Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1902-06-13

DN llNIHS u lIuC uuetlhSh lIlVs NhSiS -
no room for doubt about the success of
that life. If there is too much ignor-
ance among men, there is one person
we can educate: if too much crime,
there is one life we can control: are
politics corrupt, there is one man who
can be incorruptible do we believe IN
temperance and wish to promulgate It's
helpfulness, there is one place over
which we can plant the flag of victory,
we can be temperate ourselves; too
much injustice, this we can lessen by
being just ourselves. /" In addressing
the graduates, Mr.. Van Tassel said
"You have taken the initatory steps
in the vast field of knowledge. Life
with its joys and its sorrows, its de-
feats and its victories is before you.
How | wish that might say one word
today that would help you meet its eX-
periences and temptations bravely, and
remain pure, true and noble unto the
end. How ] wish that l might write
the words of the text indelibly upon
your memories. Quit you like men,
be strong How | wish that when in
the midst of life's temptatio its diff
| ficulties, its sorrow, there would come
to your minds and hearts the sermon
of today, the substance of which may
be fully expressed in the two little
words, Be true.
Owing to the threatening weather of
Tuesday Glass Day was observed by the
graduating class in the town hall. This
is the first time this has happened
since Glass Day was instituted some
four years ago, it always having been
held on the high school lawn. The ex-
ercises were enjoyed by a large au-
dience. Robert W. Field as president
of the day was at his best. Ella f.
Stebbins was the class orator, taking
Edmund Burke, Prophet" for her
subject She showed how well Burke
prophesied with regard to the Ameri-
can colonies, and how his prophecies
were fulfilled. Harris A. Bolton had
the class history. This class as in most
cases, had been large upon entering
the high school and had become dimin-
ished to the present number and they
had had many different teachers. The
class prophecy by Grace X. Hall Great
ed much amusement, the sketchlng a
brilliant future for each member of
the class. The class will by Muriel A.
Shaw bequeathed to the members of
the class pictures of subjects appro
pirate to each one and one to the teach
ers and. lower classes appropriate gifts.
The cheering by the classes was as
usual very interesting There was sing
ing by the high school.
The graduation exercises of the high
school of 1902 were held in the town
hall Wednesday evening. Mabel r.
Temple in the salutatory spoke of the
great and good things that may be
achieved in life by working with all
ones might" and gave illustrations
of this truth in lives of great men.
Lillian G. Myers, valedictorian, in her
essay "Peculiarities of Pope" showed
how Pope while he was one of the
greatest men, he was yet one OF the
meanest, and how his weakness of body
affected his disposition. But his poems,
satires and epistles remain and by
these he won mama known by all ed
ucated persons. He perfected a form
of English verse and although he knew
only sufficient Greek to get the idea of
the Had, he wrote a better transla-
ton of it than many who were exper-
fenced in Greek. The Springfield quar-
tet furnished the music for the eXer-
cises and was repeatedly encored. Prin.
Fisher in his remarks to the graduates
commended their work and urged them
not to forget President Capen's ad
dress.
The address by President Z. II. Ca
pen of Tufts college was much en-
ioyed. HI spoke of some conditions of
success, the three requisites of which
he said were preparation, poise and
persistence. Preparation is necessary
for every successful effort and should
be both general and specific. To be
successful one must be broad, strong
and complete. Poise enables man to
see things as they are in their relation
to each other and to hold himself in
the midst of eyigences. Persistency is
necessary because few successes are
quickly made. He instanced the devel-
opment of the locomotive and the ocean
cable by means of which the world is
welded together and declared that it
will not lie long before there will be one
language over the earth and we shall
cease to speak of other countries as
foreign. To the graduates he urged
persistence in what they might under
take. In college life it is necessary to
have Yankee grit to overcome the first
few weeks of longing for home, About
20 per cent of the freshmen, he said,
go home during that period, for this
reason. But having put your hand to
the pillow, never turn back. - In specific
preparation choose wisely, choose de-
liberately, and when you have chosen,
- hold on :,