The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1909-05-14
PROF. BOGGAN'S
ELOQUENT ANSWER
To Address Of Welcome at
Gathering Of State Teach
ers' Association at Natchez
Last Thursday.

citation at Natchez on last Thurs
day night by Prof. T. K. Boggan,
superintendent of Biloxi schools,
in answer to the welcoming ad-
dress Of Mayor Benbrook of
| Natchez:
! Mr.. President, Ladies and
Gentlemen 1T is with a realiza-
ton of the inadequacy Of my
command Of language thatI ap-
pear before you as the represen-
tative Of this body of teachers to
respond to the hearty welcome
which has just been voiced so
eloquently by your distinguished
representatives and to express
the deep and sincere appreciation
we feel for the boundless well
come and lavish hospitality which
greeted us on every hand since
our arrival in your beautiful city
We have known Natchez as the
stronghold of a celebrated Indian
tribe. the capital of Louisiana
territory, the home Of Bienville
and his followers, and the scene
of the massacre of Fort Rosalie.
But it is gratifying indeed to see
it as it is today and to be reeeiv-
ed with an appreciative smile, a
hearty hand clasp, an expression
of welcome, and a spirit Of cor
dial hospitality at the hands of
loyal citizens, justly proud Of the
historic past, the prosperous pre-
sent, and the progressive future
of your great and growing city.
We are truly grateful that we
meet you upon this hill of histor-
ic memories instead of the red
man with his tomahawk and
scalping knife, and that we can
sleep in peace and security in
hon g, and hostelries opened wide
for our comfort and entertain
ment where once the lonely SEN
Itinel paced up and down his,
weary beat ever conscious of i'm
minant danger and ever fearful
of impending doom.
It is an inspiring scene that
greets our vision as we look down
from this hill upon the broad val
ley that stretches It's fertile acres
at our feet to behold the promise
of prosperity, which comes to us
as a smile Of welcome as it is re-
aected from the yerdant crops
just springing from the plain,
and to view the never ereasing,
never-tiring, on-sWeepidg current
of the Father Of Waters as it's
vast volume hastens toward the
sea. AS we gaze upon these en-
chanting scenes of peace and
plenty, we realize that you are
indebted for them to those who
struggled in years gone by and
to the noble example of the past.
This soil was once made crimson
by the blood of those who gave
their lives to wrest this land from
the Indians and to establish a
white mans civilization that
would endure. Near you rests
| in everlasting silence all that is
mortal of the gifted Prentiss, who
proclaimed the rights of Missis-
sippi in tones so clear, language
so beautiful, with sentiment so
pure, ideals so high, and patrio-
tism so unalloyed that the whole
wide world re-echoed with ap-
plause. And today we find here
the two essential qualities of a
mighty and lasting race, for in
telligence and integrity grow in
luxruy side.by sidein hearts made
fertile by deeds of kindness and
minds made alert by thought. |
thank God that the day Of the
martyr in America has passed,
that the time of .bloodshed and
pnysicial strife for existence is
over, and the day of the hero of
toll, the real servant of mankind,
the architect of human character,
has dawned.
the working, And the good of
future days,
Many of these have thrown all
their energies into the current of
educational progress. They have