Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1905-06-02
ANNUAL COMMENCEMENT
Continued from First Page)

sentlng these diplomas TO you. my
mind goes back in retrospect to this
sameperiod iii my life, when was pre-
sented to me a similar certificate. 1T
is n sad, sweet time in life; sad, for i'm
it we see the Severence of friendships
ties formed in childhood, enduring
through youth and through budding
manhood and womanhood. We see
the parting of our several ways, each
to run his own course and in the man
ner of running to decide whether or
not Mt the end the Master shall say
"Well done.
Sweet is the time. for is it not the
time of victory when you are hailed as
those who persevere? Have you not
life before you and are you not better
prepared to meet the problems of that
life?
In itself this Diploma is but the
sheepskin still the ribbon will fade
even as the ribbon which ties my Di-
ploma has faded. But as time passes
you shall cherish it more and more and
through all the varying changes of life
you will regard it as an emblem of the
school days of long ago.
There is coincidence which draws
me near to you for on my class badge
is the motto-"Wor not Words"
and on yours "Nht tugend nicht Wor-
ter" That is a good motto. And
those are beautiful colors which wave
over you tonight the white symbol
ICES purity of thought and of deed, pur-
ity-moral, physical and intellectual.
The gold symbolizing the result of your
twelve years at school, of your works
not words, of the purity of thought
and deed. Carry them with you
through life.
The Wedding of the Roses by the
orchestra followed after which Rev.
George Matthews, pastor of the NJ. E.
church of this place, delivered the
class address. He spoke in part as
follows:
Wisdom, the right application of
knowledge.
The tendency ESPECIALLY in youth
to imagine that because know so
much therefore | am wise"
The fallacy of the idea:
1t is repeatedly said, knowledge is
power" This in the abstract is not
true; and yet knowledge digested and
assimilated certainly does give power
to its possessor.
When Bacon said, knowledge is
power" he evidently meant knowledge
that has been in sense tranSubstan-
| tiated.
Our graduates of this evening GER
tainly know at the present great
deal more than they did few years
ago, few years hence and they will
know a great deal more than they do
now; not merely more of the books
they study but more of themselves,
more of their relations to society,
more of the obligations which arise
out of these relations.
] AS they have been learning so will
| they continue to learn more and more
of what it means to be an American
citizen, more and more of what is eX-
pected of them as American citizens.
| This great truth will become more
and more clear to them, viz; the no.
| blest attitude man can sustain in
relation to his fellow-men is that of q
servant, and that the motto of each
life should be not merely Live and
let Live" but Give and help others
| to Live
So as Wisdom is the right apphca-
UlOI VI hlOM IcuSG-IlC proper COuSlu-
Grafton for each of the young people
before me would be-now as through
the providential helps of the Perrys-
burg schools have reached this stage
in life's journey fairly prepared to
enact my part in life's activities and
responsibilities what shall / do?
What course shall / pursue so that
while fairly enriching myself l can be
of the greatest possible use to my fel-
| low-creatures? How can | best use
my mental and moral equipment?
If such reflections as these are car
ried into practice surely you will not
have lived and learned in yain.
Let me remind you in closing, all of
truly useful life and character may be
comprehended under these three ideas
appropriation distribution, worship
or getting, giving and adoring. So,
young people, appropriate all you can
of that which enriches the soul and
enobles the life; give all you can of
your life thus emo obled and enriched,
for the benefit and blessing of those
around you, and with it all now and
forever-worship God.
Scott's Special was the closing mus
ical number and theaudience was dis
missed after the benediction, which
was pronunced by Rev. Tovey of the
Eyanpelical church.