The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-06-06

parentage, youth, training and educa-
ton have all been steps for his life
work. and there can be no tendency to
idleness while the industry and energy
of such man afford an inspiration to
worthy deeds for the young men OF
America" Miss Secord closed her de-
livery with most splendid rendition
OF that beautiful poem to Roosevelt
by Mrs. Boylon. The appreciation
demonstrated by the applause Of the
audience was fitting tribute to this
excellent story of our president.
Presented Diplomas.
This was followed by another treat
from the high school chorus, entitled
Goodnight, Beloved by Giro Pinsuti.
The diplomas were then presented
by Superintendent ]. Nelson Kelly.
Mr.. Kelly spoke most gratifyingly of
the class of 1907, giving them his we'll
wishes and little of his good advice
as they are about to begin a new ca
reer, their youthful, care-free school
days being over, which to many of
them means that they now must Shout
der their own responsibilities. The
class then gracefully received the
mark of reward of many years. work
their diplomas.
The commencement address, by Rev.
NJ. P. Burns, was then delivered.
An Unearned Heritage.
IT, substance the speaker said: "In
the beginning, God created the earth.
and. after six successive geological
periods, or days, man was created in
the image Of the Maker to reap the
benefits of His work. The making of
the earth was likened to the making
by the father of home for his son;
that God sent our first ancestors to
reap that upon which they themselves
had bestowed no labor. The asser-
ton was equally true concerning this
generation which is just now growing
up and about to assume the RESPONSE
bilities and burdens of both church
and state in this, the morning of the
twentiety century. Just how much of
the fruits OF other mems labors we
are permitted to reap and enjoy we
cannot exactly calculate, but, accord
ing to the Bible, we have at least
5000, and. according to the most con-
sentative chronologists, we have any
where from 5000 to 10000 years of
and human experience, upon which
we, today, may lay the foundation
and cornerstone of our intellectual
lives. Our first ancestors came to
reap that which the Almighty had
sown, while Egypt came to enjoy that
which previous nations had sown;
Babylon, the Hebrew or Jewish the
ocracy, Greece and Rome also came in
v,tvn 11,a ~E
the nations preceding them; France,
Germany and England also profitted
by the work of nations before them,
and, lastly, comes the United States,
enjoying the benefits of the work Of
all other nations during the previous
hundreds OF years. The United States
OF America and the twentieth century
are incomparably the greatest nation
and greatest century known. We ask,
"Why?' would answer that it is
because we are reaping the benefits
OF the labor OF those before us.
Should Not Stop.
AS We have been sent as a nation
to reap these benefits, say we should
reap them also as individuals. You
have now completed the high school,
and, answering the question, is your
education finished. say no. When
person ceases to aspire higher attain
ments in knowledge, he ceases to
grow. He may glory in what he has
already achieved. measuring himself
by those whom he excels, instead of
those who surpass him. When an in
dividual rests on attainments already
won, he must Of necessity die from
an intellectual point of view. When
person arrives at the conclusion that
there is no more room for advance
ment along the mental line, then he
will forever cease to aspire to a richer
and a broader life-the future is
closed to him. He should study the
highest and devinest ideals of human
characters and then, by the power of
continuous and concentrated effort
not cease toiling and struggling until
he has lifted himself out of the lower
avenues of mental life and thus be-
come light and power in the world
to those about him. Glorying in what
We have already attained, so as to
obscure the privileges. looking upon
what we are and upon what we have
accomplished, instead of outlining Dos
sessions for the future is disastrous
to intellectual and moral growth. The