Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-05-25
THE PRESIDENT
Continued from page ~

Inc
main hall.
These exercises promised to be- NOT.
able because President Roosevelt was
to speak. Bishop Wm Lawrence or the
Episcopal diocese of Massachusetts nj.
so was a guest at the school and was
expected also to speak. 1t was pIanpad
that after the school exercises ~
President would lunch at DR.. pc,.
body's house and spend the Afternoon
about the grounds and leave about 6
o'clock on the return trip to WASHING
; ton.
There was some delay in beginpin,
the exercises. due chiefly to the desire
to await the arrival of parents and
friends of the students. The prorra m
was carried out in the cymna s,,m
which was crowded with friends and
relatives of the students. DR.. Peabodv
made brief address devoted particu-
larly to reviewing the history of the
school, OF which today marked the
twentieth anniversary.
Dr. Peabody's introduction of tho
President. who was the next speaker
was in part as follows:
I'VE like him us parent, we adj
miro him as President, and we love
him as a man."
Inc audience rose to receive Presi-
dent Roosevelt. In addressing the stu
dents, the President gave what he
called Il "hOmely heart to heart tall,
with the boys" He expressed the de-
sire that he should not be directly
quoted and that no extended report
of his speech should be made. He
dwclt particularly upon the necessity
and advantage of courage and pluck
and decency OF living. both on the part
of boys and men,
In opening his remarks, the Prcsi-
dent addressed the audience as "fellow
Parents and our boys" He said that
he would speak to the students con-
corning their duties as boys and us
men.
The qualities in each arc fundamcnt-
ally the same. Continuing the Presi-
dent said if Il boy has not pluck, COM
mon sense and deccncy. he is of a
pretty bad sort and man without
those qualities is even worse. He said
that the parents had a right to expect
much of their boys and that the lads
must conduct themselves so as to make
their actions count for good, both ut
school and at college and in after life.
He admonishcd them that they must
not i'll any degree become priEs and
urged them to be strong, to be decent
and to be resOurccful.
Boys and men, he said, "posscssinG
such qualities will not he snobs. There
arc in our civic and social life worse
creatures than snobs. but no creature
is more contemptiblc.''
The President referred to train
ing in public schools which train
ing he believed to be most bcnc-
fetal because OF its democratic
character. 1T is necessary" he said.
For boys in school and i'm college and
for men in civic or social life to DEM
cnstratc that they have power to ar-
comrliSh things and be able to do their
rart in life. The boy or the man must
be &blc to accomplish something for
dcccncy or he must step aside for those
who can do So
The President referred to the mod
crn school life saying that he believed
in athletics and sports and in the spirit
which is back of them. He said that
if Il boy We're what he termed "A molly
Coddle" many boys and men would have
little use for him and that if he did not
possess the spirit. the pluck, the en-
crgy necessary to make him successful
in athletics. he probably would amount
to little in after life.
At the conclusion of the Presidents
address Bishop Lawrence, who is ore
of the trustees of the school, spoke. Dr.
Peabody announced that President
Roosevelt would present the prizes.
The boys who had won honOrs during
the year We're called to the platform
and President Roosevelt shook hands
with each one and passed him the prize,
| in most cases. a bank book. The Pres
| idcnt's sons were not among those
called to the platform.
| The exercises were not concluded
until about o'clock. Following them
n luncheon was served for the parents
and friends of the students i'm Il large
tent on the campus. The President
and Bishop Lawrence were guests of
DIR. Peabody.
| President Roosevelt. accompanied by
Miss Carcw. his sistcr-in-law, and Secre-
| tary Loeb. left for Washington on a ST. C.
| ial train at 522 O'Clock. this evening. The
| train VIII make the return trip by way
Of Worcester and Springfield to the
| PouChkcopsie bridge and over the Penn
| Sylvania road tc Washington
| Several members of the school faculty
and Il large number Of villagers were at
| the station to bid the party gcOd-byc