Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1904-06-09
NANTUA SCHOOL
COMMENCEMENT

No town in our county takes greater
pride in its public school than Mantua.
1t was to be expected, therefore, that the
ME-. Church would be crowded on the oc-
casion of the commencement exercises held
last Thursday evening, when six graduates
were awarded diplomas. The program in
cluded besides singing, these exercises
by the graduates.
salutatory and Essay, Stumbling
Blocks or Stepping Stones"
Glass History, Helen A. Eldridge.
Essay, Patriotism. Walter S. Smith.
Song, Room at the Top, by the School.
Essay, Character, Edna Stephenson,
Glass Prophecy, Reba R. Robinson.
Essay and Valedictory, "Work and
Win, . Fred Crawford
President Thos. G. Dilkes, Of the Board
Of Education, made the address to the class
and presented the diplomas. He said in part:
1t gives me much pleasure this evening
as President Of the Board of Education to
congratulate you, the graduating class of
the Mantua Grammar School. You have
worked, and you have won. You have not
accomplished this in few days, or a few
months, or few years, but you have been
all your natural lives up to the present
time working to become graduate in this
grammar school. You have won. By
passing this goal you have brought credit to
yourselves, to your families, to your teach
ers and to the Mantua Township Board of
Education, and l speak to you tonight as
one of the Board, and am sure the other
members will bear me out, in saying we are
proud of our graduates There is no time
in the school year that Prof. Tharp wears a
broader smile than after the examination
and he has good class of graduates,
The primary teachers are equally proud
Of you; for saey have part III this happy
consummation of your school work they
started you right. As to your families, we
only have to turn and look around over
this audience to tell who you belong to. L
hardly know which wears the broadcast
smile, your fathers and mothers or Prof
Tharp. And now to yourselves. You
have worked and you have won. You
have finished the prescribed course in the
Grammar School This Commencement is
held in your honor. ! used to think it
strange, and / have heard others express
themselves the same way, that it is so strange
to hold Commencement when school
closes-but this is your commencement
commencing life on broader plane. You
are much better fitted for life's work
whether in higher school or in the battle of
life. Whether you pursue your studies
further, or enter the battle of life-the
struggle for subsistence. [ want to i'm
press upon you the Importance of work.
You have proved to us that you are capable,
now prove your endurance. / have no
doubt you have high anticipations Of the
future, but let me urge upon you the ne
cessity of being strictly truthful and hon
est. l hold III my hand watch; if it con-
tains good works it is truthful, for every
time you look upon its face, its hands are
pointing time, and it is always up to the
time, not noisily, but always at it with its
tick, tick, tick.
I urge upon you to take a lesson from
the little watch and not from the big
bass drum. When you strike il il makes
big noise but if you cut open its head you
find nothing in it but air.
Another thing:-let me point out to you
the fact that in the battle of life he who
would succeed must keep his eyes and ears
open. There are as many chances to sue
ceed as there are to fail, but you must be
ready to take advantage of every oppor-
tunity. The greatest presidents, the great
est orators, the grandest preachers the
ablest judges, the most learned lawyers, the
world IS greatest teachers and the most skill
full physicians were at one time exactly the
same age that you are tonight; and some
Of our grandest and best men were only
poor boys, blessed with no better oppor
tunities than you have at the present time.
Look well to your future opportunities.
Above all be manly, noble, unselish, live
to make the world better, to do noble deeds
that shall benefit others and rebound in
blessings upon your own heads. Oppor-
tunities will come to you in everyday life
in many cases it is the smaller things in
life person does that helps to make them
great Do not go looking for opportunities
but be prepared for them when they come,
Make little fence OF trust around today,
Fill it with good works and there in it stay;
Do not peer through the sheItering bars outon
tomorrow,
God will give you grace to bear, whatever
comes OF joy or sorrow.
And now, in the name and by the author
ity vested in me as President Of the Man
tua Township Board Of Education, present
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