VOL.11 AUGUST 7, 1908. . NO.
VALEDICTORY.
ALFRED LANE.
It has devolved upon me as a member
of the class of 1908 to deliver the vale
dictory address, which I shall do with a
full appreciation of the kind relations
we have so long sustained toward one an
other as a class and also with the pupils
and instructors of the school.
Fellow Students: As I look into your
faces I am reminded of the time when
the graduating class which you now see
upon the platform, then a handful of
inexperienced, puzzled Indian children,
had just arrived from the different re
servations of the country. What we
felt then and even later partly discourag
ed us. Perhaps you, too, are discouraged.
You think you have a long and dreary
road before you. But cheer up boys
and girls! You will not rind it very
long; this has been a very short five
years to us. Each year neoms shorter
than the preceding one. You, too, will
soon be Juniors, then Seniors, and the
troubles of the present will have faded
away and you will look back with pleas
ure upon your school life.
Instructors: We feel that on have
taught us much and given us a great
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deal upon which we can depend. We
know that we have often been hasty,
heedless of your feelings and of our own
best interests. At times we have caused
you great vexation by our childish ac
tions, but in spite of all this you have
proven yourselves our true and, patient
friends. Now honorable instructors,we ask
your forgiveness and carry with us re
membrance of all the many favors and
kind actions we have received at your
hands. We thank you one and all.
Classmates: We have been compan
ions and friends for five years. During
these five years we have learned to ap
preciate the advantages of an education.
We have had great sympathy for each
other in our different trials, and shared
each others' joys and sorrows. We now
go forth with our diplomas which we
shall carry as a proof that we have
worthily completed our studies in the
academic department and have attained
a certain degree of skill at our -trades.
We now go forth to battle for ourselves,
bearing in mind the old motto, "Not
finished but just begun," and I hope fill
ed with the inspiration of our class
motto, "Onward and Upward." Let us
go forth with belief in our own powers.
(Continued on Page 5.)