The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1901-07-06

books, as in women, not more in the field of
scholarship, than in the field of life. The
high standard she has attained, the good she
has accomplished, are due in large measure TO
the wisdom of those good public-spirIted men
who have In turn served as the guardians of
her interest. To the influence and attention
of those who now constitute that estImable
body we owe the constant increase of comforts
and conveniences which we now enjoy, and,
because we feel and recognize our obligations
to their disinterested labor, which, like virtue,
has been its own reward, and because we may
never again have the opportunity.
In the name of our principal, teachers and
school mates, we desire TO publicly thank our
honorable board of trustees for their uniform
kindness to us and warm interest In our be-
loved institution.
True to the spirit of the federation Act
this as a state school is sectarian. At hei
open door the religious stand, not like the
Furies of olden time warning with each other,
but like the Graces with arms lovingly entwined
bidding to all welcome and happy stay.
Within this temple of learning for many year
the MUSES. have loved to haunt and to theiI
service as ever come maids with hearts of gold
aud robes of snow.
The very place seems conscious with asso'
ciation The walks whisper of a long process
sion of noble women and girls whose feet have
gone out into the world beautiful with GLAD
tidings.'' These traditions of the past make
our incentive to the future. The influences o.
both-ike the angels Jacob saw-are in oul
vision today, ascending and descending the
ladder of time. The angels of the past brigb
with the glory of things achieved. The an
gels Of the future radiant with hope and prom
Use on their wings.
The happy years we have speut here have
taught us TO regard St. Mary as another name
for home and TO her, as | have said, we come
to say farewell. That word coming from the
lips Of ysledictorian has perhaps to you, be
come trite and meaningless to us, it is still
fraught with the same sweet sadness.
Teachers and schoolmates, believe not the
years have flown like angels unrecognized.
I have been eager to complete my schoo
days and enter life's battle, but as the days o.
the past session have glided by, each one
bringing nearer and nearer the desired end,
have felt reluctant to part with those who have
been my companions so long and today from
my very heart it grieves me to leave you.
shall carry away with me the memory o.
those days; the sweet faced, kindly voiced
teachers, my dear companions, the pleasant
walks we took, the songs we sang, the pranks
we played, and at night when tired with study
and play we gathered like little children al
our mothers knee for the evening prayer, the
lamp-light shone down like benedciion or
our young heads.
"Oh ere be my heart with such memories filled,
Like vase ia which roses have once been dis
titled
You may break, you may shatter that vase if Vol
WILL
But the scent of the roses will cling round STILL
To those of you who will return, beseect
you embrace every opportunity to achieve the
end for which you are sent here. Adopt work
as your motto, and let the counsel of youl
teachers be light to your feet. The Fall will
come and | can see you all return, but we will
be absent. Think sometimes lovingly of us
and if our memory be still dear to those who
will come to fill our places in the broken
rank, ihe vacant chairs at the table, be gener
Gus 10 them for our sake, be patient aud com
fort the home sick and encourage the disheart
ened, for | would that
''To many other loving hearts.
May all the beauty be.
The dear retreat, the Eden home
That it hath been to me-
Classmates IA little nearer and a little dearel
yet than all the others, we shall not meet to-
morrow in the old schooroom, never again
shall we share each others joys and sorrows
in common. | had a little dream of you last
night, dreamed that we would surely meet
again. Dear comrades of my girlhood, if we
be but true to the traditions of our school, to
our ourselves, 10 the principles we have So
eagerly embraced, and live faithfully up to
them, OH we shall meet again, and we will find
then as now that the day of harvest is better
than the day Of sowing and the lairest
dream of youth is not to be compared with
the pleasing memory of life we'll spent
Cherished and faithful teachers. how can
we ever thank you for all the zeal and patience
which has brought this consummation to our
hopes Your words have cheered us in times
of Encouragement, your sympathetic JOY III
our success has been too generous to be soon
forgotten, and we would have our parting ex-
press all the gratitude and affection we so deep
ly feel. Ofeach of you it may be truely said
cher price is above rubies." May your con-
tests be all conquests, and your conquests
even to the last be rewarded with a crown.
Honored and beloved principal, we fain
would bid you farewell by the tender name OF
mother You came here bringing with you
the sweet spirit of home-life and you have
shared the mother-love of your heart with us
as with your own children. Your sympathy
in our youth, your faith in our betterselves,
the mercy with which you have so sweetly
tempered justice, shall not be given in vain.
The proud traditions of our school were never
placed in purer. safer hands than yours and
the daughters of other women shall arise and
call you blessed. We pledge you our faith,
the ideals you revere shall be 10 our lives a
cloud by day and pillow of fire by night.
Farewell, St. Mary's, farewell; | lay my
hearts forget-me-nots at your feet.