Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-06-15
coLoRED ..HIGH SCHOOL
INTERESTING GRADUATING EXER-
cIsEs HELD LAST NIGHT.
Thoughtful AadrSis by Prof. Louis h.
Moore-pfple4aas Conferred
bYfen. Roynten.

byKfen. Roynten.
| large and Representative gathering Of
| coiored people flied High School Hall, on
NJ street between ise street and New Jer-
| sey avenue orthwest, last evening. In adj
dition to the relaxiSes and friends of the
| fifty-nine members of the graduating class
| of Normal School, No. 2. there was pres
| ent large contingent of the public. who
| are interested In she progress and welfare
| Of the public schools. As this occasion
was the annual graduation exercises Of the
| Normal School it was looked upon as one
| of the most important in the series Of such
events that mark the last days of the
present school year in the public schools.
In addition to the decoration Of the stage,
| where the national colors was the domf-
nant feature. in recognition Of Flag DAY.
each member Of the graduating class wore
a small flag
General H " Boynten. the president Of
the board of education, in the absence or
Commissioner Macfariand, conferred the
diplomas on the graduates. He also made
short address. which was marked by good
advice to the graduates.
General George H. Harries. the chairman
of the committee on high and normal
schools, also made an address OF much
interest and which held the attention or
the audience.
Mr.. L. E. Moten. the principal of the
school, was in charge of the program,
which included In Invocation by Rev r.
] Grimke and an address to the class by
Prof. Louis B. Moore, dean OF the Ieachers
College of Howard University.
The address was Ieplete with information
as to the growth Of the common schools
in America, it's basic idea and its function
In democratic government It's most IN
teresting part. however. was the advice
which DR.. Moore, himself negro teacher
and graduate Of the University of Penn
sylvania, gave to the colored teachers VINO
are to go forth.
Prof. Moore's Advice.
Among other things he said: The pur-
pose of education is ethical. intellectual
training you will find easy; but ethical
training more difficult. Your nurture will
have to contend with nature and with ad-
verse environment Education has been
thought to be the salvation of man. and,
indeed, it ought to be. But If 1t is ever so
to be. it's mission must be more largely
ethical and less exclusively intellectual.
Let your teaching be qualitative rather
/ than cumulative. Seek to beget practical
efficiency. which you will find very rare
thing among any people; thus work IN Eour
instruction toward a rational an dethlcai
ideal people receives its rank 1ar more
from character than from knowledge or
wealth. To imagine that the mere settng
of lessons assigned. that pushing through
school, college or university CiilluI I'll WIN
have acquired a certain knowledge OF IAN
guages sciences or handicraft that these
will make beneficent leaders IN religion ana
civilization, is to cherish a delusion. IL in
school the youth does not govern ana con-
troll himself to obey, to do right In things
small and great, not because ne mas not
the power to do otherwise, but because ne
has not the disposition, nothing else he Will
learn will be OF very great service to him.
Believe in the Children.
ra1iti rnr in
their possibilities to become what you would
have them be. Use what is known in
psychology as suggestion Make their good
tendency self-conscious; give them such
high notions of their personal, social po-
litical life as to lead to discomfort as to
whatever is on lower plane. Teach them
to respect themselves; teach them that no
people can long be despised who are not
despicabIe in their own eyes. Clothe them
with new hope Pessimism is place for
the school room. If they are a part OF
those from whom public sympathy has been
receding lately, If the wave Of generosity
toward them has been gradually lowering,
let this beget more earnest effort to re-
instate ones self in public esteem To teach
railing and bitterness against state and ma
ton will do no good. Intelligent protests
against the wrong are better than the
howlings of conceited mobs. The mob is al
ways conscious of power. but unconscious
of responsibility Teach them patriotism. l
know you will remind me of oppression on
every side, but the way to relieve cppres-
sion Is not to snatch power from the OPP
pressor, but to add power to the oppressed.
TyrantS are possible only when men are
weak The public school is a hope Of
strength; is the lever against oppression.
LET a people be found whose men are
| truthful and honest and whose women are
chaste, among whom are carefully pre-
served the purity of the family, simplicity
Of manners, reverence for law, and you find
people who cannot long be oppressed. So
teach and help your children to cultivate
the simple virtues Of life-honesty, truth,
fidelity, loyalty. Bring before them the
noblest examples of virtue to be found in
their nation, their state and their race.
A Few Duties.
"In closing let me remind you of a few
duties which you owe to yourself. First, it
is your duty to grow, to study continuous
ly and systematically in order that you
may be better fitted to preserve the integ-
rity of the common schools. Remember
that every robust life is a life Of faith, a
life of prayer. The common school. | must
| remind you, is a Christian institution.
II am glad our honorable board of ed
harping critics: Into every school that
Bible shall go and be read, and in every
school room the child shall have opportu-
nifty to lift its soul to God in song
Go forth, then, to your work with en-
thustasm, with sympathy, with love. Elk
ternalize for the good of mankind all your
powers Live FOR God4ive for humanity
Emerson has said that the best political
economy is the care and culture of men,
This Is the mission to which you go forth
today
. The valedictory was delivered by Miss
Zita Dyson. and selection from Rubin
stein was played by Miss Beatrice War
rick. After the singing Of the class song.
the words Of which We're written by Miss
Bertha Washington, the benediction was
pronounced by Rev. w. H. Brooks Among
those present were: Mrs. I. G. Myers and
w. s. Montgomery, assistant supernten-
dents; Mrs. H. L. West Mr.. James F.
Bundy and Mrs. j. r. Francis of the board
of education. Principal Terrell of the
Washington High School and Maj Arthur
Brooks
The Graduates.
The members Of the graduating class
were as follows:
Mary E. Amber, Alberta G. Brooks, Isa-
bella w. Brooks, Ell N Brown, Halle s.
Brown, Adelaide Bruce. Fanny Burren.
Lucy A. Clarke, Mary E. Clarke, Mary E.
Davis Able 3, DYSON Zita F. DYSON