The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-03-24
GREAT OUTPOURING OF PUPILS
AND THEIR TEACHERS.
IMPRESSIVE CEREMONY,

Occasion

| In the laying of the corner stone OF
the public school building on the corner
of Marshall and Travis streets Friday
afternoon there was emphasized the
marked progress from the years when
the buildings occupied for schools were
at best as makeshifts offering little COM
fort to the pupils and the teachers. who,
in instances, were in constant peril of
accident Or the dread of fire in the WIN
ter months. Churches and schools are
the best and surest indications of civili-
zation 1t is through the church and the
school that character Is built 1t is
through the church and the school that
the foundation of the best citizenship is
laid and promoted.
The laying of this corner stone was an
auspicious event in which thousands of
children. girls and boys, the women and
men of the future, who must assume the
cares and the responsibilities of life. as
the successors of their mothers and
fathers. In the presence Of a thousand
and more of these girls and boys and
their teachers. with a coudless sky and
Old Sol beamlng approval on the joyful
scene and to the strains Of the band, the
voices of the pupils and their teachers
rose III glad acclaim in accompaniment
to the patriotic anthem America.
The ceremony OF laying the corner
stone by the Masons conducted by l. E.
Thomas, Grand Master of Louisiana,
was impressive and was watched with
keen interest by the spectators.
The oration by Grand Master Thomas
was eloquent. His presentation of the
mission of the Masons from the founda-
ton OF the order in the centuries past
and his explanation OF many of its SYM
bols, impressed vividly all those who
were within the sound of his clear and
far-reaching voice
In closing his splendid oration Mr..
Thomas said: Sacred history tells us
that the patriarch Moses was not per-
mitted to enter the Land of Promise,
but before he was called upward and in
ward through the pearly gates, he was
permitted to ascend Mount Nebo's lofty
height, and there view the land with all
of its ineffable glories and splendor
which had been promised to the chosen
people of God. while at the same time
he could cast his eye over the wilderness
through which they had journeyed for
forty years
So today we are standing upon the
pinnacle of the nineteenth century, and
can look back upon the glorious record
of this venerable institution, while in
spiration and prophecy encourage us in
looking forward to even brighter fu-
ture.
When the great Napoleon stood upon
the desert, and was about to engage in
a great conflict with the hosts of Egypt,
he said to his soldiers: Men of France,
forty centuries look down upon you,
and SO. my brethren, let me say to you
rat more than forty centuries of glorious
record for this venerable institution
look down upon us. Let us strive to
keep its banner floating i'll the breeze, |
and never do any act that would dis
grace it or cast a blot upon its escutch-
con. Then when our summons comes to |
join the innumerable cavaran that |
moves to that mysterious realm where |
each shall take up his abode in the silent |
lalls of death and from our grasp we
shall drop forever the working tools of
ife, and be called before the immaculate |
Supreme Judge in the Celestial Lodge
lbove, may we hear the welcomed plau-
lit, Well DONE thou good and faithful
ervant; thou hast been faithful over a
eW things, .eventer thou into the Joys of |
hy Lord
BY LEON R. SMITH.
AS president of the School Board of
-addo Parish, Hon. Leon R Smith
,oiced his appreciation and that of his
colleagues in his tender OF thanks to the
dasons who had laid the corner stone.
II the course Of his address. in retro
pectlve review, he said:
It was only fifteen years ago when
'ur public schools were looked upon
more as charity for te education of
he poor. This idea has long since been.
to the limbo of time, and now
private school finds only a precarious
Nistenee, 50 universally has piblic edu-
alton been availed Of by our people
rom every walk of life.
len years ago the public schools of |.
he city of Shreveport numbered only