The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1912-05-30
HIGH SCHOOL GRAFTON.
Delivered by Walter Wyatt Dawson
of the Oakland school.


inconvenience to he obliged to barter
one commodity for another.
What is money? We may says that
money is the profit accruing from labor;
and, money is that which passes freely
from hand 10 hand throughout the COM
munity in The final discharge of debts
and full payment for commodities, being
accepted equally without reference to
the character or credit of the person
who receives it to consume it or enjoy
it or apply it to any other than in turn
to tender it to others in discharging
debts or payments for commodities.
The value of money rightly used for
the social and moral upbuilding of
nation cannot be measured. Money
thus wisely used becomes one of the
most important means by which to make
our nation more progressive. The
money that is expended for the public
schools, colleges and religious institu-
tons has proved to be one of best in
vestmants to establish a more profitable
and progressive nation. 1t is the unan-
imous opinion of thoughtful persons
that the various social, political and re-
ligious activities of society are directly
and indirectly promoted and elevated
by the work and influence of the schools
of our country. Hence more and better
equipped school buildings as we'll as
more and better prepared, efficient and
conscientious instructors are vitality es-
sential. And, why should we not be
glad and thankful for the privileges we
have to eXpend our money for such noble
and useful purposes.
Then, the value Of money for agricul-
tural purposes is very great too. We
are spending large sums Of money year
ly for the Improvement of the soil, for
irrigation and for public roads and high
ways. The expenditure of money for
these purposes is very valuable to the
progress of the nation, because we are
depending upon the farms for our liveli-
hood and it would be an impossibility to
do without them. We are paying out
large sums of money yearly for the de-
struction Of the insects that destroy
millions Of dollars worth Of products
and in this way we are helping to make
farming more scientific and are re-
ceiving a greater return for the money
that is expended towards the improve
ment of agriculture.
Thus, in these few ways mentioned
we find that money is valuable towards
the upbuilding of our nation; but, on
the other hand we are paying out money
for things that tend to retard the
progress and lessen the usefulness Of
our nation. Should we not take meas
ures to prohibit these things that are
not for the good of the nation, but for
it's destruction?
The Creator has endowed the indivi-
duals of our civilization with ability,
energy and strength. The conserva-
ton of human resources contemplates
the discovery, development and economic
use of these gifts. Human resources
are being wasted in many ways. Some
of the more important wastes are due
to war and militarism; inadequate edu-
cations; improper occupation and ignor-
ance of the care Of public health and
sanitation.
The military establishments of the
world have destroyed, in the past,
$1,000, 000,OO lives and have expended
oyer forty billion dollars. Today the
civilized nations are supporting over
five million men in active military ser
vice. Of these the United States has
about 100, coo including both army and
navy.
The wasted labor power Of these
$780, 600 men, the loss Of the directive
ability spent in their supervision, and
imminence of shortened lives through
conflict are not the full measure of the
cost of this folly.
The food, clothing, munitions Of war
and pensions for war purposes are cost
ing the United States 1890, 600, 600
yearly.
There is also another way in which
money is spent, that is intemperance,
one the great curses of the world.
Among the most important phrases
of the liquor problem is that of the
relation Of the saloon to our system of
public schools. Our schools should be
such as to bring forth in the product of
the boy or girl the foundation ell, ments
of high type of citizenship. This
means such a training as shall give
both taste and capacity for the purest
forms of the enjoyment of what the
world has to offer. 1t means. of course,
such a training as shall give discernment
and ability to exercise to the greatest
advantage the franchise. 1t means
finally such training as shall give
power to do something and to do it well.
In order that the best results may be
accomplished, every effort is made to
surround the pupils with the best in
fiuences and to give them the best