The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1905-09-14

w TITH the announcement of
\N/ the fact that the night school
Y Y will soon open, there comes
this question to many-will
it pay me to attend?
1t will only take few seconds for
those who have attended the school at
some previous term to decide favora-
bly,. They know it was golden oppor-
tunity. To those whom it afforded
the first opportunity in their lives to
attend school and gain an elementary
education, it was appreciated far more
than can be expressed by words.
To many it has been great mis-
fortune that their past conduct should
have placed them in such place as
this; yet, there are others to whom it
was almost godsend that their course
ended "behind the walls" for time. 1t
has caused them to think, perhaps for
the first time in their lives. They
soon realized the fact that their early
education had been sadly neglected.
This may not have been their fault en-
tirely. 1t may have been the surround
ings and conditions IN their youthful
days over which they had no control.
AS they grew older, they had naturally
fallen into the rut of being contented
with themselves. They had forgotten
one of the debts man owes to himself,
by the ever-pressing fight for liveli-
hood, pitted against those better quail
fed for life's work.
Then, again, we have those in our
cation In foreign school, and the
prison night school has afforded them
an opportunity to learn to read and
converse in the English language.
have heard pupils say proudly that they
could read little English. Had they
a right to feel proud that they were
mastering the English language and
were able to read and understand what
was in the English papers? 1 think
so. 1t has meant more to them than
to us, to whom the prevailing language
came as birthright. 1t has placed
them on an even plane to contend
for the necessities of life hereafter.
The future of any man depends
upon what he is honestly striving to
be, not so much upon what he has
been. This statement is absolutely
true and cannot be questioned. We
who were so shortsighted as to place a
scar upon our past lives, may not fee
the same about it, nevertheless, it il
true For the man who leaves here anG
repeats the same follies he did in tht
past, or, in other words, fails to prof
by the blunders of the past, the worl(
has no sympathy. The public feel
that to the man who makes n,
effort to better himself or outhve tn,
past, it owes nothing. 1t has moth
ing to give to those whose action
meant nothing, and everything to Civ
to the one who is honestly endeavo1
ing to do and be something.
There are no better means for futur
betterment than taking advantage o
present opportunities that tend to i'm
prove one mentally, physically an
morally. It is to this point that
wish to call attention to the benefits t
be derived from the night school. 1
the first instance, it gives one an OK
portunity to review or get an elemer
tary knowledge upon which one ca
enlarge in the future. The classe
range from the A b G class to th
higher mathematics and English gran
mar. These classes meet three time
week for an hour and half at eac
session. The teachers are selecte
from among the inmates of the inst
tution-those who have had adval
tages and received good education
They are there to aid the students, b,
every one who attends must kno,
or should know, that the teacher
only there in great sense to create {
atmosphere of research. 1t is his du'
to explain things, to make them plai
and unless the student concentrat
his mind upon the subject under stud
he cannot hope to receive the full be