Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-06-09
THE LITTLE RED SCHOOL HOUSE

| Educational matters are not as
| rule. given sufficient attention by
newspapers ami the general public.
| The Herald. however. endeavors to
| keep this branch Of news well to the
front believing that parents are vi
tally Interested In new Ideas and ad
vnncement. and at times long articles
touching on the question have appear
ed Las, fall the voters Of La Plata
ooanty by a big majority placed Miss
Edith - VI Young In the Office Of
| ~ouuty superintendent of schools, and
her yiews viii no doubt be of interest
| 10 every parent as well nA all pupils
sufficiently advanced To give the sub
iect thought Miss Young was Invited
by the school authorities and gradu-
at"s To deliver an address to the grad
naiiuE class of Mancos and she So.
lnoted FOR her Furiect. The Little Red
School House Although somewhat
long. after being cut down in places
| which probably cnuses some Of the
sentences To end somewhat abruptly,
we comply with request from n dele.
| Ia'ion of Nancos subscribers to pub
liah same. believing that n will he of
~ much Interest to our local school
patrons as those at Mancos Under
The above title Miss Young said
What came yc out for to see7'
why have YOU assernb bled here this
evening" Surely this gathering indi-
cntes an event Of unual Importance.
nud also pleasant one for the very
aif this evening is Joyous
why not? No one present win de.
nv that the school is an important
factor of our civilization Your pres
Hnrc and mine ~ n recognition Of that
fact The position of the school In
IN" past its gradual growth to It's
present level Of attainment. tells Its
own story Whether or no, We can
read the words does not affect their
truth
BEFORE entering upon n discussion of
this point allow me to call your at.
tcrtiou to the other phase Of the sub
lect the spirit OF glndness mentioned
above. or this we cannot help but
be conscious
Tonight the Lines have fallen unto us
IN pleasant places " We have assem-
hlnd tp do honor 10 the class of 1902
and truly II Is good for us To be here
What duty more agreeable than tC
meet with those young people
and bid them God speed We re
iolco IN their past and with them en-
iertain bright hopes for the future
This season Of the year. spring
summer close treading on her heels
Is of all times most fitting for gradu
ton. II Is not only spring out-of
doors hrt In these young hearts and
lives. Summer. autumn, winter
Young manhood and womRnhood-
prime of llfe-old age. seem to them
Tar off For them the future is a
land OF promise. upon whose borders
they stand and gaze from nfnr. Their
Canaan seems to them as to the Israel
ties Of old a land flowing with milh
and honey May their bright visions
bn realized
OF these young people we are Just
ly proud This is their occasion and
for them. We viii make the most of It
let US give them all the credit and al
the honor We may. for never viii the
like occur to them again From the
| fiAEH NAH'tl AufN may nv
but onco. True, they may attend
higher institutions OF learning--col
leee. Normal school and university
may delight to do them honor. but
no diploma from any such educational
establishment viii ever mean as
much to them ns that they will re-
cciVe this evening No other mo
ment OF success is ever SO proud no
later achievement stirs us to the
depths. as did our High school grndua
tion
This evening we have two fold
mission to fulfil Not only does this
celebration signify that the school
course Is finished and so the end is
reached. II also indicates that the
larger life In about to be begun.
With the end Of the old comes the be
ginning OF the new Completion and
commencement have both to be recll.
oned with Tonight these young peo.
pie stand, as II were. whore two roads
meet One they have travelled
thcy know II well-it is the past.
The other lies before them stretch.
inf broad and fair. into the distance
hat is the future.
Standing with these Young people
lot the Intersection OF past and future.
which We call the present II seems
most natural to turn our faces for
ward Above the future land of
promise the evening sky broods soft.
studded with silver stars-the
Gals toward which not only the
members of the class OF 1902 hut also
You and are climbing
Wait little, we may no, pass on
ward too soon--it the past that claims
ms now. This commencement night
reminds Ms OF our own In moment
of time, we leap back over the years
lten-twenty- -thirty--forty--io more.
TO the DAYS when you and were
school children
Think moment Can YOU see II
that schoolroom OF long ago. with
the teacher seated at the desk In
front OF her, rows OF children who
We're your classmates, roring over
book and slate7 Somewhere In that