Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1921-05-26
Salutat0ry

In greeting so many of our friends
this evening it is with a very keen
appreciation of what the patrons of
this school have made possible for MS
since we enrolled, as tiny children. in
the primary grades We wish to saw
word OF gratitude to those who have
SO loyalty supported the school and
nave made it possible for us to rean
the benefits of the modern educationaI
system. The influence and the inter
est which the teachers have taken in
US during the past twelve years is NOT
passing thing. Since we have on
tered high school we have been old
enough to know the friendly attituda
tney nave shown toward us and we
shall treasure their memory not as in
structors but as friends.
We would not forget also the public
spirited and unselfish efforts OF the
members of the school board who have
endeavored to provide for us the best
equipment and best qualified teachers
that could be secured.
have been interested to learn that
1t has cost the district $15OO.OO to edu-
cate one member of the class and
therefore the nine of us stand tonight
indebted to you for $4,000. This is
merely dollars and cents and to this
must be added the patience, devotion.
and even the self-sacrifice of our par
ents and friends, things which are be-
yond computation.
NO doubt there are some in the au-
dience who will wildly recall their
own school days, when they thought
they were well equipped for life's work
when they had been duly trained in the
three RS, reading, riting, and rithme-
TIC, when Latin and French were to
be studied only by the especially fay-
ored few. And when domestic science
laboratory Investigations and manual
training were absolutely unheard of.
When our parents attended school.
very little attention was paid to the
social side of education. They seldom
had school parties such as we have to-
day Spelling bees and entertainments
were held in the school houses but
they were usually supervised by the
parents and not by the teachers. Such
gatherings were enjoyed more by the
older people than by the children
themselves.
This school has furnished us with
cation today is something more than
classroom work and that social in
tercourse which We have enjoyed out
side the schoolroom has been educa-
ton in itself
These advantages which have come
to be so common today imply greater
obligations to the public and to those
who have made our education possible.
but in returning these obligations
there are also greater opportunities
to repay. The opportunities for men
are far greater than those of so years
ago but still greater are those for
women. Women have become more
prominent in public affairs and many
of them hold positions of responsibility
in the business world and in politics.
The very fact that suffrage has been
extended to woman brings her greater
opportunity for service. 1t is chiefly
through the interest of women that
such reforms have been brought about
as the child labor laws and prohibi-
/ ton. A a result of the interest which
they are taking we can hope for bet
ter law enforcement and cleaner pol
itics.
A woman's duty so years ago was
thought to be only that of a house
keeper. l have learned in my high
school course that woman's duty is
more than that of a housewife. 1t is
that of a citizen. l also have some
understanding Of the meaning of this
term and the ways in which | may
show myself worthy citizen.
1t is in such ways as these that we
can hope to make to the public some
return for the investment they have
made in us. OF course we as a class
do not expect to make this payment In
money but we hope to make it in ser
vice which will be beneficial to any
community in which we may be sit
luated.
II Frances Gray.