Middletown transcript., 1903-06-20
"THE SUNNY SIDE"
Graduating Essay Read al the
Commencement of the Mid
dleloWn Public Schools,
June 18th, 1903
BY MISS ELSIE R0SINE JONES
Mr.. President, Board of Directors, Teachers

Mr.. President, Board of Directors, Teachers
Patrons, Ladies and Gertlemen:-
Time has placed another year in the
calendar of the past. The words and
actions of this brief period have been
recorded and stand as our advocates OF
our accusers. Again has the day pre-.
sented itself when class is to be gradu.
ated from the Middletown Public Schools
to join the multitudinous throng in the
great battle of life, and tonight in the
morning of our lives the class of 1908
with hearts filled with gratitude to the
gentlemen OF the School Board to our
teachers. to our schoolmates, to the
people of Middletown and to all our
friends We bid youwelcome.
When everything in nature seems SC
bright and happy on the first waking
hours OF Spring morning, when the
suns first rays touches the earth as the
magic wand did the sleeping beauty in
the wood, and calls all the children ol
mother nature from night of peaceful
rest to morning full of life and feeling.
The winds that come to you are richly
laden with the delicate perfumes Of the
woods and flowers, and here and thers
one may see gayly-tinted butterflies chas.
ing each other in the pale dawn of day.
Even the little bird seems so happy as
she returns with worm or insect in her
bill for her little ones morning meal.
Even the flowers lift up their bright faces
covered with dew to greet the rising sun.
And yet, man, the most perfect of God g
works, OIL whom so much has been be-
slowed, surrounded with everything from
which he may broaden his intellect, stu,
ated in the midst of all the glorious forms
of creations, is the only being who does
not always take the sunny side of life,
The world we live in is world min
gled with good and evil, To look at the
world in such way as to emphasize the
evil is the art of pessimism. Whether
we shall be a pessimist or an optimist de-
pends partly on our temperaments but
chiefly on our will. There is enough
wrong in life to make him miserable who
is so inclined. For whether you are a
pessimist or an optimist does not depend
on whether the world is wholly good or
wholly bad, whether your life is full Of
or whether it is an easy life.
1t depends on what you like, what you
want and what you resolve to be. We
all know people who have learned the
art of pessimism. Look at him who has
a good education, large circle of friends,
a good social standing, comfortable
home. an unbroken family circle, and
even the profession of some sort Of relig-
ion, yet by magEifying something that
to him long time ago, or
that may happen in time to
come, or what someone has said about
him, the slight someone has shown him,
the work he has to do, or even some
trife not SO definite as these, contrive to
make himself and everyone around him
miserable. He lives in the passive voice
intent on what he can get rather that on
what he can do; in the subjunctive mode
on what might be, rather
than on what actually is; in the past or
future tense continually worrying about
what has been done or what will come,
instead of bravely facing the facts of the
present; in the third person, finding the
fanlts of others, rather than trying to
mend his own son; in the plural number
the standards of respectability OF
other people rather than the perception
of what is fit and proper. He sees the
worst side of everything-always sees the
world is going to ruin and everything in
nature is continually happening to him
or the worse. The person who takes the
lark side of life is sure to be selfish
person, for in worrying about what has
or what will happen, he wor-
les those with whom he comes in con-
act. Just watch any ordinary gathering
If people and see how long it is before
will begin to fret and make
more or less complaint about some triae
which probably everyone around them
knew and which most likely no one is
lble to help. Why say anything about
t? Why not keep it to himself? 1t is
90 wet or too dry, too warm or too cold;
someone has failed to keep an engage
nent or some other similar circumstan-
,es. 1t is simply astonishing how many
hings we can find 10 fret about in
he course of an everyday life if we look
or them. Some people seem always to
De hunting for deformities, discords and
ladows, instead of harmony and sun
hine. About two things we should
lever fret, that we can help and that we
help. 1t is much better to find
me fault of our own than ten of our
leighbors.
We are told by one OF the foremost
American brain doctors that the inyes-
igations of the neutrologists have laid |
'are no secret of nature in recent years
more startling and interesting than the |
discovery that worry kills. 1t is a COM
non belief of those who have made |
tudy of the science of brain diseases
hat hundreds of deaths attributed to |
ther causes each year are due simply to |
worry. We should fight against every |
influence which tends to depress the
mind as we would against temptation to |
rime.
A clock would be of no use as a time.
.eeper if it should become discouraged
nd come to a standstill by calculating its
york a year ahead, as the clock did in
ane Taylor's fable. Tt is not the troubles
4 to-day but those of tomorrow, and
lext week and next year that wrinkle so |
many faces and whiten SO many heads. |
rknlx