4
THE CHEMAWA AMERICAN
child is a born im itato r and will undoubtedly be w rongly influenced.
C hildren brought up in the city are bound to lie different from those
reared in the co u n try . T h eir inner th o u g h ts are called forth by th eir
environm ent.
The city child has m any com panions. T h u s he is not
entirely original because he w ishes to act and talk like those whom he
adm ires. T h e country child has few com panions and is close to N ature.
H is th o u g h ts and acts are his own. H e learns to love n atu re, w hich is
alw ays show ing him som ething stran g e and beautiful. H is life is care
free. H e retu rn s home from his ram bles with hands filled w ith flowers,
m ind filled w ith pleasant th o u g h ts, and a song on his lips. N a tu re ’s
own inspired pure thoughts! T h is child has learned to love G od through
N ature, for does not every blade of grass, every tiny insect reveal to the
observer th e Creator? T h en , w ith th e love of God in his heart he has
learned life’s greatest lesson. All others will follow.
VALEDICTORY
FRANK JO H N SO N , Alaskan
DAY we have reached an o th er m ilestone on our jo u r
ney th ro u g h life, for life’s roadw ay is m arked w ith
many of these m ilestones. T h ere is, perhaps, no
event in the life of th e boys and girls of our co u ntry
w hich is of greater im portance than is this one of
g rad u atio n day. It is for th is th a t we have planned
and hoped, and striven, th ro u g h all those long school
years now lying behind us and. at last, our efforts are crow ned w ith
success.
G raduation day does not m ean, how ever, th at we have finished with
all our hard tasks and lessons— th a t when we close our gram m ars, h is
tories, and arithm etics, we are done w ith difficulties and responsibili
ties; indeed, we are b u tb e g in n in g the real battle of life, and th a t m otto.
Patience and Perseverance,
w hich has helped us over the rough
places, kept us steadfast in the face of m any discouragem ents th ro u g h
the past year, and has at last enabled us to stand here today, will be
m ore needed now than ever, since we are to be throw n upon our own
responsibilities, to face and to solve th e g reat problem s th a t will too
m any tim es confront each one of us on our jo u rn ey th ro u g h life, as we
become a p art of the great w ork-a-dav world.
H ith erto we have tieen sheltered, helped, an d cared for. first as little
children in the home, th en , later, we were ta u g h t, directed, and advis-