GRADUATION

Suggested by E. H. Blashfield's Painting, "Graduation"

O Graduate, departing on Life's way,

Crowned with deserving laurel and applause,
For thee, Today takes leave of Yesterday,
And from thy Destiny, now the veil withdraws.

The glorious Host who have achieved renown,
Sit with expectancy at Wisdom's feet;
They look to thee to add another crown-
A worthier triumph, than today they greet.

Upon the threshold of this dawning Day,
They question:-"Is thy quest for duty, pelf
Or power?" But first demand:-"Do thou essay
THYSELF to find, for all is in Thyself!"

Behold the cloud-girt throng, with outstretched hands,
That wait to lead thee to the paths of peace—
Truthfulness-God's daughter-foremost stands;
And Sympathy, who brings Despair's surcease;

Ambition, pointing ever to the heights;

Determination, whom no tempest veers;
And Hopefulness, that sees God's beacon lights,
Howe'er obscured by earthly doubts and fears;

White-'tired Purity, whose hands entreat

To lead thee to God's presence. On the stair Waits Conscience, with the sword to turn thy feet Back to the path, if thou afar shouldst fare.

The Alma Mater gives the Torch to light

The way, and charges thee:-"Give to men's need! Pledge all thy heart to loyalty and right,

And follow Conscience wheresoe'er she leads;

"Take thou these guardian Angels to thy heart,
And make them boon companions of thy thought!
They will Life's Secret to thy soul impart,

If thou wilt ever by their truth be taught.

"Teach thou thine eyes to see life's beauty! Teach

Thy heart to heed earth's moan, to right earth's wrong!
What depths can then restrain thy spirit's reach?
What tribulations, interrupt thy song?

"But most of all, keep bright the beacon lights

Of thine own Soul-those first Ideals of youth!
For lo! it is the flame from Sinai's heights,
That fires these signals from the hills of Truth.

"Companionship with these Ideals will lift
Thy Soul unto Imagination's height,-
Inspire the will to do-God's greatest gift,-
And make thy life a blessing and delight.

"Strive still, that this fair day's 'Well done,' shall bend
Endeavor to the stretch till Heaven be won!

Then shalt thou hear-when at thy journey's end

That still, small Voice-GOD'S welcoming, 'Well done!'"

James Terry White.

EXPLANATION

OF MR. BLASHFIELD'S PAINTING, "GRADUATION"

The pleasing impression produced by this August scene is caused by the colossal figure personifying Wisdom, which illuminates the entire picture. She is presented in a benignant mood and protecting and presiding. Her placid head, covered with a fold of her mantle, is lighted by the flame on the altar at her feet, which also strongly illuminates the globe which she holds on her knee, with its Western Hemisphere shown, indicating where the scene is laid.

Directly in front of the altar is Alma Mater in a Venetian mantle, holding the Scroll, and bidding the Graduate go forth into the world, bearing the torch which has just been lighted from the altar. Somewhat lower stands Conscience, holding a sword and scourge, who is to accompany him hereafter in all his wanderings.

On either side sit the great Universities, personified under characteristic forms, who have come to grace this ceremonial. The Universities represented are, from left to right:

Alexandria, a Cleopatra-like figure seen in profile;

Rome, stately and upright, in red and white, holding a statue of Victory;

Cordova, in brilliant reds, with a suggestion of Moorish fierceness in her indolent pose;
Bologna, one of the earliest, leaning eagerly forward, the light glinting on her hair;
Athens, a beautiful Greek Muse, whose high diadem shines like silver against the dark back-
ground.

On the other side of Wisdom:

Upsala, in the shadow of the pedestal;

Leyden, with elbow on knees, chin on hand, and with a suspicion of Dutch firmness;
Paris, with her liberty cap and shield;

Heidelberg, very upright, German and blond, displaying her heraldic black eagle, and
Oxford, a graceful, contemplative crowned figure in white.

Below sit the Immortals, ancient and modern. Beginning just below Alexandria they are:

Lavoisier (Chemistry),

Democritus of Abdera (Philosophy),

Harvey (Science),

Augustus Cæsar (Law),

Sir Isaac Newton (Mathematics).

On the other side nearest Conscience are:

Shakespeare (Literature),

Beethoven (Music),

Michael Angelo (Art),

Petrarch (Letters),

Galileo (Astronomy), and

Lord Kelvin (Physics), standing modestly behind.

In the immediate foreground are the young men, the students on the one side, and the aspirants on the other, suggesting studiousness and athletics. In the luminous clouds above, to the right and left of Wisdom's head, are allegorical figures symbolical of the various Traits of Character. Mr. Blashfield has long been known as one of the most scholarly of our living artists; but as a painter in the conception and the presentation of this great Tribunal,-"when the light is silent all," he has risen to the heights of his genius.

-Adapted from William Walton's Description.

CHARACTER LESSONS

IN

AMERICAN BIOGRAPHY

FOR

PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND HOME INSTRUCTION

BY JAMES TERRY WHITE

PREPARED IN RESPONSE TO THE GENERAL DEMAND FOR A BETTER MORAI INSTRUCTION IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

The aim of Moral Instruction is to form Character; and Character is the unconscious obedience to Conscience.-ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE

70 Fifth Avenue, New York

COPYRIGHT, 1909, BY THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE

FIFTH EDITION