Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1914-06-09
BQccQIQuye0fe ADDRESS to
High School Graduates

| observed the 1rult 1all Irom lHe
trees, but it remained for the trained
mind of Newton to see in it clew
to the laws of motion. Millions have
listened to the sputtering Of the tea
kettle, but it remained for the trained
mind of Watt to give the world the
steam engine. Millions have watched
the soaring birds of prey, butt it re-
NAMED for the trained mind Of Lang
ley and Wright to conquer the tirma-
ment of heaven III flight. Nature has
ever been replete with facts and
truths, but only thoughtful and cultl-
waited minds have been able to discern
them, and give the world their price
less benefits. God has thus placed a
premium upon knowledge-for all the
great inventions and achievements of
history have been but the trophies of
scholarship.
Advantage Is With The Educated.
Appleton IS Cyclopedia of Biography
contains sketches of fifteen thous-
and persons eminent for service. Five
thousand were college graduates,
America has produced two hundred
thousand graduates. The remaining
ten thousand had no college training.
If our country has had population
of two hundred millions since the day
of the first college graduate, then but
one in twenty thousand of the non
college people has become eminent,
while one in forty of the college
graduates has attained eminence
through useful service. Education
surely raises the average of efficiency
among our people. What is educa-
ton? 1t is storing the mind with
knowledge. 1t is also something more.
Man is something more than a parrot
or a phonograph. An educated mind
is one which, by study has developed
it's powers of conception, reasoning
and judgment, and its faculties OF
memory, imagination, and association
of ideals. Education means fully
developed mind well stocked with use
full knowledge.
Why spend so much time, money
and labor upon an education? Be-
cause every boy and girl is entitled
to receive that full measure of men
tai development which makes their
whole mental power available for
work Parents have no right to make
their children pay their way to the
exclusion of education. The glow
worm exhibits an efficiency of $50 in
producing its light, while the electric
lamp only 236. The lump of coal
loses 9O@o of its efficiency in the fur
mace. Improvement will give the
world more efficient electric lamp,
and steam engine, and so education
and mental improvement will give the
student and toiler greater success.
Virtue Is Power.
Ignorance is weakness, and know
ledge is power. 1t is also true that
vice is weakness, while virtue is pow
er The best life will always be that
ruled by virtue and knowledge. The
wise and virtuous easily distinguish
The true from the false. The bright
est flowers often lack the sweetest
perfume. The gayest birds are Of
.en the poorest singers. Gems Of the
ourest luster are often locked in
natrix of common mineral. Swift
waters are generally shallow, but still
waters run deep. A mother whose
laughter married a gambler said one
line, she hoped her other girls would
marry gamblers. When asked the
'eason, she replied, go, they have
uch elegant homes, and plenty of
money, and every luxury, and every
hing" And then we thought, 80
les, they have everything, everything
nut character. Power without vir-
ne is like fire in a powder mill.
Who then will be chief among you?
Will it be the one most famous? Do
ot be misled. Judas Iscariot won
ndying fame, but only as a treach-
rous friend who sold his Lord for
he price of a slave. Fame some
lines only spells infamy.
Will it be the leader among you?
)avis was a great leader. He led
leven great States in rebellion against
he Union in a war for the perpetua-
ion of slavery. He was president of
he Confederacy and commender-in-
hief of its armies in a war costing
half-million lives, and six billions
aness and headache. Leadership
ften spells treachery.
Will it be the one of genius among
ou7 Edgar A. Pope was a man of
are poetic genius. But in an evil
our he fell victim to weakness and
ppetite, and filed a drunkard s
rave. Genius sometimes only spells
egredation. ,
Who then will be chief among you7 ]
viii it be the one most wealthy Too
ften riches are amassed by fraud or
too often is it gained in
n immoral business. Riches often
oells injustice. II
Will it be the one among you of q
reatest personal popularity and mag i
etism3 Be on your guard. Aaron {
urr resolved to be a perfect man
the world. He was fascinating in |
anners and personal appearance. He I
nc n man of aool ealf ,,occaSSinp | I