The Snowflake herald., 1914-05-02
Eloquent Address to
Academy Graduates
- ass:.sI.s.iIii. q! ]; z. 2 E

4
graduating class at the Com
mencement exercises of the S.
S. Academy last week:
KIND FRIENDS: | appreciate the hon
or conferred in being called to this inn
portant position, yet I feel unequal to
the responsibility which it imposes.
Members of the graduating class, we
congratulate you upon the industry and
perseverance which you have displayed
in the past four years. We know some
thing of your struggles, of your dis
couragements, and of your determine
tion to win. We rejoice with you in
your present success, and if you will
continue to exercise those good quail
ties which we have observed in you,
your future efforts will receive the rec
ognition which their merit will deserve.
My dear friends, it is very fitting
that this occasion is called Commence
ment Day. 1t may seem to you to be
contradiction of the real circumstances.
To you it marks the elimination of four
years of earnest, faithful and perse-
vering work. In your wearied condi-
tion, you are refreshed with the thought
that now the summit is reached the
march down the decline will be restful.
am loath to take from your vision
that comforting picture. However, in
justice to you we must paint another
scene. Your reflections at this time
are not different from those of your
elders in whose footsteps you are tread
ing. They too believed that the path
way of life before them led through
shady bowers and beside cool waters.
Their experience has taught them that
upon their Commencement Day they
stood upon the foothills gazing into the
valley below, while the heights of their
possibilities were behind and above
them.
My friends, you are needed higher
up. will quote from Prof. Calkins'
little poem, ''The World is Waiting for
You:"
''The world is waiting for you, young
man,
If your purpose is strong and true;
If out of your treasures of mind and
heart,
You can bring things old and new.
If you know the truth that makes
men free,
And with skill can bring it to view.-
The world is waiting for you young
man,
The world is waiting for you.
Of the idle and brainless the world
has enough
Who eat what they never have earned;
Who hate the pure stream from the
fountain of truth,
And wisdom and knowledge have spurn-
But patience and purpose which have
no defeat,
And genius like gems bright and true,
Will bless all mankind with their love,
life and light,
The world is waiting for you. =
The field below you is overcrowded
and even in the plane upon which you
now stand there is a veritable army of
toilers. You must climb higher, "Hu-
man creatures are very plentiful, but
men are very scarce, " says Herodotus.
The civilization of today calls for strong
men and true women whose hands are
clean and whose hearts pure. The world
needs men and women who possess a
high degree of efficiency in their chosen
lines of work; men and women who are
thoroughly reliable and who have the
courage of their convictions.
AS you enter upon the duties of life
you will meet with temptations and dis
couragements. Garry with you to your
daily tasks this resolve:
Il will be true, for there are those who
trust me,
| will be pure, for there are those who
l will be strong, for there is much to
| will be brave, for there is much to
dare
If YOU will do these things your
souls will never be stained by the dark
spots of sin.
Remember that character is every
thing. Reputation is what people say
you are; character is what you really
are. Work not for the appreciation OF
men. The man who spends sleepless
nights worrying about his reputation,
but cares nothing about his character,
is pursuing phantom; he is cherishing
the shadow instead of the substance.
On the other hand, the man who en-
dures the ridicule and contumely of his
fellows because he will not grovel with
them; who cares not for the lip service
of the multitude, but who faithfully
pursues his work, possessed of the con-
seriousness that virtue and truth will
ultimately be rewarded, such man is
benefactor to the race one of God S
noblemen.