_Class of '89._
Bacon has said, "Reading maketh a full man, conference a ready man,
and writing an exact man." Many prominent men of the present age
assert on authority that shorthand makes a valuable man.
The world's advancement has never been so marked and rapid as within
the past century; inventors have, it would seem, almost exhausted
themselves in producing means for improvement; where think you, would
the busy man find himself were it not for the opportunities open at
every hand enabling him to keep in the whirl?
Inventors, and the value of their respective inventions, are fully
appreciated by those who make use of them, but there has been no
greater gift presented than the one by Mr. Isaac Pitman in 1837,
in the shape of Phonography; he, after a few months of hard labor,
reduced the phonetic characters to a simple form such as any
intelligent and ordinarily educated person might, after a proper
amount of application, use to great advantage. The public were not
long in realizing the benefits to be derived, and each year has
seen a steady growth in the number of shorthand readers and writers,
and to-day finds thousands who are successfully using the little
strokes, some following the original system, and others using the
modifications; _all_, however, agreeing as to the true worth of
shorthand as a time saver.
We who started last Autumn, with the determination to master
Phonography and typewriting, knew in part the advantages to be
gained after the top was reached, but we did not know by actual
experience what breakers were ahead in the accomplishment of the work
before us; for the timid ones this very ignorance proved a great
blessing,--conquering one difficulty at a time, with the greater ones
in the shadow, was not as disheartening as having the future in plain
sight.
The multitude of crooks, circles and dry rules were taken in turn and
left behind, and after reaching half way the journey, and pausing for
a rest and renewal of courage, we began the pleasanter work of writing
and reading connectedly. At the start were simple stories which
seemed at the time almost silly, then came letters and law matter,
and, as the words in the first lessons kept recurring, we began to
appreciate "The Wolf and the Lamb" and various companions of a similar
nature. Slowly but surely the work has been progressing. Time has
fairly flown away and has brought us together to-night for the parting
as a class.
There has been much bitter with the sweet and many clouds with the
sunshine; social pleasures were necessarily given up and numerous
sacrifices made, to say nothing of the keen disappointment brought
home to each as she recognized, despite her greatest efforts, that
the actual work was far behind what her aspirations had been at the
outset. But through all we have been cheered and encouraged by our
teachers, nor must I omit the occasional well timed lectures,
depressing at the time of delivery, but sending each home with a
fixed idea of doing better, and continuing to the end; added to these
has been the entire novelty of the whole course, always something
new. Like all proverbial Americans, born, it is said, with the
interrogation point at tongue's end, the constant variety made the
journey one immense _Why?_
We are joyous over the prospect of a cessation of hard study, but
regret that the end of our intercourse has come, necessitating the
severing of ties as teachers and those taught, and the farewell as
class friends; but each will carry with her a remembrance of the
Winter spent together with much profit and pleasure to all.
To our kind Instructor through all the intricacies of Phonography, we
are deeply indebted. Within ourselves is the consciousness that had it
not been for his patience and untiring efforts we would have given up
in despair long ago; as also to our Instructress and friend who has
helped us over the road to the success of typewriting are we equally
indebted; to the never flagging energy of both we owe as much as to
the individual effort.
Not the least, if mentioned last, is our gratitude to the School
Committee. To you, gentlemen, we wish to convey our thanks this
evening, both for your generosity, as representatives of the G. S. M.
and T., in supplying funds for the maintenance of this glorious work,
and for the kindly interest displayed during the past Winter. While
regretting our inability to raise the standard higher, we will
endeavor, in future, to reflect such credit upon this school as will
prove our appreciation of past favors.
To you, my dear classmates, those in particular who have not as yet
felt the pecuniary advantages to be derived from this new acquirement,
take courage in the fact that six of our number are reaping the
benefits even thus early. Wait patiently; do not let the work end with
to-night, and become discouraged because of the same old humdrum
duties. Remember that in filling the old post honorably, you are doing
the work assigned by the Master who in His own season will send what
is for your best good. Add to your store of knowledge from day to day,
and be able to say with the poet:
Each morning sees some task begun,
Each evening sees its close;
Something attempted, something done,
Has earned a night's repose.