Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1904-06-17
0ASS0f 1904, L.F.H.S.
Senator CIapp's Fine Ad.
# dress S. at Commence
5mentHA;Exercises

-N0l SlSoS
The OF ra- house was packed to the
doors Friday evening: the occasion of
the commencement exercises of the
Little Falls high school.
The building was nicely decorated
in appropriate oolors: and emblems
On the=sstage. besides the sixteen
members Of the graduating class, were
the Gans' chorus, Rev. W. G. A.
Wallars&and Rev. M. O. stockland.
Supt.. 81: E. White and Senator Moses
E. Clapp.
The Cans chorus gave "Oh, Italia,
Italia" in splendid style, followed
by the invocation by Rev. W. G.. A.
Wallar, after which Misses Stella
Berg and Goldie Clouse gave a we'll
rendered piano duet.
Supt. White then introduced sena.
tor Clapp.
Senator Clapp took, as his subject
Opportunity" and gave one of the
finest addresses ever heard in Little
Falls.
In beginning Mr.. Clapp said that
for several years he had been devot.
ing a flew weeks each year, when he
could, to delivering commencement
addresses to high school students.
From these meetings he always drew
inspiration and hope for the future Of
the land, men and women Of education
being better patriots for their exper.
iencein the schools.
Senator Clapp illustrated his subject
with decisive Incidents and. exper-
iences of the great men in various
lands and times. Whether or not anv
Of the students achieved the highest
of the great geniuses of the past, there
were in the lives of great men ample
lessons teaching how opportunity,
seized and appreciated, had brought
substantial reward.
Napoleon, the child of the revolu-
tion, was creature Of destiny. He
seized opportunity and succeeded to
the diadem of ssCharlemagne. .. YetEhe
could not do all hess wished, for he
closed with the desires and ambitions
of the potentates of Europe and they
united to crush him, and Selling the
opportunity did so.
Opportunity.:is..only ..irue opportun-
ity. ....if. 1t is. appreciated--.and recoe-
nized.,at:: the~~rightss-time Abraham
Lincoln had the great instinct of seiz-
ing..opportunity:: st--the proper<<..time.
Undeterred by criticism or stimulated
by spraise. he bided his time, and
seized the. logic. moment, the oppor-
tunity at the right time. His emanci-
patton proclamation was an evidence.
It was,-iasued::--at precisely the.-::right
time to accomplish It's purpose.
The champions of Italian unifca.
ton, Cavour. Garibaldi, and Victor
Emanuel, :were.. great evidences of
knowledge of..opportunity. They were
constantly on the lookout for oppor-
tunites to further the cause dear to
their hearts.
10 wish for opportunity helps to
recognize it when 1t comes. Endeavor,
therefore, is particular element in
the recognition of opportunity. Ad-
versity. zoo, fits people achieve that
which in snug prosperity would never
occur to them. Adversely had
strengthened many a man and many
a race.
Ideals we're fine things to have, but
the vision must also be directed to
the near obstacles in the pathway of
life. Achieving the near thing may
bring US nearer to the goal of our
ideal than to attempt to reach 1t by a
leap Ideals may change, opportunity
seized many direct one in a different
channel of life. The wonderful career
OF Grant was instanced.
It is we'll to keep the ideal in view
as stimulant to truer and more care
ful effort, but do the best work you
can with what you have. It may that
the ideal will come nearer than ina.
gined.
The speaker closed with al, ELOQUENT
picture Of the values of opportunity,
rightly seized and properly used, and
gave practical advice to the young
people
The address was replete with his
torical and classic illusions, showed
profound thought, and was in every
way OF the speakers high position and