The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-06-11
EXAMPLE IN ROOSEVELT
WORD DRAWING OF LATE
FORCEFUL PRESIDENT
HELD UP TO STUDENTS
H. L. SouthWick Spoke Before
Graduates Of the Minnesota
State Normal

commencement week at the Man.
kato normal school was brought to a
close last evening by commencement
exercises, which were carried out in
a most pleasing manner. Last nights
graduating class consisted OF ninety
eight members, and twenty who will
receive diplomas in July, making q
1920, 151.
The rostrum had been decorated
with snow balls, and bridal wreath
and palms, which added to the effect
iveness of the scene. The large
graduating class of young ladies clad
in modest costumes Of white with
OF either lilies of the valley or roses,
presented an impressive and beauti-
full picture as they marched into the
auditorium to the slow strains OF
music, and led by DR.. John Hancock
of the Normal faculty. The exercises
were featured by addresses by Pres
tdent Henry L. Southwick, L. L. D.,
Of Emerson College of Oratory, Bos-
ton. and by John c.. Wise. resident
school, who also presented the grad
uating class with their diplomas
Other features of the graduating ex-
ercises was the splendid singing by
the girls glee club of the school, and
a vocal solo by Miss Anna Lee.
The exercises were opened by
Rev. Edward Johnson, pastor of the
Bethlehem Lutheran church. who Of
fered the invocation. This was fol-
lowed by selections by the glee club
Of the school, and the principal ad.
dress of the evening was delivered
by President Henry l.. Southwick.
In opening his address President
Southwick, who had spoken here on
several former occasions, said that
coming to Mankato seemed to him
like a home coming. Launching in
to his subject, the speaker asked the
question, What is the best food of
thought for STUDENT" and answered
the question by stating that the best
study of the deeds Of great men, II
not the man in person, his biography.
If the study Of the deeds Of some
great man quickens the concious-
ness of his followers to reach some
high aim, and warns the heart to
enthusiasm, then the result cannot help
but be beneficial. The late President
Theodore Roosevelt was set up as a
good example for young people to
emulate. He was styled as "a mans
san nero h and SPEAKER sa am sad
that Roosevelt was typical Ameri-
can, but not more so than Washing
ton, Lincoln and many other pron:in-
ent men of this country. Roosevelt
was well born, we'll trained and had
the wealth to back up his ambitions,
but in spite of all this the ex-presi :
dent, like Lincoln and others was a
self made man.
Lincoln and Roosevelt were both
u<lH IN n 1vn -Nx H.
overcame the obstacles of poverty,
and became famous. Roosevelt by
sheer force of character overcame
physical deficiencies and became the
master of the situation. Lacking in
bodily strength, which Lincoln and
other men had possessed, Roosevelt
betook himself to the planes where
in the great out doors he builded up
his body. In youth his speech was
slow and gave no promise of the
power of his words in later years
which moved thousands to enthus-
iasm. In the face Of all this he mas
tered those deficiencies and later be-
came a writer Of note, a historian,
ETC., and finally and greatest of all
became captain of his soul. What
made all this possible, the speaker
said was, tht Roosevelt was ruggedly
honest, what he saw he thought, and
what he thought he loved. Conse-
quently. he was greatly loved and
greatly hated. The speaker stated
that one of Rooseveltt,s fayorite
insincere man" He was a lover
did things. His friendships were
among his greatest assets, and were
acquired through his great love of
nature. His interests in man were
human. He caught the affections of
the people. He had physical, intel
lectual and moral courage. He scored
the hyphen during the war, and even
Ford to throttle the pacifist. He
aroused this nation to the danger of
its unpreparedness, and proved an
antitoXin against the poison of paci-
fism just previous to this country en-
tering the war.
The lack of fear Of anything that
life held, was the very bed rock of
Theodore Roosevelt's career. He al
ways worked with the idea that OBJ
stacles must be overcome, If one is
to succeed in life. He was knight
the face of a wrong or a duty, and
he had no patience with weakness
There was no American put so much
into life and got so much out of it.
His soul and mind were clean. He
practiced what he preached. Roose-
welt was honored by the American
people, because they knew him to be
a good and wise man, imbued with
Judgment and idGlls. His head was
in the clouds, but his feet were al
ways on good sound footing Of sane
judgment. Born an aristocrat, Roose-
welt achieved democracy, because he
believed in it and understood it. Amer
leans loved Roosevelt, because he
saw the right at the right time, and
saw the right ahead Of time. He had
faith in the American people, and
loved them down deep in his heart.
Roosevelt had way of always doing
something magnificent.
In closing President Southwick
said that the life of Roosevelt was a
legacy of character, which might be
well emulated in anyone's life aims.
The presentation of the diplomas to
the graduates was made by John c.
Wise, resident director Of the Man
kato Normal school, who compli-
mented the graduating class on their
achievements, the splendid manner
in which the closing exercises of the
school had been carried out. includ-
ing the class play, etc! Mr.. Wise pro-
nounced the present class one of the
most magnificent graduated for some
time pats.
The exercises were brought to a
close by the benediction invoked by
Rev. Edward Johnson.
List Of Graduates.
The following is list of the grad