Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1931-06-04

tons before us, drifting into moral
confusion that means decadence and
unless checked our ultimate collapse!
| have my own answer to that ques-
tion--an answer cleaned from an OBJ
servation of life and from the history
of the race. But my purpose here TO-
night is not so much to answer 1t as
to raise the issue of inquiry and pro-
pose a challenge.
And so | say to these young grad
yates tonight:
Young ladies and Gerreinen. You
are heirs to a tremendous duty and to
an overwhelming responsibility. Upon
your shoulders as upon the shoulders
Of thousands like you devolves the task
Of marching in the vanguard OF civil
cation and leading it to the ideals and
aspirations by which it is to survive
/ or perish.
! Tonight marks the first stage In the
| development of your life's careers. This
/ is called commencement because 1t Is
beginning-it is the beginning OF
your responsibility as maturing citizens
of the world
Your parents, with watchful devotion
and solicitous anxiety have made every
sacrifice demanded of them to multiply
YOUR opportunities and embelllsh your
accomplishments Your teachers have
labored in the zeal of a dedicated life
to give you an instructed mind and a
i high and enduring ambition. Your state
has drawn upon its councillors and
its resources to put at your disposal
j the best facilities for research and in
vestigation
Now has come the time for you to
make the most of ii for the world in
which you live.
The chief thought to carry away with
you tonight is not SO much the associa-
E tons you have formed. not SO much
! the achievements you have made, mo-
: so much the knowledge you have
f gained. but the kind of characters yot
} have shaped and the kind Of ideal:
{ you have formed.
From tonight on you are gong t
: take paths that lie apart. You are goint
into world that will test every quail.
+ ity YOU possess and question every at
r tribute you boast. Most of you are goln,
: to search for a deeper and broade
q knowledge in higher schools Of learn
(. ing
! But wherever you 60, whatever yo
: do. remember this: no harsher test, n
d severer trial will come to you tha
IS that which puts to proof the nobillt
e Of your aspirations and the integrlt
of your ideals. Men will disappoir
70 and disilIusion YOU On one side 20
will be told that the human mind ca
10 never know the truth about life
gravest problems; on another side yo
= will be taught that the only law OF III
is one Of self sufficiency or OF indul
g gence or Of expediency. While yet frol
i'll another side you will hear that thel
e. is TRUTH but it is not yet KNOW
that there is a WAY but it is not y
Il found. that there is EAW of life b.
it is not yet discovered, and you WI
&C grow little tired and little sad
the emptiness of your own soul. !.
fe We are speaking now not OF 7
temporary things of every day II
Az but Of its deep and lasting values.
i. What is to be the answer
a You will also be told that there
~ a way and truth and life rich
promise and eternal in value to
- found by an upright mind and since
i and humble heart. That is the way
: follow through every day Of your \
80 for that way alone lies the promise
~ the future and rich and useful ext
tcprp