“A fleeting hour, a month, a year,
Is all that God permits us here,
That we may learn to prize more high
That heavenly home beyond the sky.”
Introductory Address
By Oliver Barratt, Esq.
To the Class of ’91.
Ladies and gentlemen, I come to welcome you in the name of the young ladies of the graduating class. The entertainment this evening, owing to your presence here which is a source of encouragement to them, will show you what they have learned and what they have been doing during the past Winter and Spring, and what we have been doing to help them in the good cause and vocation which they have chosen. Thomas Carlyle once asked this question: “What can a woman do?” Well, I think if Thomas Carlyle was alive to-day and could go through the offices of the merchants and business men and architects and lawyers of this city, he would be willing to confess that at least one profession had been taken possession of by woman. If he could go through the lower part of this city into any of our offices he would look with wonder to see a young lady employed as a typewriter and stenographer, as they almost universally are. In political economy the weakest go to the wall. Well, it is said that they do, but in this case I think they have gone to the front. To illustrate that I will tell you a little experience of my own. Some two or three years ago I went into a gentleman’s office on some business, and made a statement to him. He said, “Stop! I want that taken down.” He called a young man sitting at the desk and said, “Take this statement down.” The stenographer was about six feet tall, built strong proportionately, and he sat down to take my statement. One of the first things that struck me was that it was a pretty light business for a man of his size. The next time I went into that office, the stenographer was again called to take my statement, but it was a young lady this time, instead of that great hulking man. I spoke to my friend about it and he said, “I have a young lady now and I find she does a great deal better than a man. Her work is more perfect; more satisfactory.” In this case the weakest had gone to the wall! The stronger intellect had forced the weaker to the wall.
Now, young ladies, I congratulate you on the success you have attained in the school in your work, and would like to say a few words to you with regard to your future career. When you go into the employment of some merchant, banker or lawyer, recollect one thing, that you are his confidential clerk,—taken into his confidence,—and what you hear there and write there must not be carried out of his door. When you go out, leave it behind you, and you will always be successful. And now, I congratulate you again upon your success here, and hope for a bright future for you and hope you will be successful in the vocation which you have chosen.
