Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-06-09
DIPLOMAS ARE
PRESENTED TO IL
SENIORS OF @. H. S.
CONTINUED from Page ~

scientists tell us that our govern
ment is by no means a democracy
that we are one OF number of things
but a democracy, and that such a
thing rs pure democracy has seldom
IL ever existed Yet in America We
think much of democracy ana really
value the ideal of It, and many there
are who have fought and died for
their ideal of what a democracy ought
to be But however, far we may be
from this idea in government, still
We do have democracy In our daily
living, and right here at the high
school commencement II is that We
get one OF the most unique express
sions of II known anywhere in his
tory For here in one room are gath
cred together every possible type of
citizen, from very walk of life and
from every stratum Of society. of
all creeds and parties, but united
here with one common purpose, aud
that purpose the most important pos.
sible purpose that people can con.
front-the future wellbeing of their
children. As long as the high school
commencement lasts there can be no
valid fear for the fundamental de.
mocracy of our civilization
For there can be no better means
of holding fast to that which is good
in our civilization than the proper
education of the Young In fact one
way of defining civilization Is to say
that II is a way of living whereby
parents Sc, to il that their children
are given opportunities that are bet
ter than these enjoyed by themselves,
where the generation that Is coming
knows more than the one that is so.
ing, and where there Is no lock on
the door of opportunity Civilization
that Compels the children to accept
all the ideas and preiudices and sup,
ersttiOns of parents, with no chance
10 correct them, is reyerting to say
agery; for sayagery Is precisely the
result of living by custom and not by
invention So any American com
munity can be sure that il has no bet.
ter way of spending its money than
uUon the education Of its children
Streets, roads. sewers. lighting sys
TENS are excellent and needed
houses and parks and Libraries and
monuments are a credit 10 the com
munity' but not one of its posses
sions rivals its children. and no mon
ey spent for any cause can BE- as vel
snent as money spent for education
No American community has ever
yet found a way of spending too much |
money on the future well-being Of |
It's children So here again the high !
school commencement typifeS our
finest ideal and our hope of the per
petuity of our institutions.
But education is something more
than passing examinations and re-
ceiying diplomas. Thousands of old. |
or people in this community have
never sat in high school class room
but are better educated than MANY q
college graduates; they have been
trained in the stern and even bite
school of experience The wisdom OIL
the elders far outreaches all the mere
learning from books For education
IS the result of living and living right |
How far then, are these young
people educated? What has their |
schooling done to give them a start |
toward a genuine and workable cdr
cation? The answer is. everythingl
depends on how they have used LIS |
sons and schooling and examination
to learn to live in our kind Of civil
cation. Do the" fit into this Amar
ca of ours? Are they ready to miy
with men and do the work of the |
world in the spirit of comradeshir
and common endeavor? Can they take
their place as citizens in governing
the city and the state and the nation
Here are the real tests OF education
these three tests Can they work
Can they vote intelligentlv? Can
they live comfortably with those
with whom they work?
Let us consider these three tests
First, work is the one sure qalratiOuI
CT mankind This ie a p1attudp a.
clG as literature and perennial advice
but the younger generation always
hns tC learn 1t afresn. and mostly in
ITO school of hard KNOCKS In an axe
when there is much question Of the
sanity and integrity of its young pe0
pie we can afford to say again and
: am lildb II pdNS " ltdIu ~ NiIh |
J have great faith ir 'he present gen
Grafton of young peorle They haze
life ard nerve and Imagination ANA
tac spirit of adventure: and young
people without these qualities are
dead in their tracks, and the ciyili2a
/ on they are commissioned to make
/" dead before II ia born | have great
fifth in our coming generation. des
lite their violation of the speed laws
thcir hair varnish, their submission |
to the good jazz, their bobbed hair
nose powdering, and freedom of the
knees They have enjoyed an intel
fectual liberty that the world has long
and sadly lacked. They show foibles
.much the same as those of their pro
costing parents, they merely are less