The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1905-07-06

July 6, 1905.
opportunity, we show lack Of appre-
citation for things that build for the
future.
This department of our prison life
has been the means of enabling many
a man who Las left this institution to
carry his head above water. What it
has done for them it will do for you
and me, and foolish we will be, espe-
cially if we hope to be anything more
than an ex-prisoner, if we pass by this
opportunity. At this point let me say
to each one of you that this circle is
yours, and If any member can see any
way to improve it, let him be frank.
I am not above criticism, nor Am 1
susceptible to offense, because some
one feels it his duty to criticise or ad-
vance some point for the improvement
of this circle. AS your servant want
to see and feel that this circle is bene-
fit to each one of you. hope to derive
some benefit by being associated with
you in this work. Therefore, let us be
honest with each other and cooperate
with the view of getting the most out
of this circle.
As to the second and third points
alluded to in the beginning of this
paper, viz: the meetings and programs,
you have noticed as we'll as have, how
our meetings vary in interest. Some
days we have bright, spirited meetings,
while on other days they are a drag
from beginning to end. Have you OBJ
served the cause for this? There are
two reasons at least and we might say
only two; first the topics selected as
subjects for the papers; and second the
lack of interest in the discussions.
Now, reviewing carefully these two
points, you will readily see that we
cannot expect an active discussion of
q subject that has few or no points to
discuss, therefore the discussion de-
pends entirely upon the subject treated
in your paper. L realize the fact that
all of us are not endowed with the
gifts of Oratory. 1t is hard for some
of us to get on our feet, and even when
we do we forget what we were going
to say before we are recognized by the
chair Now while this is true of a
large number of us, yet haven't you
noticed that you did not have to put
forth such an effort the second time as
you did the first, and the third time as
you did the second? We should make
it practice to take part in the dis
, cussion as often as possible. (Bear
in mind that I am listening to this
little talk myself)
Now let me touch upon the subjects
selected for our papers, and the pro-
, gram announced to take place two
weeks hence In the first place we all
know one month ahead that we are ex-
pected to report. We then have two
| weeks in order to select subject, and
two weeks more to smooth and polish
} it. Even before our names are an.
nounced we know that we will be ex.
pected to report at some future time
and knowing this we should select
some timely subject, lay the founda.
} tion and commence the frame work
t We all know that in building struc
: ture, we can expect a better building
/, when time is not crowding the con
e tractor than we could if the job was
: rushed from beginning to end, thrown
! together, so to speak. 1t is just the
= same in writing our papers for the
Q circle. The member who takes time
: and prepares the foundation and frame
1 work of his paper, puts up far bet
r ter article than the one who leaves Il
D to the last week before he has to re
8 port and finishes it in the forenoon o.
!. the day he has to read it. In many in
i stances if we who write our papers II
y the eleventh hour had written then
t two or three weeks before and thel
f laid them away until the week befor'
d we were to read them, we would flint
{, out for ourselves that our structur,
IS was frail and that many of the rafter
O would have to be spiked down in orde
It to make the job pass inspection. W.
y all read the magazines and books from
q the library, in fact most of us ar
{, obliged to put in our spare time il
Q this manner. In our library are book
d on science, socialism, history, geogra
p ply, biography, etc. Now, supposinl
o you are reading some work that inter
Is ests you, how easy 1t is to make few