Arizona republican., 1916-01-14
SIMS ELY TALKS ID GRADUATES 0F GRAMMAR SCHOOLS
Large Number Complete First Portion of Their
 Education

A large number of the pupils O. the Eighth grade completed the first phase of their bondage yesterday and will be iSsued their diplomas. Just how many of them is not yet known. but the list will be announced to- day. On account of their having reached this definite point in their educational career, dinner was served them and invited guests at the Monroe street school yesterday evening. Beside Superintendent Lo- per- the members of the board of trustees were present. President Ely of the board delivered the address of greeting and godspeed.
 Many, if not all of the graduating pupils will continue in the grade until the end of the year. taking review work rather than to enter high school in mid year,
 In his address to the pupils Mr. Ely said:
 My young friends
 This is Q notable day in the lives of each of you. It marks the end
 
 schools. Speaking for your teachers. the superintendent and the board of education, I congratulate you. Most of you will go from here to the high school, there to continue your studies. I wish it were certain that each of you will go to the high school and finish the course of study there. It is no longer necessary I trust, to urge upon you the importance and necessity of acquiring a good educa- tion. Because you do understand that a good education is d necessity for everyone, and since you have gone through the grind of laying the foundation for an education, you from now on, will find that study is more of a pleasure than a tash. You should not expect however, to be satisfied with what you may learn in the high school nor with what you may learn at college. one of your chief purposes in attending school is to learn to think ard to learn to express your thoughts and ! if you succeed in becoming a think CT you will have ideas, and every day of your life will bring additions, | to your education.
 Each of you will. or should, choose an occupation by and by, in which | to put your education to practical dse. And no matter what your Oc- i cupation may be, you will find that l the most useful of all your gifts is the gift of language It is the pos l of Ia oh tf express ideas by Words-Which marks | the chief difference between man l and brute. Having ideas-having | learned to think-your ideas will he l useful to you and to your fellowmen to the extent that you are able to fix your ideas in logical order an6 state them with precision. It i, highly desirable, therefore. that yot acquire a ready skill in the correc use of words.
 Consequently, my advice to you i. to make speciality of the study O
 English in your work in the higl school The Ahool you have jus left is called the grammar school because. for one reason. that Schoo undertakes to teach grammar, Whicl
 is the art of speaking and wrtin:
 language correctly. But of cours
 you will continue to study language your own language at least-no
 only in the high school, but in al
 your reading and study through life
 Along with the rules and example
 of construction which you will stud
 in the high school, you will fint
 examples of style, to which yol
 should give close attention. By styl
 is meant. simply. the usual manne
 in which one puts his words togethe
 in expressing his ideas in Writin and speaking
 For clearness, simplicity and char
 of style. you will find superb ex amples in the writings of Abraham
 Lincoln. of Thomas Babington Ma caulay. of Robert Louis Stevenson and of Rudyard Kiplng
 For fine illustration of the Lin colyn style. study the immorta speech made on Gettysburg battle
 field. The battle of Gettysbur fought during the first three day of July. 1869. practically decided tn civil war, and gave assurance tha
 our union of states would continu In November. following the battl President Lincoln attended exercise on the field, which were for the pun
 pose of dedicating a portion of th 1 battle ground as a national cemeter , The occasion was inspiring One ( the great orators of that time mao
 the principal speech, but it wa , soon forgotten. MT. Lincoln's at dress comprised less than three hur |, dred words. But because it was fu ! of ideas, and his ideas were e> pressed so clearly forcefully and c ' oquently, that short speech will liN as long as the English language sha live. It is one of the finest thins | in all literature And mark you, C the words used in that speech, mo 2 than tWo-thirds of them were of oi : syllable. I mention this fact to sho $ you that good command of gril ping language does not call for u l! use of big words. You should stud n every day, in your reading. u e meaning of words. and should b T come familiar with as many wor # as possible, big words as well
 little. But if you study the style
 the masters of English, you W
 find that they use the long Wo a only when the short word will n
 do so well. Clearness and precisi oi of expression are the essentials of = good style. You will find profit
 the study of Kipling in that he W
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