The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1914-07-24
cake Hold, Hang On, and Hump"

he presented the diplomas Thursday
evening, July &c. 1914:
"Take Hold, Hang On, and Hump"
Young woman and young men of the
graduating class of the High School
| Department of the Kentucky Normal
ColIege: It gives me great pleasure on
behalf of the faculty of this school, to
present to you tonight your diplomas,
which represent to you months of hard
study in order to complete the course.
wish to congratulate you on your
success thus far and hope you may
continue your pursuit OF knowledge in
higher institutions of learning and that
YOU may prepare yourselves for lead
ers in your professions.
AS YOU go forth from this school
seeking further development and bet-
| ter equipment think could not bring
TO you a more helpful message or bet
ter advice than to impress upon Your
minds the motto of one who lived some
years ago: take hold, hang on, and
hump"
Take hold" If young man sue
ceeds from the highest viewpoint now
il is necessary for him to make VEN
ture. He must have purpose in the
world-he must take hold OF some
thing. Some men have no education
now because there were no public
schools when they were young, but far
ltoo many have practically no education
at all because in their boyhood days
they would not go to school and II they
were compelled to go they would not
study. Such have no profession and
no business whatever now because they
made no preparation for such at the
proper time, and II good business
l should be thrust upon them they could
not take care of it. They have no
home because they have never had
energy sufficient to secure means
enough to own one. They have never
gotten anywhere because they have
+ never started anywhere. Success here
in this section of our own state, as well
as elsewhere, demands a struggle. God
: is not SO good to us as He is to the
: inhabitants of the South Seas. They
l can lie on their backs in the shade OF
the trees and the bread fruit will drop
into their mouths, but here man must
, comply with the old injunction. In
l the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat
bread" Many men are idle to-day
because they have never been bold
enough to make venture at success.
Burton said, "Idleness is the bane of
body and mind, the nurse of naughu-
ness, the chief mother OF all mischief.
. one of the seven deadly sins. the dew
: lis cushion and his pillow and chief
: reposal."
No generation was ever born amid
> more inspiring conditions and under
circumstances that were more oondu-
Give to greatness than the one in which
you live Some OF the most wonderful
D chapters in the history of our nation
i are being written now. Epoch making
8 events are coming to pass almost each
: day, and from the sign of the times II
8 is difficult to guess lust where we will
n be twenty five years hence. This sec
e ton of our own State is changisg rap
e idly The material resources are be-
: ing developed as never before. Cap
r italists from different parts of the
J. United States are coming this way and
making Investments. This valley is
not only rich in coal and oil, but II is
destined to lie a greater agricultural
e section in the future than in the past
!. because we have as good soil and as
good climate for producing some things
e as you will find in the world. You dc
Z: not know what is before you, but you
should find your place, take hold and
T stand nobly. One Of the great needs
: in this valley is men and women OF
vision as leaders. The great need Is
y for trained well equipped leaders In
n the various professions. Such leaders
: can secure good compensation finan-
. cially. You young people who stand
before me here tonight may be such
h leaders IL you will make the necessary
: preparation. II may be necessary fol
: some ofsyou to go to the field of agri-
culture, others to the mines. others e
the toll of the mechanic, others to tn,
: weary round of the lawyer or the ply.
sician, others to the hustling life o
the business man, others to the work o
the school room, and possibly others I,
the high places of honor and distinc
ton in national life. You may be lead
ers in your professions II you use you
opportunities well now. Take hold
to-day. Begin work that has a prin
ciple in II that may live and bea
fruit AS one has said, "All the cen
turtles look down upon you. Quit yol
like men"
Hang On" 1t is one thing to at
tempt something but 1t is an entirel
different thing to hang on until yol
succeed. The difficulties encountere,
by the Prussians on their march iron
Havre to the field Of Waterloo wer
great. The roads were very deep II
mud from heavy rains, and were al
most impossible for the men, but the
had greater difficulty TO get the gun
and the wagons loaded with ammuni
ton along as they would sink YER
deep into the mud and the horses y
trying to move them would flounde
and fall. The soldiers would becom
exhausted in trying to extrlcate tn
horses, the guns and the wagons, an
would fall down excaiming, I'VE can
not go on" But the great commander
who had been seen going from plac
to place encouraging his men, replied
I'VE must go on. for have promise
Wellington to be up, and up we mus
get. Surely you will not make me for
felt my word. Exert yourselves littl
more and victory is certain" The me
were encouraged by his words an
arose from the mud and tried agai
and again until the journey was com
pleted. SO stability, or "stlckability,
is needed to-day II the young ma
succeeds Competition is great nov
and II requires more heroism an
| orraafar affort IN ranch fhe fonrnoe