The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-04-22
Splendid Address of Supt Chas M. Jones
To The Graduating Glass of 1916

1t has always been my custom to
speak few words to the members
of the graduating class WheE the
time comes for us to separate had
spoken of securing the services of
another to do this pleasant duty, but
for your solicitation and my kindly
feeling to you has caused me to feel
that | should do as | have done be-
fore | say pleasant duty because
of the happy association that has en-
listed between us for five years.
When | came here, | found You in
the eighth grade and, from that day
to this moment, which is the happi-
est to you, have followed you close
~ in your daily walk ard daily du-
ties To say that my friendship and
interest in you has grown, is but a
mild expression of my feelings.
While it has been necessary to re-
prove you at different times, would
have you know that it was because
of my interest in you 1t has been
the one purpose of this school that
we might shape and mold men and
women of character out of you so
that when after years have tossed
you far away, you might and will
have an opportunity to survey these
happy moments which are now COM
ing to a close and may you be not
compelled to say with Disraeli,
Youth is a blunder; manhood, a
struggle; and old age a regret" May
the lessons You have learned here
give you greater vision of life than
that. You are facing a world that
will be friendly or unfriendly. 1t
will be largely what you would have
it be. AS you walk out upon the
battlefield of life, you should forever
keep in view the momentous values
in life. Aim at it's worthiest use
its sublimest end-and spurn with
disdain those foolish trifles which so
often consume the life of man, and
devote yourself with the ardor of a
passion to the most divine improve
ment of the human soul, ever re-
Numbering that our yesterdays may
follow us and that much may be done
in those little shreds and patches of
time which every day produces and
which most men throw away, but
which will in the end make no small
deduction from the life of man.
When you are about to omit or COM
nit an act, remember that the tracks
of the past will soon follow upon
the heels of the future and that our
yesterdays may follow u.s. Little do
you know as the tide of the years are
drifting by, floating you out insen-
sibly from the harbor of your home
what joys, what duties, what affec-
tions, are slipping from you into the
shades of the memorable past where
no man can go save on the wings
of his dreams. You will find many
Sweets" and "bitters. You will
find friends in whose virtue and I'M
derstanding you can equally confide
and whose opinion you can value for
it's business and sincerity; and then,
again, you will find those who live
in your sunshine, arid, when the
winters have come, they are flown
and the tears which you have to give
you must give alone This bitter part
of life you have launched, and ! am
not here to say where you will
anchor, how you will anchor, or
where your will anchor. But your
preparation here and in the next few
years will determine where you
anchor. how you anchor, and when
you anchor. This ship will sail many
seas and anchor in many ports ere
you reach the other end of life. Five
years have endeared me more closely
to you than you know. Your interest
has been my interest; your joys have
been my joys I have attempted to
be the guiding spirit in your life
when you were wrong and to assist
YOU when you were discouraged; 1t
has been mine to give you not only
the lessons found in the books. but
true conception of life-its duties
and responsibilities far as