Evening journal., 1901-05-22
PRESIDENT N'KINLEY TALKS TO
THOUSANDS Oh SCHOOL CHILDREN
Makes Speech Of FaheTIyAdVice and Is Enthusiastic
ally CheGrcd by The Youngsters Who PeItcd
Him With Beautiful Flowers
Steady Improvement in Mrs.
MCKinIey'S Condition
NAY START HOME on SATURDAY
Distinguished Invalid Able TO Sit Up
Yesterday and to Read The
Newspapers

San Francisco. May 22-The conva-
lescence OF Mrs. Mckinley Is very rapid
and she is fast regainlng her normal
strength she was able to sit up yes-
terday and read the papers. So mark
ed Is hSr Improvement that II is very
probable the presidential party will
start for Washington next Saturday. II
no untoward developments should oc-
cur Il is thought Mrs. Mckinley will be
able to endure the journey by that
time
The president yesterday reviewed
nearly $4,000 school children OF this
city Both sides OF Van Ness avenue
from jackson street to Market street
were lined with cheering and enthusi-
astic children as the president and
members Of his party and local officials
in carriages we're driven from Jackson
TO Market and back the avenue TO Jack
son. The president was the recipient
OF a continuous ovation. Almost every
child had been provided with good
sized American iag and their voices
and flags were in unison. Each little
girl wore white and most OF them had
red sashes.
Thousands Of the youngsters had
| large bouquets. which they threw at
the president as he passed along. In
some cases every pupil from a certain
school carried bouquet Of the same
variety and color of flowers. Some
classes spread the flowers in the street,
that tho president and his party might
literally ride among the roses.
Half way between California and
Sacramento streets the presidents car
riage brought up and the other con-
veyances came to a standstill.
Speech. speech. speech" rang out
along the avenue, and the children
swarmed about by the thousands. Pres
ident Mckinley sat in his carriage,
reaching down and shaking hands for
several minutes. He finally rose and
was greeted with cheers. The presi-
dent spoke briefly. saying in part:
81 desire in a single moment to ex-
press the pleasure which has been
given me to meet the school children
Of the city Of San Francisco. II has
given me an introduction into the
countless homes OF your great city, and
has permitted me to witness the sun
shine which this vast number of young
people bring to the firesides Of the city.
I know of no richer possession than
scholarship, no nobler ambition than
to obtain IT, We cannot all be great
scholars. but we can all have good
scholarship. I want to assure you
. young people that there is nothing SO
p essential to your easy advancement
and success in after life as a good ed
ucation.
IF those OF us who have battled in
the rivalries and contentious Of a busy
world could go back to our youth and
= school days we would embrace cheer
fully our neglected opportunities and
pursue them with industry and delight.
II the testimony Of the active men Of
San Francisco and of the country could
be taken, it would be uniform in the
e declaration of the embarrassments un-
der which they had suffered from scan
S ty mental training in youth.
e "What an army for liberty and union
and civilization. Why. we have in pub
l lie schools Of the United States four
fold more children than there were
= people when this government was
> founded, and all of them proud Of their
= country, and all of them revering its
S institutions. and all of them meaning
that when the time comes for them TO
take the responsibilities Of administers
ton they will be prepared to do their
e duty and pass along this free govern
, ment with ever increasing virtue. in
, telligence and patriotism. I thank you
d and wish for all OF you the realization
III OF every worthy ambition
-eI After reviewing the school children
President Mckinley and party drove "a
the Presidio.