Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-02-15
WHEN CARTER TAUGHT SCHOOL


Extract from Senator 7. H. Carter:
address to the graduating class at the
| Helena high school:
This school is different from the
| one | taught school in, so many year.
ago that l am almost afraid to tel
you. In that school house taught the
| pupils, chopped the wood, tended tC
the fires and did the janitor work ant
got $44 month.
The progress in educational work
mas little more than kept pace dur
ing those years since taught school
with improvements in the sciences anG
the arts. The OK team has been dis
placed. 1t used to take three weeks
TO go to the states, while now it is a
matter OF hours. believe all the
splendid achievements of the coun
try may be traced back primarily t.
the schools of the country.
You have passed through the or
deal of the grammar schools and are
now about to enter upon a different
class of work. From Rotations and
studying l believe you have already
commenced that character building
that is so essential to right manhood
and right womanhood.
AS the young man said in his ad.
dress, the first thing is a good name,
man with good name but without
education is a worth, citizen. By
possessing good character with a sub.
stantial education a citizens well do.
ing is infinitely increased.
Right here l will interject a few
remarks. This world we live in is
the best world we have absolute
knowledge of. This is the best time
to live and those who claim the past
was better have little knowledge of
present conditions. Don't associate
with the person who is disposed to
build himself up by tearing someone
else down.
Don't associate with or encourage
the person who sees no good in hui
man nature. We are all weak and
subject to human passions and temp
tations, but every man tries to do the
best according to how he sees it. We
folks who are growing old are doing
our best as we see it.
"Our parents have made sacrifices
to give you educational advantages.
In Just the same manner you will give
the generation that follows you the
same advantages and make the same
sacrifices. Our duty throughout life
Is to do all we can to lift the heavy
heart; to help carry the burden of
other people; to so conduct ourselves
that We will never become a burden
to the community or blemish to the
name of the school where we were
educated.
Sometimes you will near it said
that great men are disappearing. The
truth is that great men of the past
were giants who stood with intellec-
tual pigmies. The level has been
raised higher than ever before. The
next four years should be devoted to
building character and also to prac-
tical affairs.
ITO you, young ladies, l would say,
learn how to bake bread before you
learn how to play bridge whist: give
some attention to practical affairs.
Get ready for opportunity.
THAT word opportunity is wonder
full word. Opportunity is the master
of human destiny. 1t Is a peculiar
force, a peculiar concurrence of
events. 1t never retraces it's steps, or
comes again to the person who fail
ed to grasp it when it came his way.
Your opportunities were denied your
mothers and fathers.
ION looking at your bright faces,
1t seems, too, that when we lay down
our burdens. it is you who will take
them up and carry them better than
we have DONE"