Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-06-17

ment, which towers over 300 feet in the
air and is the highest masonry structure
in the world. Located on the eastern
bank Of the Potomoc river ii can be seen
for miles far down that stream aud is the
most prominent feature Of the landscape.
1t was in 1878 that Congress resolved to
erect monument to the father of his
country but it was not until after Wash
ington's death that steps to that end we're
taken. The cornerstone was laid in 1s4S
but the monument was not completed un-
til 1884, at total cost of s1,1s7,71O. It
is constructed OF Maryland marble, and
40 states, is cities and many fraternal So
cieties contributed to the work. Its apex
is 900 feet above the Underwater Of the Po-
tomac and its weight is AZ, 633 gross tons
Mr.. Wheatley's description showed a
careful survey Of this greatest monument
to the greatest man our nation boasts.
Miss Mary Frances ewksbury of salu-
tatory rank conjured before the minds
eye OF her audience a vision OF that noble
building, the capitol, one of the most inn
pressive and beautiful examples of archi-
lecture in the world. She showed it
cleaning white, its only touch of color
in the folds of the flag, and stretching
along the brow of hill for Isl feet. She
conducted her hearers up the long flight
Of steps to IT'S imposing entrance and led
them through it corridors into the Senate
chamber and Representatives half rever-
berating with the thun6e-s Of eloquence
on tariff revision. She made them see it
with her eyes and behold in the glory
OF its beauty the glory Of a strong free
nation.
Clarence Justin Frink was the well in
D.. Il L u a.
trip 10 miles down the Potomac to Mount
Vernon, the home of Washington. He
led them first tc the tomb of George and
Martha Washington to stand in reverence
there for moment, and then took them
up the hill to the plain two-story man
sion, which was built in 1743 by Wash
ington's elder brother, Lawrence, and
named by him after Admiral Vernon, un-
der whom he had served in the British
navy. From room to room, Mr.. Frink
escorted his hearers, showed the priceless
heirlooms of the Washington family. the
pieces Of old furniture. the pictures and
musical instruments, the key of the
Bastille and all the relics and treasures of
the dead and gone
Miss Jessie Marguerite Chedel was the
valedictorian and spoke the words Of fare
well in graceful phrase as follows:--
''As we look back on the four years
which we have just spent in the Randolph
high school, we naturally ask ourselves
the question, To whom do we owe this
opportunity for improving our minds and
fer better fitting ourselves for our work
in the world ?'
sis it not the citizens of Randolph to
whom we must render our thanks first of
all Their fathers established this
school and thereby put it in the power OF
every boy and girl to receive fairly good
education, il he or she had the necessary
ambition and perseverance,. Now the
/ present citizens of Randolph allow us the
same privilege by supporting it and by
manifesting an interest in everything con-
nected with it. But there is another par
/ ty whom we wish to thank, the school
board, which is the representative OF the
I people in school affairs and under whose
care and thong htfulness we have ad-
vanced so far as to be able to be here to-
night to show our appreciation of the
efforts which have been made in order to
enable US to become educated.
"But who is there who has helped us
more than our teachers, both those in our
+ high school course and those who taught
us in our earlier years. whom we can
thank tonight only in our minds. II is
to our principal, under whom we have
had the good fortune to study during the
whole four years, that we express our
thanks, first of all Under his guidance,
we have learned lessons from life as well
as from books. At the end of last year,
we heard, much to our sorrow, that two
OF our teachers who had been with US for
three years, were to leave us. Neverthe-
less. we have learned to love and respect
those who have taken their places in the
high school and regret very much that
we must leave them so soon.
"Schoolmates, we must now say good
/ by TO you rs schoolmstes, for no more
shall we be your companions in school,
We are a class who are leaving behind q
record of hitch we need not be ashamed,
but it will be very easy for any OF you to
surpass it IL you only will, and il there Is
anything in it which you think worthy
OF imitation we hope that you will fol-
low our example.
CLASSMATES, we are now on the eve
OF parting, when we must leave this high
school where we have spent so many en-
joyablc hours together. We shall now,
4 perhaps, each one go a different way.
We have completed one task of our lives,
Win CreQils nope, anu now We are 10
4 take up a new line OF work. II is COM
mencement day for some Of you who will
/ go to school no more but are intending
to take your places in this big world and
begin the battle of life; for up to this
time we have been sheltered, to great
extent, from the evils OF this world.
Others of US intend to take up the higher
! branches Of study, but whatever work we
may undertake, there is a great future be-
fore us and in order to succeed we must
have determination, patience, persever-
ance and, above all, we must have high
ideals aud strive to do only what We
know is right and noble. Let us always
remember, 1T matters not how long we
live, but how +"
The gift of the class to the school was
presented by Jackson Homer Vail, who
said that, following, and yet deviating
from the custom of previous classes,
which had adorned the walls Of the
schoolroom with pictures and pieces OF
sculpture, '09 had selected a flag as its
parting gift, and now made its presenta-
i tion.