Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1911-06-23
The Graduation Exercises.


Public interest in the graduating class
and i'm the commencement exercises
again was demonstrated Tuesday even
ing, when all seats i'm the auditorium
were filed, the occasion being the grad
uation of 80 students, 10 young men and
10 Young women. The arrangement OF
the platform was as In previous years,
the speaker, school board and faculty
occupying seats on the north side and
the members of the class being seated
ON the south side The front of the
stage was decorated with mountain laurel
Leitsingers orchestra played the over
turc Raymond" by Thomas, which was
followed by the singing of Nature
Lullaby" Gordon, by boys glee club
Rev Delmar Il. Trout asked the invoca-
ton and the high school chorus rendered
The Gallant Troubadour,' by Watson.
At this point Principal Edgar Burr
SIN h felcitously introduced the speak
er, Judge Charles II. Robb, formerly
SIT. ent in the high school and now
jude in the court of appeals for the
Dis rict of Columbia.
IL beginning his remarks Judge Robb
SAID that in accepting the invitation to
speak he was moved not only by a sense
of peasur but also a feeling of duty to
pay tribute of respect to the memory
of the old schoolmaster, meaning the
late Il. f. Bingham, whose memory would
be honored, he said. after the last of his
pupils had passed to the great beyond.
He also mentioned the satisfaction it
CAV him because a worthy successor,
both in characteristics and achievements,
was now at the helm. and he expressed
his sentiment of tender regard for Mrs.
James =. Elmer, who has completed 80
year of service as a teacher in the high
school. These Introductory remarks
Were greeted with hearty applause.
4.
| and Optimists," and the audience was
thoroughly imbued with the spirit of his
able and cean-cut address. He charac-
| terri the true optimst as one who
| does his best always and therefore is
not responsible for adverse conditions.
! No nan is born a pessmist, but is him
self responsibe for becoming one. He
| citeu Miss Helen Keller as true OPP
| timist in spite of conditions which easily
might have made her a pessmist
| steoa OF becoming such, however, she
| ophically accepted her lot in life.
| Oth"r examples were mentioned of men
and women who have succeeded and be-
com eminent in spite of great physical
| hndnnces.
WI tever the conditions surrounding
us, the speaker said, we should be buoy
! ed up by hope. We are apt to permit
| triiies to disturb us. but there is no rea
| son Why all may not achieve happiness
1t is the common heritage of us all.
| Wealth and high station are not requi-
sites of happiness 1t is a mistaken
| notion that we must accomplish great
things in order to have happiness and
| contentment That reward comes to
| those who make the most of their talents
The optimist knows that success does
not depend upon good luck. Intelligence,
if well directed, will bring success in
any walk of life.
The true optmist sees the maximum
of good and the minimum OF evil in the
things about him. -lnd is loyal to his
| friends. HO gets more out of life and il
less cast down than those who look OF
the dark side. lie extracts a grain OF
comfort out of every circumstance oil
life An instance of the loyalty of an
optimist was mentioned in the case of &
man appointed to Office by Theodor,
| Roosevelt, who was then President, tn,
appointment being confirmed in spite o
5 | ton. The mans record was rakeC
, up and it was shown that he once kille,
: a person and served a sentence in tn,
l pententiary. As a matter of puhli
e policy alvlough against his perso.- a
l preference, the President removed tn
r man from Office, but later. knowing tn
: mans capabilities, President Roosevelt
&, reappOinted him and he became one o
the leading statesmen
Judge Robb related one of his owl
experiences while riding some Years ag
T. with David Henry of Guilford, who ha