Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1917-06-14
COMMENCEMENT EXERClS-
ES BELINGTON H 5

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held Friday evening in the Aud
itorium were exceptionally
good. The music rendered was
high class.
Prof. J. H. Rohrabaugh made
an able address reviewing the
years work and successes. He
was followed by J. H. FELTON,,
president of the Board who de-
livered abrief but interesting
address as follows:
Mr.. superintendent
81 certainly appreciate this,
school, this hour and this class.
In presenting these diplomas, !
desire to impress upon each of
you the fact, that they bear sec
ond. of your accomplishment
and that you are now prepared
to take an advanced step in the
development of your minds,
which is education in the true
sense of the word and the
foundation afford citizenship.
No nation can be greater than
its citizenship; no citizenship
greater than it's educational
system, and upon you and your
development depends the fu-
ture of this country.
Make it better than the past"
Miss Ruth Lang Smith deliv-
cred the valadictory address,
who received a ringing APP
plause. The address follows:
eve, who stand to night at
the meeting of ahappy past and
unknown future, have 1pt
reached the end but the Com
mencement Of our lives. And
what those lives are to be, de-
ponds in alarge measure upon
the foundation laid for them in
our High School years. This is
a big thought and I want you
to think with me just how big
it is. For tonight at the ending
Of our course | am fired with
zeal of a class patriotism that |
would like to be able to trans
nit 0 you with all its wonderful
thrilling force.
'It seems we'll that we who
are about to step out into the
arena of the worlds progress
to consider something as to
what our parts in the great bat
tie of life are or. ought to be as
citizens of the greatest repub-
lie and grandest nation in all
the world, representing before
it's people the best school of all
that covers the land from ocean
to ocean. We have all our
lives heard a great deal about
patriotism and every citizen de-
fines it according to his own
ideas. We do not want or need
such patriotism as is demon
strated in Decature's toast
when he said, "My country,
may she always be right, but
right or wrong, Ny country"
Rather let us say 'My country,
make her right, keep her stand
ard clean and white" Every
nation has its characteristic
conceptions Of patriotism. The
distinguishing mark of Ameri-
can patriotism, the freedom, the
spirit of Americanism and
American institutions is that of
true democracy which shall
seek to cultivate the best and
to eliminate the vicious and to
stand for the cause of liberty,
freedom and truth at whatever
cost of property or even human
life. If we love our country
then we will set a standard Of
that which is the highest pur-
est and noblest and use ali pow
ers and direct all our efforts to
help her realize the ideal we
hold for her.
Dear friends, we who are
passing out Of high school into
more active citizenship feel
that we have a place in national
life. Whatever helps to make
the nation better, to elevate the
people of the land, must be the
work of its citizens. We real
ize the great responsibilities
that are upon us and each one
Of us will endeavor to do with
a cheerful heart the work that
God appoints whatever that
work may be. We expect great
things of ourselves and we trust
that you too may expect great
things of us and may not be dis
appointed.
Dear teachers, we wish to