Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1905-06-29


thus placing man on higher plane than
animal. citing for instance the beaver IN
our far North, building and preparing its
winter home, first emotion, then instinct,
third the act, God thinking for the beaver
but giving him the instinct of protection.
Look at the power of thought, think foi
moment of the age IN which we live.
material and spiritual but thinknot that
It is without its dangers, it is a CONNER
cla age, and the world today loves
that word commercial, an age of splendid
prosperity. so much to dazzle the eye, the
oil king, the cotton king. the iron and steel
magnates, but over and above the think
er is the mightest man and the real power
lies in the man who can think He spoke
Of the man in the little room alone think
ing with noble purpose, outside the
noise of the city life goes on but the little
man unlettered and unknown goes on
thinking to bed rock and principles evolved
there in that little room will live and bless
all future generations, Of Socrates and
how his thought became the only potent
factor in all the life of that day that has
outlved time and can never die.
He said that everything man had ever
knowingly made had first been thought,
and referring to Elias Howe in his inven-
ton of the sewing maceine, Newcombe
and Jas. Watt experimenting on the steam
engine. Fulton on the steam boat and sew
eral others as grand illustrations of man
with an idea. He said that Chas. Good
year was eleven years in patiently devel-
opng his idea of the successful use of
India Rubber.
Carlyle says not the age is progress but
the individual and so he would have the
young people progressive people but pro-
gressiye in ideas that are worth the
thought, referring with regret to the fact
that so many give life and thought to
things so small, helping to make up the
great tragedy Of life. History teaches
more then anything else that one life in
its thought and idea may count for every
thing and urged last that the young men
and young women of today think problems
through with noble purposes and earnest
heart.
In the presentation of the diplomas,
President of the Board, H. j. Connel
made few but fitting remarks. The
High school chorus gave another fine Sc
lection, The Soldiers Chorus" and Prof
Pitkln with the remark that it usually fell
to his lot to have the last word called Miss
Lottie Johnson to the rostrum and in a
few well chosen words of explanation and
commentator presented her with the
Olyet scholarship and also called Miss
Carrie Demorest to the rostrum and pre-
sented her with the five dollar gold piece
known as the Benedict medal to be given
to the student in the High school having
the highest standing at the close of each
school year. "
Rev. j. w. Sheehan pron5unced the
benediction and thus closed the COM
mencement week program, which had
been more fully and better carried out
than in any previous year Of the school
work. Beginning with the eighth grade
promotion exercises in the High school
room Wednesday afternoon and continu
ing with the lowergrades Thursday after
noon and closing with the final commence
ment exercises Of the graduating class
reflecting high credit upon the school and
in which the teachers should be warmly
commended for the successful work ac-
complished