Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-06-26
ESSAY-VALEDlCTORY.
Harriet Rollins.
"Nor FOR OURSELVES ALoNE.n

mot FOR OURSELVES ALONE"
The custom that the German farmer has
OF planting small tree where an old one
has been cut down, suggests useful les
son: Where We receive advantages and
kindnesses, we may plant in their stead
small acts Of goodwill, which in their
turn may grow to aid and comfort others.
Then shall we be living "not for ourselves
aIone".
There is perhaps no better principle for
the government OF our lives than this of
striving to live mot for ourselves alone".
We have not been cared for merely that
our voyage through life may be over
calm, sun-lit waters. We have been
ministered unto in order that we may
the better minister unto others. 1t
will be striving indeed to attain our
goal, il we are to believe the French phil
| osopher, Helvetius, who said that self
interest is the motive power in human
conduct.
1t Is high aim, this of unselfishness,
but the higher we aim, the higher we will
reach. The ideal must be high even II the
attainment is low. Our motto does not
mean that we should take no care of our
sponsibility OF our welfare; it means rath-
er that each one Of US should have some
interest in life outside of self.
This principle means, further, that all
our thoughts should be governed by a
true, unselfish spirit. II the thoughts are
what they should be, we need have no
concern for the deeds. What the thong hts
arr, the deeds express, and the thoughts
cannot hide what their vital impulses de-
mand.
1.-THE atmospheric condition is such as
to produce rain, the shower, although it
may hold off for time, will surely come.
So selfish deed will surely follow sell
success before the hour of defeat by neg
Letting to Danish thoughts that we know
are wrong, so, too, we may win before the
hour OF victory.
Nelson did not win his great victory
the day that Napoleon saw, off the Cape
of Trafalgar, the smoke of the English
broadsides rising like mists in the snowy
his life by his heroism and strength of
character. So, like him, we must be pre-
pairing ourselves for crises, which demand
not only presence of mind and inspira-
tion of the moment, but also long and
steady preparation.
Our motto helps all--the wealthy, the
poor and the student. The first may say
Out of my selfish SELF o lift me up.
To live for others. and in living so
To be a blessing. wheresoe'er go;
To give the sunshine and the clouds conceal,
Or let them but the silver clouds reveal
The poor in sympathy and friendship utter in
their lamentation,
Out of my lonely self, o lift me up.
Though other hearts with love are running DER
Though dear ones fill my lonely home no more,
Though every day 1 miss the fond caress,
Help me to join in others happiness.
Thus we see that this motto is a guide
| in prosperity and solace in grief.
| The student has learned much when he
realizes that he should not study for mere
| facts alone. To accumulate facts is not
the purpose of this school education. II
the student cultivates the mind simply
by assimilating the ideas of others, with
out producing new ideas and thoughts,
the result is as injurious as If one of the
bodily organs acted for itself alone. The
different branches of learning, especially
literature, cannot be studied for them
selves alone. History, religion, politics,
| mythology must all be studied in con-
nection with literature.
Vaudeville, in his "Fa BILE of the Bees",
maintains that public benefits are private
vices, and that all virtue has its root in
selfishness. One of the many proofs to
the contrary is illustrated by Sir Hum
phrey Dsvy. He did not invent the mari
ner's safety lamp for the reward OF
wealth. He considered the consciousness
that he had been the means of saving
thousands of lives, and of alleviating the
sufferings of as many more, better re-
ward than all the wealth that could be
made from his invention, and through
| this he secured the gratitude of all the
mining world.
| We cannot all give public benefits, yet
| through one kindness each of us may ex-
| perience that same sensation of doing
| good, which is such ample reward in it.
self.