Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-06-14
DR.. MitchelPs Address To
SkOWhegan High Graduates

| Baccalaureate address before the
| graduating class of the Skowhegan
High school, Sunday evening, at the
Opera House, was introduced by
Superintendent William b. Wood
bury, of the Skowhegan-M Madison
| schools, who made a pleasing intro
ductory speech, saying, that the bac-
| calaureate service is always an i'm
| portant event of the closing week of
the school year ana that it was a
| pleasure for him to present the
| speaker, who was to deliver the ad-
dress and also personal pleasure,
| for as young as the speaker appear
| ed, he was a former instructor at
\ college, of Mr.. Woodbury., and he
had often called upon him to recite,
as he was especially pleased to have
| the opportunity to call upon DR..
Mitchell in college days.
DR.. Mitchell cordially responded to
Superintendent Woodburys intro
| duction, and said it was also a per-
sonal pleasure to again meet Mr..
| Woodbury. and to be introduced by
| him and mention the excellences of
| the speeches, which he had heard
Mr. Woodbury. make, and said he
wished he might always speak as
we'll as Mr.. Woodbury. does when
called upon.
DIR. Mitchell prefaced his address
by relating some conversation which
took place at a dinner, given by the
| president of Bowdoin, to some mem
| bcrs of the faculty, concerning the
| Skowhegan High school boys, who
| had been Bowdoin students, and said
| that the question was asked by one
member of the faculty. if the others
| had noticed what a splendid class of
boys came to Bowdoin from Skowhe
gan, and what excellent work they
always did, and the others responded
that they had. and one stated that
he thought that in great measure
it was due to the fine man S. II. S.
| had for it's principal and spoke words
OF praise of Prof. Ralph w. Leighton,
| S. II. S. principal. The student body,
which was seated in the center of the
auditorium heartily applauded and
were pleased to hear their principal
so highly spoken Of
! s. II. S. boys, who We're this year
members Of the Junior class, al
| though he did not mention their
| names, the Skowhcgan people and
the many friends of the boys knew
| that as he mentioned the editor-in-
chief Of the Buglc, which comes out
on Ivy Day, he was speaking of Karl
Philbrick, the second son of Mr. and
Mrs. Samuel w. Philbrick of Coburn
avenue and as he spoke Of the ora
tor of Ivy Day they also knew that
he was speaking Of Roy Fit2morris,
who makes his home with Attorney
! and Mrs. Amos X. Butler of West
Front street.
Certainly the pupils of s. IT, s.
and the citizens were pleased to have
one of the professors of a college,
where Skowhcgan each year sends
several students, speak in such
praise and appreciation of the town
boys.
DR.. Mitchells subject was a "Pur-
noscful or Purposiye Life" and he
quoted part of the Scripture which
had been read by Mr.. Nichols, which
SAYS, forgetting those things which
arc behind and reaching forth unto
these things which are before, ] press
toward the mark for the prize Of the
high calling of God in Christ Jesus
and urged the young people to be-
. come Christians, for becoming
Christian gives one q purpose in life.
He mentioned the irrcsponsivencss
|
seemed that, % boys will is the
winds will, and the thoughts Of
youth are long, long thoughts" DR..
| Mitchell said that to become a
Christian. did not mean to be scri-
ons minded sober faced old man, and
that he remembered his own idea of
, Christians, whom he was boy, but
it rather means living Il strong.
helpful life. One reason he gave why
one should be q Christian, is that it
lifts one out of self and to the glori-
Gus liberty of Christ and the reason
OF which he was especially speaking,
vas because it puts purpose into
the lives of boys and girls and men
and women.
DR.. Mitchell mentioned some peo-
pie, who lived purposeless lives. and
which lives if not failures, did not
accomplish great things and that all
needed the controlling power of a
determined purpose.
Among the people, who attained
greatness and accomplished much,
who had a fixed purpose to which
they stuck against all odds, he men
toned Wendell Phillips, Charles sum
ner. Dorothy Dix, T. II. Roosevelt,
and St. Paul, whose message was
read for the Scripture lesson. DR..
Mitchell also emphasized the keeping
power of a great purpose. as aside
from the power of the home infiu-
cnce.> The boy who is to enter col
legc needs a set purpose.
DR.. Mitchell urged the avowance Of
the thou shalt nots," and the use
of this, even with small children,
and spoke of his own little daugh-
ter. He spoke of the value of the
work done in recent years by the Y.
NJ. c. A. That if the young people
will walk along the shore with
Christ, He will show them the way to
success, even if it is not the kind.
which the young would always choose
and that one must study himself to
ascertain for what walk in life he is
hest fitted, and to eliminate the
things for which one is not adapted.
| He urged the young not to be afraid
to be called star gazers and dream
ers. for after all it is the dreamers
of dreams who do the big and last