Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-06-10
Commencement.

year and SO suggestive of life that
all nature pays homage and courts
attention. Forest and field vie with
each other, and the happy song OF
bird life suggests the thought that
June is the glad month of promise
in all the Kingdom Of nature.
1t is well that this month has
been appropriated by schools and
colleges, as the date when the fin
ished product of the year is turned
out.
Commencement exercises are SO
common that they lose significance,
and yet so real to the participants
that they are anticipated as the
most important epoch in life.
Some one has recently said that
the title Commencement" as APP
piled to the ending of school life is
little misleading, unless the fact
is considered that the real work of
life is about to begin. The sugges-
ton is a good one, and worthy of
thoughtful attention by every grad
uate from every school in the land.
The diploma speaks of years of
study and faithful work. 1T speaks
of opportunities improved and OBJ
stacles overcome. It is evidence of
a healthy mind and of earnest am
b1tion.
The faculties of mind and heart
that win the diploma, should win
the prizes Of life. That they do
not always succeed, is not the fault
of the faculties.
There are two or three things
that contribute to failure, on the
part of June graduates. Not that a
majority of them fail, but that
many of the young people, that the
world has the right to expect the
most of, are disappointing.
When the boy leaves school from
the grades, and takes up the active
work of life, either through choice
or necessity, there is no commence
ment to herald the event, but life
has been transformed in a day and
from the care free school boy, he
has become a toiler in the ranks.
The same experience comes to the
girl in like condition. The glad
June commencement is not for
them and while the equipment may
be meagel' the work of life is upon
them and the possibilities Of des-
tiny are within their grasp.
They represent the masses and
while greatness is not demanded, it
frequently develops.
With the graduate, more is ex-
pected. More time has been given
to the foundation. The mind has
been trained to think and the rea-
son to act. Judgment is more
mature and knowledge more abund-
ant. Time has suggested the trend
of genius and if recognized and en-
couraged, plans for work have been
formed in advance of the diploma.
It is possible to enjoy all of these
advantages, and yet make life
failure.
Too many young people regard
the foundation as the building.
They have mental equipment
that overshadows the little home
The father and mother are ordinary
plodders and the neighborhood is a
little dull for bright intellects.
They possess a good assortment
of theories and only want favor
able opportunity to put them in
practice. They have yet to dis
cover that while knowledge is power,
that it is utterly powerless, unless
properly applied.
It is difficult for them to under
stand that life is a school and that
in the great university of every day
experience, there are neither grad
yates nor favorites.
The young man at 81, fresh from
commencement day, with the echo
of applause still ringing in his ears,
finds it difficult and a little humiliat-
ing to enter a shop or store at 81. 90
per week, and cheerfully perform
the work of the boy half dozen
years younger
He has studied political economy
and is thoroughly competent to give
the firm advice as to how the bust
ness should be conducted. If he is
college bred, the chances are that
he has advanced notions about fin
nance and cheaper money, that any
up-to-date house would be glad to
endorse.
The trouble with this class of
young men is, that they are not
willing to spend time to build on a
good foundation.
Tho c110onnIcs ,,,