The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1921-05-20
THE TROY SCHOOL
HAS RECORD YEAR
High School at Troy and Commence
ment Exercises.

Last week a roll of the Troy High
School graduating class appeared in
this paper in connection with the
commencement exercises of the
school at Troy last week.
The auditorium was packed on
commencement night with the pa
irons and friends of the school. 1t
was in all probability the best years
work of the school, now conducted
by Davis brothers, who have been in
charge since Mr.. Grantnam accepted
the school at Millington last year.
The class appeared on the stage,
together with the president of the
Board of School Directors, y. H. Bur-
nett, Rev. r. A. Clark, Rev. Pressly,
Rev. Jones and Messrs. Davis.
The salutatorian of the evening
was Miss Alta B. Tate, whose address
was very interesting one and whose
grace and poise were very becoming.
The valedictorian, p. w. Moffatt,
Jr., a descendant of the family,
whose head in this country was the
pioneer citizen and merchant, Jas. s..
Moffatt, his great grandfather, spoke
with considerable gravity and effect
along educational lines.
Other members of the class were
Pauline Pressly, Jennie Harper Polk,
Mary Myers, Mildred Marshall, Mag
gle Lou Shore, and Bonnie Lasley,
eight in all.
They young ladies, dressed in
white, were all very attractive
and typical of the higher ideals of
personality and character.
The class oration was delivered by
Rev. Clark, presiding elder of the
Union City Circuit, M. e. Conference.
The speakers subject was the part
the young people should play in the
work of reconstruction. He paid
very high compliment to the capabil-
tiles of young men and young wom-
en-. The three determining factors
in the work of achievement are with
in the grasp of young minds. These
are opportunity, determination and
goal. The future of the world rests
largely upon the shoulders of the
young Americans. The influence of
young people is always far reaching.
They are mighty factors in the shap-
ing of human destiny, and at this
particular period when the life of
democracy and national existence it
self is at stake the grave5t respon
sibilities are to be borne by the
young people of America.
Citing how these great crises are
met the speaker recalled the names
of illustrious conquerors, statesmen,
scientists, and others who made
world history at the age of youth and
young manhood. Beginning with |
Washington and Napoleon, the list is
without end, including the names of
Alexander the Great, Gladstone, DAN
iel Webster, Spurgeon, Moody, Wes-
ley, Beethoven, Michael Angelo, De-
mosthenese, etc.
This is evidence complete that our
young people must play large part
in the worlds work. With no dearth
of opportunities then the determin-
ing factor is will power. Will is the
chief element Crush the will and
man is crushed, but with the force of
will no earthly power can stop or
stay the success of human effort.
With will man is made to rule; with
out will he must be slave
The first and foremost victory is
to conquer SELF The greatest scep-
ter is won in building character and
the intellect; after that
come the battles of life, the conquer
ing of sin and the elements of dis
order. Success is not won by luck
Or chance, but by ceaseless effort to
God fixes the mind; man
focuses the will With will men
have moved against obstacles to con- !
luer the evil forces of the world.
Milton, with a faithless wife, wrote
Paradise Lost and his name became
Bunyan wrote Pilgrims
Progress in prison cell, book that
1as moved men as no other but the
Bible. Helen Keller, deaf, dumb and
blind, has become one of the worlds |
greatest intellects. Sir Walter Scott
was an invalid. There is no difficult
" too great for the will to subdue. [
Truly the lives of great men re-
mind us that We can make our lives
ublime'
Rev. Clarkis closing was an eulogy
o the class and the school. ]
Mr. Grantham delivered the di- I
,lomas, first the certificates to the
PUPILS promoted to the high school. :
lie complimented their work but said
hat he would regret the day that