Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-06-21
ment as to nv ability ever to produce

Il
such a marvel of literary achievement.
have still the little wooden card case
filed with cards given me by my school
mates here, on which they wrote their
names, as schoolmates now give photo
graphs. 1t is all very boyish but it is
all very sweet. Intertwined with 1t lie
at once the boys eager ambition 10 his
studies and his yearning back to the
affections of the home from which he
came. 1t was the delight of the opening
of the way to treasures of literature and
scholarship; it was the first venture
from the parental nest into the outer
world, and look back upon it as a bird
who has flown from its native wood may
look back to the first essay of its wings
upon the air, its earliest flight upward,
its first deep breathings of the ether.
When think of the rural setting here,
of the simple, transformations and honest
lives of the people, the absence of any
distinctions between rich and poor or
of extravagant styles of living or of
pleasure, and of the pure and genuine
democracy which has ever been charac-
terstic of this school and Of the COM
munity about it, l feel there could
have been no better education of the
mind or the heart.
1t would not be proper for me to
speak of my own experience if it were
not like the experience of you all.
Enough for me II touch the chord
which is vibrating in all your breasts;
the electric wire that is flashing back
through the past years, opening all
their vistas, peopling them with the
dear old faces and scenes and hopes and
ambitions and aspirations of that youth
which, though years pass, though age
comes, though the locks whiten, is
eternal in the spirit and lives forever in
the memory.
In that spirit and full of that memory
we gather here today, to bring back
our sheaves to the feet of our Alma
Mater, to utter our word of gratitude to
her founders and benefactors and stew
ards, to thank her for every standard
she set up for us and for the wholesome
atmosphere in which she trained us,
and to write still deeper in our hearts
our loyalty to her inspirations.
Following the principal address, Ma
hum Moore, Esq, of RumfOrd Falls,
who was student at this academy
sixty-fve years ago, paid pleasing
tribute to the school and to one of its
founders. Dea. William BarrOws.
Hon. John i. SwaSey, the eloquent
Canton orator, followed in one OF the
very best and ablest of his many elo-
quent Orations. Mr.. Swasey's speech
deserves printing in full but the Demo
Gratis space forbids.
In the afternoon the audience re-
assembled and an historical address was
given by Judge Percival Bonney, follow
ed by interesting speeches from Rev. A.
K. p. Small, d. D., a former principal,
John Stuart Barrows of Boston, great
grandson of the founder, President
White of Colby College and Rev. Eleanor
b. Forbes of Gray, graduate in 1878.
A pleasing incident of the afternoon
was the presentation by l.. NJ. Small OF
Portland, in behalf of the alumni, of
very beautiful loving cup, suitably en-
gaved with pictures of the old and new
buildings and bearing the inscription:
Presented to
Prof. William K. Sargent,
by the
Alumni of Hebron Academy
who appreciate
years of love and self
sacrifice which he
has given to the up.
building OF their
Alma Mater.
Prof. Sargent responded eloquently in
an expression of his deep appreciation
of the gift.
To say that Hebron Academy's centen-
NAL celebration was a success Is to
understate tit was more.