Princeton University - Nassau Herald Yearbook (Princeton, NJ)

Page 9 text:

QITIE NASSA U HERALD. 7 Cnass QRATION. , BY IRVING P. WITHINGTON OF NEW JERSEY. ' LADIES AND GENTLEMENA:-Concerning our class, to Whom I am about to say a ffew parting words, there has been as much said as would suffice for a long course of lectures, and as much written as would almostfurnish a library. .Where is thetongue and ,Where the pen which has not been swift to' discuss her future ? iWe are 'too near to read her destiny' clearly and impartially--to praise 'or criticise. A class, to be accurately judged, must be looked at through the haze of years, when college life is a thing of the past 3 when the excitement of a Class Dayhas subsided, and when the world has tried uswith its fire., To-day another class comes together as a, class for the last time, and 'from a full heart bids farewell to her college daysedays so free from all re- sponsibility , so pleasantly, and, perchance, profitably passed. The last recitation-room has been left, the last examiner has gone his Way. Yet what need to look behind, and to sigh ? f We have yet a few songs to singatogether, and a little jollity. CLASSMATES :-In bidding you farewell, your classmate appre- ciates the responsibility you have so kindly imposed upon him. He has not selected any grand theme as has at times been custom- ary, neither has he prepared la polished and learned oration. But if, by anything that may be found' here, there may be awakened in the hearts of any one an impulse that maynot be a transient one, but a lasting and useful guide when we have left these scenes of pleasantness, and through us may direct others, he shall feel doubly repaid. ' i . We need not say farewell to-day, and yet the hour of parting is so near wefeel the straining of the chain that soon must break. x

Page 8 text:

6 THE N.4ss.4 U HERALD. man has acted in his independent capacity. Qualities such as these are ever in demand. May they be' used to perpetuate the free institutions of this continental country. For this, not only are Virtue, intelligence and economy essential, as the base of indi- vidual and national independence, but there must be in addition an innate love for self'-government, the blessings it confers, and a courage coolly to meet the extremists who from time to time assail the nation's integrity or the people's rights. Elevate poli- tics from a business to. the highest duty of -American citizenship. Sustain your country. with a generous, patriotism, and, ever main- taining right vigorously, as has been your wont, whatyou believe to be the truth, do your part- in the glorious progress of repub- lican government towards its ultimate perfection. This is our parting scene. To share its pleasures and solace its sorrow once again, you are welcomed here. And when towards the end you 'note the 'grasping hand, the kindling eye, know that there is beneath more than on the surface. shows. 1 .

Page 10 text:

s THE NA ss.4 U HERA LD. And when to the class of good old '80 the solemn hour of sep- aration comes, when on the mind crowd all the memories of our college days-our common toil, or sports and merry songs-the thought that these will ne' er be more, causes us to stop and think, andregret that we cannot live them over again. Our vacations are over. Soon we part, never all to meet here again. The partingto some will be joyful, but will there not be a little sor- row mingled with that joy? Is it not a hard thing to part with friends with whom you have spent the happiest and freest years that we will ever experience '? The best of us, we think, are but beginning to iind out how little We know-to appreciate the vast- ness of the work beforerus-andwe are yet to learn by expe- rience how this duty must be done. Heretofore, life has been but a dream ,T now we see it coming upon us with all its reality. We are about to go forth into the world. May she deal With us gently and kindly. AJ oy and sorrow, success and adversity will not be meted out to all alike, nor can any one of us hope toex- perience joy unmingled with sorrow. Whether we are prepared, depends much on our faithfulness here. We have been told that what we have acquired here we may exchange for things' needed in life, that what we have gone through with here is typical of that which We shall experience hereafter in life. This little world of ours, to which we are now saying good-bye, has been a lively one to us 5 it has taught us to think and act for ourselves. And to those of us who have not taken. advantage of our every op- portunity, we would say, now is a 'last chance for us. If we have not done right, is that any reason why we shall never do right? Shall we thus permit our manhood to mope and decay ? Not so I Let us now make resolves, and thus continue to strive. This, then, is the most critical time of our lives. Much of future character and destiny is wrapped in decisions now made. As Shakspere has it, f A H There is a tide in the aifairs of men, Whicli, taken at the fiood, leads on to fortune' , Omitted, all the voyage of life Is bound in shallows and in iniserie-S. I.i.fefS character, then, must be determined by the passage ot 'I