The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1905-05-26
PUBLIC SCHOOL EXERCISES
Hon. 10 Washington, of Cedar Hill, Addresses the
Graduating Class.

Coke Burress. and Martha Hefley.
The selections, chosen from such
authors as Ldstz, Gottschalk and
Vogrich, were rendered by these
pupils in manner that not only
showed marked ability and charmed
the audience, but aided much in
rendering the occasion thoroughly
brilliant and pleasing.
From the literary department
there we're six graduates, three of
whom, Misses Pearl Floyd, Mamie
McMurry and Floy Coble, read
original papers, whose subjects
were respectively, "The Invention
of Letters, " Higher Education, /"
and "Silent Influences. These
papers we're of a high order, and
appealed to every thoughtful per
son in the audience. The other
members of the class delivered ora
tions: Miss Kittie Mott Glenn on
"Heroes of Science" Miss Ella
Griffin, Live to Do, Not to Dream"
Miss Rose Nellie Morton, Hitch
Your Wagon to a Star" These
productions gave universal pleasure,
and the young ladies have received
many compliments upon the inn
pressive manner in which they were
delivered.
Following these was an address
to the class and presentation of di-
plomas by Hon. 10. e. Washing ton.
He spoke on the subject of practical
education: his remarks were torcible
and impressive, aud formed fitting
close to the evening ) exercises.
HON. 10 wAsHINGToN's ADDRESS.
Mr.. Washington spoke substantially
as follows: lie congratulated the peo-
pie Of Union City on having such com.
petent and capable management In
the High School. The carefully pre-
pared and excellently rendered pro-
gram showed the most thorough train
ing and preparation Of the pupils in
both their literary and in their mu-
sical studies, at the same time Prof
Darrah and Prof. Miller and their as.
sistants should be congratulated in
having such splendid material 10 work
upon. Unless the boy or girl has the
ability and ambition no teacher.
however competent or painstaking,
could succe, d. IT is evident Tonight
that both teacher and pupil had been
working In harmony 70 the same suc-
cessful end.
He said that it was the duty of the
State to provide for education for all
the children in the commonwealth.
This is absolutely necessary in order
to protect and purify the ballot in
fine republic like ours. Our prosper
perity and welfare as a nation, the
prosperity and preservation Of our
free institutions, all depend upon the
virtue, intelligence and education of
our people. 1t is the highest duty of
the State to have in every school dis
trict within easy reach of every child
Of school age-a fine public school
and that school should be open not |
less than five to six months in every |
year. In the cities and thickly settled
communities it is easy to keep these
schools open nine months and he was
happy to know that such was the case
here. OF course ia the more sparsely
settled farming districts where many
of the boys had to assist in the farm
work In the spring and early fall
months it was not possible at present
to run the common schools SO long,
but he believed that the people were
rapidly awakening to the value and
of a longer school term in
the rural districts and that in time
this sentiment would demand as good
school facilities as are now enjoyed in
the cities He would hail with delight
the coming of that day when every
barefooted country hoy in Tennessee
between the ages of 6 and l6 could at
tend for nine months in the year a
Iirst-class graded school.
But we should remember that a lit
srary or scientific training is not, or
should not be, the alpha and omega Of
IN education. He thought that while
science, literature, languages and art 1
we're all well enough up TO certain
point that all education was incom-
Dlete which did not teach a boy or a i
yirl how to do something useful and |