The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1913-06-13
PEARL HIGH SCHOOL
CLOSES
Continued from Page ~

The members of the Graduating
Class will please stand:
You are standing now on the 18TH
nus that connects youth and man
rood. Bright prospects lie before
you. Fancy paints the future with
pictures of beauty and hopes sweet
voice allures you on. You may ling
or over its pleasing visions tonight,
'or tomorrow, the ties which bind
you together must be broken.
You must say farewell to
your teachers and go out alone to
make your way in the world. can't
not repress a feeling Of sadness as
| contemplate your future. But
whatever it may be, you carry with
you the prayers and blessings Of your
teachers We know the perils that
await you, the temptations that Turk
about you. Remember, true happi-
ness, always lies on the side of right.
Life is a struggle, conflict, bat
tie for existence. Think not be-
cause you have some education, your
is assured The men who
makes the greatest success in life
are not always the best educated,
nor those who have been endowed
with the most brilliant minds.
1t makes no difference what your
training is, what school you may
have attended, how expert your teach
ers were or what marks you may
have made in the examination-you
may have been, the star of the class
for that matter, but unless you can
use your knowledge, you will not sue
coed. Neither must you think that
because you have diploma men will
accept your lead and cooperate with
you in all your efforts. Some will
oppose you for that very reason. The
way to succeed Is to do your duty
day by day. If you have task to
perform, perform 1t so we'll and with
such skill that those who observe 1t
will see in 1t the touch Of mas
ter's hand.
You have heard 1t frequently said,
that the study of Latin, the sciences,
and the higher mathematics upfits
the Negro for the practical duties of
life. am unwilling that you should
leave this school with any fastidious
or conceited notions about education.
You must not feel that because you
possess a little knowledge, 1t is
necessary for you to become a law
yer, a doctor, a preacher or a teach
er. Your education requires nothing
of the kind. 1t is not wrong In you
to seek employment corresponding to
your attainments; neither Is it i'm
proper for you to aspire to work
commensurate with your training
and ability. For no matter what
may be said to the contrary, there is
something sad, inconsistent and re-
grettable to see an educated man
backing boots, cleaning spittoons
working on a rock pile or driving a
dump-cart. But if at first, you fine
it difficult to secure a position in
keeping with your talentfi do not
hesitate one moment to begin witt
mental tasks. For although you be
gin with this kind of service in order
TO lay a foundation and get little
start in the world it need not follow
that you intend to pursue this class
of work all the rest Of your life
Young ladies do all the good for
your race that you can, but if you
can't find a school to teach, put into
practice some of the things you have
learned in the Domestic Science De
partment, do plain sewing, go out
Cooking, accept serving, adopt nursing
take UP homework or do anything
else that is decent and honorable to
make an honest living.
Your parents have worked too hard
they have sacrificed too much, they
have suffered too long, they have
shed too many tears and your di-
ploma has cost to much in money,
prayers and heart-aches for you to
sit around home with folded arms or
to spend your time in the parlor
tinkering on the piano, waiting for
some nice position to be brought to
you on a silver waiter.
Young men, If you cannot find a
job in keeping with your attainments,
where you can stick your pen be-
hind your ear, where your hands
may remain clear and your work be
dignified, do not stand around on the
street corners, dreaming Of Utopia,
building castles In the air, and idling
away your time, but get into your
overalls. roll up your sleeves, clinch
your teeth together, take up the ham
mer, the white-wash brush, the SHOW
ell, the pick-axe or the pillow and earn
your living with your hands and your
bread by the sweat Of your brow
You have often heard 1t said that
labor is honorable.
Labor is more than honorable. 1t is
grand and mighty and glorious
Labor clears the forest, drives the
pillow. scatters the seed, reaps the
harvest, grinds the corn and con-
verts it into bread, the staff of life
Labor gathers the gossamer web oil
the caterpillar, the cotton from the
field, the fleece from the flock and
weaves 1t into raiment soft and
warm and beautiful, the purple robe
of the king as we'll as the common
garb of the peasant.
Labor molds the brick, quarries
the stone. shapes the column and con
structs not only the humble cottage
Of the poor, but the gorgeous palace
of the rich, the tapering spire and