The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1912-05-31
BACCALhUREA7E SERVICES
PLEASED LARGE AUDIENCE
The Sermon by Rev. Ctiidress a
Masterpiece of Thought and
Eloquence. Music Great
Iy Appreciated.

year to year is reflected in the biphe
grade Of Commencement services wit
which each successive years work i
closed. 1t is but fair to all cOncerne
to say that, taken altogether, the Con
mencement exercises Of the presen
week are in many points superior t.
those of any preceding year.
The baccalaureate services Sunda
were indeed pleasing to all who wer
in attendance. TIE Auditorium wa
comfortably filed at the appointe,
hour, the churches Of the city havin!
dispensed with their usual mornin!
service for this occasion. The service.
were opened by a chorus of about one
hundred voices from the public school
which advanced upon the stage from
| the back OF the room, singing. The
chorus was under the direction OF
Professor Annette, who secured splen.
did results from it, and is to be com.
mended for the excellent musical drill
that he has given the pupils. Follow
ing the work of the chorus, Rev. r.
B. Webb, of the Methodist church,
offered touching and appropriate
prayer A quartette composed of
Misses Jessie Robinson, Mia Arce-
neaux, and Messrs Trueman Fear and
George Morthland furnished two or
three excellent selections, which were
we'll rendered and worthy of especial
mention for the excellent training
their work eyinced. Miss Irma Robin
son, one Of the graduates, presided at
the piano for the quartette, while Miss
McLees, one of the teachers, furnished
the instrumental music for the chorus.
Rev. e. NJ. Stewart, of the Presby-
terian church read the scripture les
sons, and was followed by Rev. Child
ress, who delivered an address that
full Of food for thought for Young and
old alike. While Mr.. ChiIdress
probably does not pose as seer, he
looks into the future with the eyes of
of student who has made a close study
of the development of the past ages.
His theme was Il plea to Young men
and young women to be prepared for
the great opportunities that are un-
folding TO Young men and women of
the twentieth century. He said that it
Is Dltiable sight to see young man
standing at the foot of mountain of
opportunity. unable to ascend because
he is not well enough, u far more
pltiable sight to see him standing
there unable to progress further be.
cause he Is not wise enough. but
sight that beggars description is to
see him unable to reach the summit of
the mountain of opportunity because
he is not good enough. In this Goa.
nection he asserted that the twentieth
century demanded that man must be
not only physically able and mentally
but morally good enough
before she would give to him the crown
OF success. He sighted Instances of
the great corporations demanding men
for their work who do not drink, of
the fact that the cigarette iiend is
doomed as far Us u demand for his
services in the martS of trade are con-
cerued.
Viewing the great improvements
that have been made in the past CEN
tury, which he asserted exceeded the
of the sixty centuries
that preceded it. he said that the
twentieth century was destined to sur
pass in development all the wears tha,
had gone before it. And that, while
the nineteenth century was largely
one of mechanical and material i'm
provement, the twentieth century would
be one of moral development as well.
His plea throughout was for young
men to he prepared in body. mind and
heart for the high standard that the
present century demands of him to
whom she will give the laurel wreath
Of success.
Nor was his discourse directed
alone to the Young men, but TO the
Young ladies as well. He paid the
highest tribute to the womanly woman
n whatever sphere ct life she might
De found, and to the woman who was
compelled BY necessity to enter the
ields of labor to earn her daily bread |
10 had nothing but words of highest
praise. But the mannish woman and
he woman who forced herself into the
yreat marts OF toll when IL was not
he ayered was failing to |
up to the full standard of |
What God intended her to be.