Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-09-23
LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL.
Continued from Page One)


of our Youths, we mark an epoch both
! in the history of the advance of learn
! ing and in public lnunificence. Many are
! the spires that point heavenward ma
| iestiCaly in commemoration of the
names and deeds of those who have
| benefited mankind: but seldom indeed
| does a monument of brick and stone
contain within itself such possibilities
| of future good. The mind pauses in
! hopeless speculation of the work and
! services of those who in future years
4, from our midst shall go without the
portals of this edifice into the struggles
Of life. bearing the muniicent impress
of their environment while students of
! the Lawrence High school.
"Nn one factor is more important in
moulding the character of youth during
| its impressionable age than the physi-
| cal environment of the school. In this
! building amid perfect sanitary condi-
lions, with light in abundance and
properly distributed. in heating the
| best that modern science can devise,
with ali equipment that thoroughly
meets the needs, with the beauty Of
architecture and the adornmcnt of fin
iSh rs his every day companions, the
pupil will be Safnguardcd in health
made sound and wholesome of body and
mind and increased in athletic science
during those days when impressions
ara most easily made and more lasting.
'Such gift to a community is indeed
4 blessing and its giver worthy of our
highest admiration and deepest graft
tude. Those of you who are maturer
in years may better understand what
this gift means when measured by the
standard Of worldly goods. but no
kconer appreciation of what it means
in the broader and better sense to the
individual life Of the pupil, can be felt
than by the boys and girls whose high
schoCl DAYS arc spent within its walls
And So it is a great pleasure for me and
| esteem it an honor as we'll thus pub
!icly to express to YOU Mr. Lawrence in
behalf of the High school our appre
citation of the debt of gratitude we
owe"
\ musical selection was given. fol-
lowed by the address Of Pres. Chas. L.
White OF Colby College. who said:
There is no more interesting sight
than t. see a man of wealth enrich Ey
his philanthropy to his fellow lncn. For
some strange reason it seems to he
more difficult for the average man to
give money than to get money. doubt.
however, if there is any joy So keen
and satisfying as that which comes to IL
man who takes Il portion of that which
ne has accumulated by patient and
honest industry and lays it upon the
altar of humanity for the enrichment
Of his fellows Saint Paul describes such
L.
of Jesus: 1T is more blessed to give
than to receive Some Of the happiest
persons whom I have ever met are men
and women who in a somewhat con-
spicuous way. by special gifts of build
ings. land, and money. have waited
not till their death to make these things
possible. but have presented during
their lifetime their valuable cOntribU
tons to the upbuilding of the town, the
state. the church, or the nation. Com
plications often arise. and necessarily SO
in the former method, but the latter
method of giving while one lives is that
which is commencing itself to people OF
means everywhere.
1.-The mar who gives while he lives
most fully lives while he gives. Giving
enl2rgHS life. and if our friend and ben
efaCtor We're to tell US of his utmost
experiences since he announced his i'll
tention to present to his native town
the library and High school which will
forever bear his name, have no doubt
that he would say that these two gifts
nave enriched his own life in a way
that he had never anticipated, with
Friendships, associations ideas, and
ideals. making the environment of his
life brighter and more beautiful and
satisfying than hesn3d ever dreamed.
The accumulSASf Of gold is good;
oven the lowerSk mails have the in
stinct to accumuf3$e. 1t is probable,
however. that the animals accumulate
only for themselves, or for their inI-
mediate family. The grace of phian-
thropy and unselfish beneficencc is one
of the characteristics Of man. What a
noble example Mr.. Lawrence has given
to all within our State and to those be-
yond our borders who shall learn of
this wise act of his. in following the
impulse of his heart to turn by the
alchemy of love for his native place the
baser metals Of gold and silver into the
precious metals Of knowledge and wis
dom. Many men have the ability to
make money. but only few have
learned the grace of heneficencc to
esfare it with. others. This building Is
the. reward Of industry. but it is also
thc result of love for the town and the
citizens of this community. The donor
has had a hand to get but also Il heart
to gives and he has forever endearcd
hinAef % us all by the erection of this
magnfheently appointed high school.
"one of ny EARLIEST impressions of the
state of Maine came from a visit to
this conmunity,-when. Il dined one
evening in the palatfal hotel-the Ger
ald-with professors from the Univer-
sity of Chicago, and learned from the
conversation Of that night of the pub
lie spirit Of your citizens who desire to
make Fairfield a town where elucat ton.
religion and business shall have every
advantage which pleasing eXtcrnals and
generous patronage can afford. In suI,-
seuuent visits also the impressions of
that hour have been strengthened by
" hat | have seen and heard, and it has
seemed - me that the citizens oI Fair
field have ii in their power to make Of
this town. SO favored by nature. So for
tllnate in its situation, so enriched by