The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-06-16

4 little reflection will show that education
does anore for d community than all
Its material wealth. When we look
back upon history, we have the names
of the men whose education has made
them great factors in the world, but we
do not know who were the commercial
kings of Greece and Rome, and who
were the wealthiest citizens.
Some time ago number of the gov
ernors of the northwestern states, hap
pening to be met in social conclave, fell
to boasting about their respective
states, and grew exceedingly effores-
cent in their expressions. The COVER
nor of Montana declared that his state
had enough copper to wire the whole
distance from his state to heaven.
The governor of Idaho said that that
state had enough lead to sink all hu
manity to the other extreme. The gov
ernor of South Dakota claimed that in
the Black Hills. there was gold enough
to pay the expense of botn trips.
And if the governor of Minnesota had
been there he might have said that the
north Star State" had iron enough to
lay tracks and furnish Pullman cars for
a trip over the entire distance. But
he would not have said this. He would
have made a boast that would nave
been a prouder one than any vaunt of
material wealth. He WOULD have
maintained that Minnesota has the fin
est educational system of all the United
States of America.
The farmers boy and the farmers
girl have as good right to enjoy the
rich legacies of the learning of bygone
years as anyone else. In this age of
commercialism the poor boy will find a
hard time holding himself on par
with the son of the millionaire, unless
this poor boy has the brains and the
education to maintain that position,
|
that they must not expect to find the
world an easy place to get ahead in,
1t will often seem like desert.
There will be mirages. in the distance,
and the deception will only be discov
cred after long and toilsome pursuit
of that mirage. As you climb and
/
strive to attain to higher things, you
will find others striving for the same
things. Some occasionally may give
you little sly jolt backwards to get
up little higher themselves. The
struggle is only just begun.
The governor closed giving empha-
the opportunities that would lie in the
sis to this thought, that whatever are
way of each and everyone, that person
should make the most of them In the
hope and belief that the graduates of
that class would, do soy he, as governor
of. the state of Minnesota, presented
them. with the, diplomas. ,a4,psat n,soc
President Cooper las is customary on
such occasions, made a few announce
ments relative to the school The prog
tress' during the past two years has been
leXeeedingly gratifying, especially in the
increase in attendance. Two years ago
the enrolment was Ol Last year it
WAS 409g This year it has reached
1862 The increase has thus been more
than fifty per cent in the space of
two years. @'f
The summer school will open on
June 20 and will continue six weeks.
The summer school of last year was
splendid success in attendance, in spirit
and in the work accomplished. This
year as great or greater success is
hoped for.
Tine legislature appropriated $4,000
for library building. This was done
largely through the efforts of Senator
Eberhart. 1t is hoped that the build
ing can be erected a year from this
coming summer.
| The president called attention to the
magnificent memorial window, donated
by the graduating class. He pointed
out similar windows, also in the assem-
bly, room, donated by previous gradu-
ating classes.
Mr. Cooper briefly mentioned The
changes in the faculty and expressed
the particular regret of the school at
losing Professor Cox, who mas been, here
SO long.
| Turning to the class, he urged the
members to continue to do the same
faithful and honest work, that they did
in their school course, thus justifying
the seal of approval that the state
had put upon their work and their fit
ness to guide the young.
The Glee club once more entertain
ed the audience with two numbers, "The
Shoogy Shoo," Ambrose, and "Spring
Song" Smith.
Rev. Heermance pronounced the bene-
diction, and amid farewells and con-