Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-06-17
Ivy oratio,,.

love, our last and strongest wish is for remembrance. Inspired by this
 noble sentiment each class, before
 leaving the school whose walls have
 become hallowed by the associations
 of pleasant years, plants an ivy to perpetuate its memory. It is familiar custom, yet one of great significance. For to-day as we
 plant the ivy with loving hands and with the fond hope that 1t may take firm root, and climb and spread until it reaches it's comrades, our thoughts turn to both the past and the future.
 As in the twilight hour of this memorable day we pay our tribute of loyalty and affection to the school where We have acquired stores of knowledge and wisdom and formed happy associations, we cast last wistful glance over the days spent here, and there come to us, thoughts, tinged with sadness that this marks the end of our high school days, and with fear that perhaps many duties have been ill-performed and opportu- mites neglected.
 But 1t Is with anxious gaze that we look into the future. A new sense Of responsibility becomes ours as our school places the seal of approval on our efforts and enrolls us among her alumni. She confers on us the priv ilege of calling ourselves her grad uates, and in return has the right to expect due appreciation of this honor. It becomes our duty to attain suc- cess or at least, to deserve it by the very best use of our abilities and above all things by leading life of the highest integrity.
 We rejoice not because this marks the end of all efforts and labors but because we have conquered diff faculties, and therefore are stronger to overcome greater ones in the fu- ture
 The world is too apt to class as successful the man whose acquired wealth enables him to live life of luxury and incidence, with scarcely the necessity of putting forth an ef- fort of body or mind. If education is used only as a means to this end, its true object and aim is perverted.
 Education, whether high school, college or university is not discip- line and training which ends on com mencement day. We shall still find that life is not a playground but schoolroom."
 If our education has trained us to find our chief happiness in our life work for its own sake and not for the material gain 1t affords us, and if we are satisfied only with the highest re- suits, then its aim is accomplished. But it means life of labor and life of service. Riches may logically be part of such a life, but the chief and highest pleasure comes not from their accumulation or from the enjoy ment of comforts made possible by them, but from the fulfillment of his duties.
 AS we look into the future let us see before us life of work and let us rejoice in it. Carlyle says, There is always hope in a man that actually and earnestly works; in idleness alone is there perpetual despair. All true work is sacred. Labor wide as the earth has its summit in heaven. Sweat of the brow, and up from that to sweat of the brain, sweat of the heart; which includes all Kepler cal culations, Newton meditations, all sciences, all spoken epics, all acted heroisms. martyrdoms. If this Is not worship then I say the more pity for worship; for this is the noblest thing yet discovered under Gods sky"
 No matter how humble our lives, or how high our station, love of work for works sake, and courage to face and conquer difficulties will be the only worthy manhood and woman hood for us. Only when we make our life work the first and highest object of our existence, and do not regard it | as means for acquiring the greatest | return in worldly goods, or as some | thing to be shirked and to be done with the least possible effort, can we l be. said to properly acknowledge the | conferred on us to-day.
 We have had advantages, but with | them go responsibilities. But with | the proper attitude toward life new | and greater responsibilities will not | us. It becomes our duty | to put to shame false ideas of life and | 10 make the aim of society more ear nest. The life-giving power of edu- cation was intended to fit us, not for | leisure, but for earnest | work. The talents We possess are for the service of all, the truth we hold | is truth for all. Tn the ranks of hu- We are under a law of duty | that allows us no stopping place short | of the utmost capabilities of our na- ture.
 In one phrase. as the years 20 on, | let our standard be higher and higher, not alone along the lines of education, | but in the acknowledgment of man. kind. We are the future citizens of | no mean city. graduates of no com mon school. All of us in our chosen | sphere Of life must exercise an in- fuence over our fellow men. Our light if 1t show forth. will not merely illustrate ourselves. but will be re- hected here.
 No wonder that our elders here | should have a personal interest in ob- serving our career. They may well | look forward with anxiety to see if the life of learning that goes forth from these walls into the world will | prove an influence for good or an in- auenee for evil. or dwiudls into fn- difference and inferiOrity.
 To resolve so 10 live that the | hopes and aspirations of our faithful hearers may be realized In us. is the responsibility We assume as We say tO dear Crosby and place |