Graham guardian., 1907-05-10
ACADEMY CLOSING EXERCISES
Excellent Program Rendered and
Diplomas Conferred Upon Grad
yates

The Thatcher assembly hall was
well filed last Thursday evening,
when the commencement exercises
of the graduating class were rem
dered. The acad my choir sang
three selections in beautiful man
ncr, showing careful training on
the part of Prof Wm. Moore Clay
don and zeal and talent oD the
part OF the singers.
The salutatory, u well written
paper, was given by MISS Emma
Miller, after which meritorous
selection was rendered by the
mandolin and guitar club The
class history was presented by
Miss Elles Curtis, and Miss Gladys
Duke gave recitation, SANDY
McDonald's Signal" in an ex
tremely humorous manner. The
violin duet by Miss Haywood and
Mr. Gardner was a splendid rem
dition, as was the vocal duet by
Miss Hey wood and A. G. Eldridge.
The valedictory was given by MISS
Fannie Burns, as follows:
lu selecting me to voice their
farewell. words, | feel that my
classmates were kind indeed. and
| thank them for it.
The task, though a pleasant one,
can not but be permeated with
sadness, for tonight we say fare
well, we, who for months and
years have en- classmates, light
ening each others sorrows aud
sharing each others burdens, as u
class, will never meet again, for
tonight we enter upon new life.
Tonight we go forth alone to
f'thom the depths of experience,
who is said to be dear teacher.
Heretofore we have been cared
for with the tenderness of a young
plant, our growth has been watcha d
in every detail, every Leaf, every
branch and every root has received
careful attention and been trained
in the way the gardener intended
the soil in which we have been
planted is of the best and the air
we breathe Of the purest, so that
the particles we have taken up,
lIttle by little, have continually
made us stronger, until now we
are to face the elements alone
With our life before us, we must
decide what next to do. Shall we
be content with the beginning we
have made and drift back o moth
ingn, IS or shall we contlnue our
search for eternal truth and intellI-
gence, climbing upward to the
home of purity and the light of in
finite wisdom
For us the summer will bring
various labors and the future pre-
sent to each different path of
duty, but let US follow that path,
whithersoever 1t may lead, with
the courage and determination to
overcome the obstacles that will
arise.
And our schoolmatos, who are
only step behind us, to you we
leave word of encouragement;
remem Der that none who are and
none who have been great. have
attained their greatness in a day,
Il week or north, but by making
The best use of every moment.
learning II little every day, every
month and every year.
"The heights by great men reached
and kept,
We're not attained by sudden flight,
But they, while their companions
slept,
We're toillng upward through the
night"
Now, | am indeed glad that |
know my classmates well, else my
task tonight would be an impossi
bic one, for to me it has been
given to read their hearts, to trans.
late into cold words, as nearly as
may be, the love, gratitude and
appreciation that each one of us
will ever feel for y II, our teachers,
you who have been so tlreless and
yet so patient 10 your efforts to
bring about our selfdevelopment;
you who have been our guardians,
Won who have SO freely furnished