The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1907-05-30
FERDINAND STRUCK
DELIVERS GRAFTON

The following oraiion was delivered
by Ferdinand Struck, a graduate of
the Hood River high school at the
opera house on commencement even
ing. Nj. Struck chose for his subject
Character, and spoke as follows:
By character We mean the distin-
gushing traits or characteristics of
human beings. By character we mean
q persons individuality. Ii is dis
tinguished from reputation in that
mans reputation Is what others think
of him while character denotes what
he sis in reality. His reputation may
be injured by Others; his character
only by himself.
Character cannot be obtained in a
day; it is not thing of momentary
creation. Character must be develop
ed; 1t must be hammered and forged,
as we 60 through life, from material
we call circumstances.
From the same materials one may
build a palace or hut, good char
acter or bad one. Whether it will
be a magnificent or miserable struot-
ure, whether the character developed
will be one to be admired or one to
Ee deplored, lies wholly with the
builder. Not every man can obtain
great social or political distinction I;
not every man can obtain power and
wealth, but all can have something
infinitely better and greatei-they can
develop for themselves the best thing
on eaIth-good character
Everything in this world has its
distinctive atmosphere or influence.
As Wa gaze upon the beautiful scene
ry; as we gaze upon the grandeur of
Gods creation, thoughts and emotions
of a higher nature fill the heart /;
pnobling thoughts and emotions not
of worldly, but of spiritual greatness
surge through and overpower our be-
ings.
And so it is with character. Good
character-true character, calls forth
all that is best-all that is noble. 1t
may be likened to the sun in its over
powering influence, in its influence to
brighten and make better. Ii sends
forth it's rays of love, OF hope and of
courage, and the human heart is pow
eil less to resist them.
We listen to the we'll chosen words
of man; we listen to the fiery elo-
uuence of Webster or Burke, and
we say their words impress US, but
they don't. 1t is the character that
rs with the words, that impresses US.
If there is not character behind them,
words are as bubbles, they burst and
leave no impression.
The influence of character is vital
because the human heart Is not only
easily influenced, but it is also i'm
pressive, very impressive. We meet a
stranger In the street and We say we
have exchanged words, but we have
exchanged something greatei, We have
exchanged hearts, we have exchanged
ourselves.
The influence of our beings, of our
character, goes on even without
words. Even today in darkest Africa
the faces of the natives light up in
kind remembrance at the mere men,
tioning of the name of David Living
ston, the first white man they had
ever seen. He did not influence them
through words-tbey long since would
have been fcrgotten-it was bis noble
character that operpowered and won
their heather hearts.
We may, in a worldly way of look.
ing at things, be unsuccessful on
earth. 1t may seem as il we are o1
little, Ii any, consequence to this
world; but if we posses, good charac-
ter, we are, despite all appearances to
the contrary, of consequence and OF
use.
Character is silent force, but 1t IL
powerful, it is all powerful. But how
do we use this power? Do we always
make the most of it? Do we always
realize that we are responsible to ouI
creator for the influence we exert on
our fellowman.?
Nothing is more sad, more deplora
BILE, more to be pitied, than gifted
man, man endowed with superior in
tellect and power, using them in
jealous but fruitless endeavor tC
prove sman the greatest being of crea
tion, to prove that man, and not God,
is the ruler of all.
The ignorant peasant or working
man who tolls in his uncongsnial sur
roundings, tolls against what seems
destiny and still has hope, still trusts
In the future, in bette- state be-
yond, how infinitely more happy anc
useful, better and greater is such {
person, than the so-called philoso
pher.
There is something lofty and noble
in all character. Though erhaps voit
Of all power of attraction, and ever
repulsive to the finer senses, there il
something grandly sublime in th'
character of the lowest. II we coult
but penetrate that heart, hardened
by adversity, by crushed hope ant
ambitions, we would surely find evel
in such character the imprint OF al
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