In concluding Dr, Hsia addressed himself to parents of students in fan earnest appeal for their cooperation, "In the first place," he said, "I wish to remind parents tha: this is a Christian institution. Now there area number of small ma ters in which I desire your cooperation.
First, money. Please don't send or give your boys too much money to spend.
Secondly, please don't let your! sons bring to the College any valuable articles or expensive clothes. Unless the parents ce-operate with the College in this matter, the Col-Togo. may have to prescribe the rearing of some sort of uniform.
'Thirdly, please don't try to ask Leave' for your sons on any cause except the most necessary. The College will in future refuse leave in matters of attending some birthday parties or the marriage of some cousins or other relations, 'This College is founded on' the Christian spirit of love, sacrifice and service, for the purpose of training the best type of citizen for the Chinese Republic., What_ I desire to see is that every student who goes out of this College gaze will be-a man with a good - and sound education, high and noble Hlenls, good and' well-behaved man-revs, with a strong body, an honest and' sincere character, "and - real patriotism in his breast, Every parent must realize that this is not a vocational school or an evening commercial institute. [English is useful to a young bu: ness man, but we are not to teach Bnglish because it wi make your son a successful bread-winner. We feel we have studied the needs of our country and of our time, and it is our duty to train up the type. of men the country needs moat, With that object in view - every subject taught in the College has {ts purpose, whether it be Chinese, English, mathematics, geography, history, science, ethics, games Take no thought of your son's livelihood, if he has received a sound education, possesses a healthy body, has an honest character and willing to work; there is no of his starving, British Traditions Calder Marshall saidk—
Hsia, ladies & gentlemen; and boys of Medhurst College: I con: sider it a great honour to have be ked by De. Hsia, your President, speak on this the first commence: ment day since he became President, and a8 one of the British members of the Board, want to take this opportunity of congratulating him on the efficient manner in which he has conducted the affairs of the College, and on the work he has done its behalf. Founded by the London Missionary Society, Medhurst College is, I believe, the only school of this kind in this part of the country which has been founded by a British missionary body. As we know, the management of the school is now in Chinese hands, and I trust and believe that the British traditions "of the school will be fully maintained.
'The Red Lotter day in every' boy's life is the day he graduates; having passed the—preliminary stages of his education, and being 80 equipped to enter upon the next succeeding stage, that, given industry, and provided the' ground work sound, he should he able to make progress, Graduation, or Commencement as it is very aptly called, merely means that the foundations have been laid and that, the student's mind is trained to acquire further education, for the process of being educated does not cease as long as we have life, I am reminded of an incident in my own school life when, having entered for an examination, I was proud, not to say "cocky," at having passed, but when I received the certificate my pride suffered a blow, for in a scroll round the Certificate was printed: "In nature's infinite book mystery a little can I read." I then realized what a very small amount of knowledge even the most learned had been able to accumulate, and what an infinitesimal amount I had accumulated myself.
The day of their graduation is day eagerly looked forward to all the juniors in the school and looked back upon by all of us seniors whose day of graduation took place many years ago, By looking back re able to recall the high hopes, ambitions, ideals with which we started out and must inevitably ask ourselves in what way we have realized or failed to realize these ambitions and in what respect we have fallen short of our ideals. To us older ones, while we enter into and en@urage the high aspirations of those who are now graduating, 1:
a time for introspection, which in itself should be an education.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.