
fully decorated in the class colors, red
and white. A beautiful arch was at the
front of the platform, bearing at its top
the class motto, Graduated, but not
educated" Just beneath the motto were
the figures 1901" outlined with incan-
descent lights. At the back of the stage
were handsome draperies, also of class col
ors. The orchestra occupied seats at one
side of the platform. Long before the
opening overture, the rink was crowded
with people, evidencing the continued
interest in the success of our public
schools and especially in this, the largest
graduating class in its history. While
the orchestra was playing the opening
selection, the class, the speaker of the
evening" and the instructors marched
into the hall and took their seats on the
platform.
Rev. L. A. Miller offered the invoca-
tion, after which the Paw Paw orches-
ira played beautiful selection "Lucin-
da's serenade." Superintendent O'Leary
then introduced the speaker of the even
ing, Hon. G.. A. Gearhart of Buffalo, N
Y, whose subject was Symmetrical
manhood" The address was an excel
lent one. He said
"Ladies and gentlemen of the class of
1901, gentlemen of the board of educa-
ton, parents and students, ladies and
gentlemen, citizens of Paw Paw:
II esteem it an honor to have been in
vited by the largest and best looking
graduating class in the state of Michi-
gan, to speak to you upon an occasion so
full of interest to every citizen of your
enterprising village.
"The degree of interest manifested in
all that pertains to the efficiency of the
public schools is an excellent gauge of
the intellectual caliber of that commu-
nifty.
"Great emphasis is being placed to-
day upon the development of the public
schools. 1t should be the business of
every citizen first to see that the school
in his community is a fit place for the
education of children then he may exer-
else his surplus right as parent by send
ing his children to school where be
wishes; then he may be better able to
sympathize with the economical and
hard working father who has deprived
himself of the comforts and even neces-
sities of life in trying to keep his boy in
the full term of college.
"a distinguished scholar has said, the
best political economy is the character
and culture of man High ideals are
the dreams of manhood. If the child
life of nation is pure, if its youth be
thoroughly nurtured its manhood will
be great and will fulfill the purpose of
creation but if those things which are
elevating are ignored, the animal of the
being will predominate. Man was placed
here to develop, and the mission of the
school, the pulpit, the press and the
platform to-day is to develop men and
women for to morrow. A nations glory
is not measured by square miles. 1t
writes its history in the characters it
produces.
"The problems Of life demand moral as
we'll as physical courage. There are
higher types of manhood than battle
ever knew. Loyalty to truth may be
seen as truly in the home the school,
the shop, the office, as on the field"
Mr.. Gearhart spoke of a number of
types of men with whom history
sparkles, who have attained marked sue
cess for which the foundation was formed
in youth. He stated that "the charm of
young life is felt everywhere. 1t belongs
to no age; it is confined to no nation
> We regret that space forbids our Civ
l. ing the complete address of the evening,
? which was uplifting in its character,
voicing the noblest sentiments that tend
' to the completion of symmetrical char
, acter Seldom has Paw Paw audience
had the opportunity of listening to lee
ture of equal merit on a similar or any
other occasion.
The speaker at one point highly com
plimented women for the progress they
D have made in all lines, and for the talent
. they have exhibited. He confessed that
T, the picture of woman's progress, equal
5 ing and threatening to excel men in all
lines, might not be pleasant picture for
e men to contemplate, but none the less
e suggestive one; that the coming man is
n likely to be woman" However, he
) would not advise the young men to be
r discouraged but urged upon young men
5 and young women that they lay founda-
:, tions so deep and broad that when life's
n storms threaten to tear down charac-
II ter they may be able to stand more
> firmly than in the calms of life.
e He emphasized the value of the con-
If slant influence of teachers of intellect
a and moral character upon the young;
G but in the race for intellectual suprem-
IS acy, the needs of the body should not be
It forgotten. The highest life calls for men
=. aud women full of flesh and blood, CON-
e binations of brain and Drawn, of muscle
Continued on page A.