The Jimplecute. (Jefferson, Tex.) 18??-1907, 1905-10-21

AN ADDRESS.

School of jefferson, Texas:
An ancient writer truthfully said,
1.-THE end of all education is the devel-
opment of character" Character is the
sum of all the elements and qualities
that m axe up the man: Obedience, in
dustry, neatness, truth, honesty, puuc-
tuality, kindness, mutual helpfulness.
courage, loyalty, love of home. love of
country, and its emblem-the flag.
Grant that we sre born with inherent
tendencies, and that character of some
kind is being formed every day of our
lives, yes. every momenr of our lives.
whether we will or not. The question
comes home to you for you to decide
for yourselves. assisted by your teach
ers, how it may best be developed.
Thoughts lead to action, action repeat
ed form habits, and the sum of all our
habits is character. Common place.
though it may seem or appear, the do
ing of ones duty embraces the highest
ideal of life and character. There may
be nothing heroic about it, but the
common lot of men, or women either, is
not heroic. The most influential of all
the virtues are those in most request
for daily use; they wear the best and
last the longest.
Character is what we are, reputation
is what we are thought to be. The men
of genuine character may be of slow
growth, they may be misunderstood by
some and misrepresented by others,
but eventually inspire the respect and
the confidence which they deserve. We
exercise influence over others only &C.
cording 30 what is in ourselves.
NATIONS LIKE INDIVIDUALS HAVE THEIR
CHARACTER.
National character will depend, upon
the people that constitute the nation.
1t has been well and truthfully said.
"The prosperity of country consists
in the number of its cultivated citizens,
in the men and women of education
and refinement. enlightment and char
acter. Here are to be found it's real
power. To impress upon your minds
the magnitude and Importance of these
truths. and you heed the admonition
give you today, you rejoice and make
glad your parents. and your teachers,
reflect credit upon this school and hon
or yourselves and the purpose of my
visit will be achieved. The history of
our Nation gives you an eminent illus
tration of the truth embodied in my
address. What child of sufficient age
to read tho history of the United States
since it first colonization, does not
know of the noble men and women of
the Pilgrim Fathers, who landed on the
shore of bleak New England? OF q
Miles Standish, chosen leader of those
noble men ard women, who leaving
country and home, boarded that good
ship the May Flower, and sailed away
to an unknown land to find homes for
themselves, and under and by the prov
idence of God, were landed upon Ply
mouth Rock and founded the colony of
Massachusetts? Are not the names of
John Hancock, John Adams, of Paul
Revere, of Gen. Warren who fell at
Bunker Hill, known, revered and re-
memDersd throughout this broad land
as the pioneers of liberty and freedom?
The characters of such men that have
named, and the heroes of 1776-Wash-
ington, Jefferson, Ben Franklin, Pat
rick Henry, Gen. Francis Marion, and
Light Horse Harry Lee. as he was call
ed and host others. who by the might
of the sword and mightier pen, wrested
the thirteen cslonies from their vassa.
lege to a king and gave birth to nation
of freemel, and unfurled to a wonder
ing weird Our nag, "Old Glory" as the
embisn of sovereignty, of "the people,
by the people, and for the people,"
The tsuadsrs OF the new republic
made saA proclaimed also to the world
this solemn declaration: "We believe
these truths to be self-evident that all
nisA wstA cSsstsd free and equal, and
endowed by their. Creator with certain
inalienable rights. snch as life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happlness,' as the
basic principle of the new born nation,
The colonies had with commendable
unanimity united as one people,
fought to finish under the command Of
Gen. George Washington the battle foi
freedom; and after peace was establish
ed between Great Britain aud the colo
MES, the several colonies framed con
stitutions for themselves and becam,