The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-05-26
backward and were living over again

backward and I were living over again
 that old scene in new setting.
 It was the occasion of our first com. | mencement. Four years before we had | opened our school in Red Bank, N. J., | we did not come without credentials, | but still we were personally unknown. | Our patrons showed their cOnfld snce in | us by entrusting their daughters to | our care. Our girls had faith in us aR 1 teachers, and loyalty to our school, l without which they could have done All through these years we secured constant proofs of thefr esteem and af- | lection.
 We thought on this commencement, that no matter how many classes should leave our school, no other class would ever be so near, so close to our hearts as was this our first.
 Here tonight we celebrate our first commencement in the South. We came here three years ago; not unknown, for we had established a school, and by having obtained the recognition of the large colleges of the North, we had
 fixed our standing as a college prepara-
 tory school beyond a question of doubt.
 Still we were strange, unknown per
 sonally. Our patrons here showed us
 the same confidence, our girls he same
 faith in us, and the same loyalty to
 the recipients of almost daily marks
 of esteem and affection.
 In looking over our school
 Ssrs soalshf not fGs1 %ach vefS k%Ss kRFSSd num It
 bered among our allumnar girls from
 the West or the South as the North, but to few schools is 1t vouchsafed the breadth thatis ours. For we are not of the North, nor wholly of the South, but with the warp of the North and the wool of the South, here in your beau tiful Southland-the land of flowers and sunshine, clear skies and kindly hearts, we hope and believe we can work out design most beautiful, most excellent.
 And 10 you girls with whom meet for the last time in the capacity of teacher and pupil, here in these rooms where we have worked together, have spent some heavy hours. but many more happy ones, many more profitable ones. l would say no lengthy. words of counsel or advice; the time for this is long past. and if 1t has not been done directly or indirectly in the classroom or during our daily life for these three years, it would be but idle, vain words to attempt to do so now.
 But In looking over our work togeth- CT, feel that If we have opened your eyea that whereas you were blind. now you see what Is beautiful and good in literature, art, nature and life; and with this revelation we have awakened. as need must be, an intense desire to acquire a more perfect knowledge of expense of time, effort, self-saorifice and I do believe we have done this then whatever may be the defects in our instruction, and defects there must l lone our duty by you, and you leave l IS well taught, well prepared for life. | But I would impress upon you as you cave us our faith in you that we not | ,nly believe, but expect to hear from | you only good things, only the best | hings, and to this we would add the | assurance that among all your dearest | lnd best friends there are none who | will follow your course in life with | nore intense interest, more earnest de- ire for your welfare and that you may | york out for yourself your own true | lappiness than will Miss c. and my eli
 This is the third year of the Call hound Chamberlain school in Mont and while this is the first c4ass graduated the friends and patrons of he school may now look to com each year.