The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1904-07-01

most OF you can remember the Gay
three years ago when class of ten
graduated from the eighth grade. How
proud we were of our class and how
earnestly we began our work in the
high school. Since then two other
classes have entered the high school
and last night a third received diplomas
granting them admission. The work at
first seemed new to us but we struggled
bravely onward and with the aid of our
teachers, who with loving hands
smoothed the rugged pathways and who |
with patient and tender care led us all
these years we have conquered. But |
we are not all here tonight. Our class |
became smaller year bv year until
there are only three left in school.
Some have gone to other schools and
others are filing with honor positions
in the WOrk-a-day world. We are proud
of the fact that we have completed
our high school course in three and one
half years and it is with the deepest re-
greet that we leave the Ely schools that
have harbored us so long. We carry
away with us a fond memory OF our
teachers and our school-mates and of
the many happy days spent together III
the school rooms. The future is bright
before us. No dark forbodings dim our
lives mornings, and we leave you to
begin life bravely and without fear,
with the intention of striving after
worthy objects and striving success
fully
We thank you for the interest you
manifest in our school work by your
presence here tonight for the intreset
you have always manifested and will,
we feel sure, continue to manifest in
those who shall fill the seats we have
left and shall learn from the Self-same
books the lessons we have learned.
Ever since the year 1888, when the
first settlers came to Ely, the people of
Ely have been interested in the edu-
cation of the youth. They early. real
lied that the welfare and prosperity of
the community depended largely on the
education their children received. The
first school house was built in the
autumn of 1888 and in January 1889
school was opened with an enrolment
of 1OS pupils.
On the tenth day of June, 1901, the
| first eighth grade commencement eXer-
cises ever held, when a class of ten
pupils received their diplomas, admit
| ting them into the high school, Since
then we have had eighth grade COM
| mencement exercises each year. Last
year at Christmas time Ely was ad-
| mitted by the state to the list accredited
high schools. This means that the high
school is now in the position to offer
good high school education, and it is
| to be hoped that in the future, with the
patronage of the citizens desirious of
advancing the cause of education, 1.-The
| schools will not retrograde but on the
other hand that they will attain very
| high standard and rank among the best
| in the state"
From the earliest times of history
education has advanced as civilization
| advanced, and has received more and
more attention from the people. Thus
| schools and colleges have come to be
| established in all quarters of the globe
| until today, especially in the United
| States, every hamlet and country place
| has it's little red school house. Here
| the farmers sons and daughters receive
l. their first lessons in the elementary
| branches of education. They continue
| their studies in some nearby high
| school, for every city and every town
of any Importance has its high school,
L olIlu lIcIl IL lIey WISH anu I'D V 7
the means, they may go to college
| Many who are desiriOus of completing
| their education work their way through
college. Thus the poor mans son may
have the same advantages as his rich
brother. Education has opened to him
opportunities that had seemed imposs-
ible before. He may work his way into
the foremost ranks of men. He may
become a leader of men. Many of ou1
greatest men have been sons of poor
parents and have worked their way
through life and in the end have
achieved great fame and honor. Abra-
ham Lincoln is an illustrious example
of this class. He was born in a little
| log cabin in the back woods of Ken
lucky. While yet child he was eager
| to learn and as he became older he
used every opportunity he had to gair
an education. In the evenings after his
work was done, he would stretch him
self out before the fire place and either
read some book he had borrowed of E
| distant neighbor or work out some
| problem on the logs of the floor with
| piece of charcoal. By hard work an(
| tireless efforts he gained the high pos.
ition he now holds in the esteem of the
| Americans. Among other poor boy:
who have achieved success in life may
be named Garfield and Grant. Many
more could be mentioned who have done
| the same and there are others who are
doing it today of whom we may heal
in later years.
/ Today education is almost neccessar,
in order to enter any college. Fifty
| years ago a position of ordinary i'm
portance did not require that the per
son who held it to be an educated man
All that was necessary was the abilit!
to read and write and do small sums
The employers themselves. in man!
cases, had never been to school. Blu
| as time passed they had to compete
| with the business men of better educa
ton and they found it to their advan
tage to employ people Of better ed
ucation so that now even a position O
minor Importance requires a genera
| knowledge of the commone branches
reading, writing, arithmetic, gramma
and spelling. The business man looks
for intelligent people who can do hi
| sums accurately and can write his let
ters correctly. The educated person
commands larger salary he does no
have to drudge for his living Parent.
have come to recognize the advantage:
Of an education and there are hundreds
L Of nOthafs and ia harc who ra,,- on, |, ~,