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lasting gospel" to those of heathen lands, were it not for the Press? Then there are your common schools, your colleges and higher seminaries of learning, ay, and the Sunday schools also. What could they do without the Press? Who but they of the Press furnish the student of classic lore with his text books? Who but they of the Press furnish these little children with their A B C's. And these Sabbath school teachers, who have the holier mission of pointing the youthful mind from the sordid things of earth to pure and heavenly scenes beyond the skies,-what would they be able to accomplish were it not for the Press?

Sir, I remember, as it were but yesterday, the first verses of scripture that I committed to memory and repeated in the Sunday School; and also the little Sunday School book which I received as a reward of merit." I perused and re-perused it,-examined its typography and pictures,-and felt richer in the possession of it than the miser does with his bags of gold. Let the Sabbath School scholar go out into the world and become ever so depraved in after life, there will come to him in moments of calm meditation pleasing memories of his early youth, and, if poor frail human nature can rally, he will yet be saved and become a man. That the Press is an engine of power no one can deny. Nearly all the great enterprises of the day are more or less indebted to it for their success. Many aspiring little men have been made great through the agency of the Press. But editors are proverbially modest men; and while they have made the fame and fortune of thousands, comparatively few have done either for themselves. As Tom Hood would say—

'Tis not exactly the thing, 'we' know it,

To raise our own trumpet and blow it."

Mr. President, time will not allow me to allude further to the beneficent influences of the Press, but you will pardon me if I suggest that it has

contributed somewhat toward the success of this excellent celebration, which all have enjoyed so The formation of new acquaintances and the cementing of past friendships, to say nothing of the amusement and instruction afforded, are among its happy results. How admirably do we fulfill the imagined prophesy of the elder Adams when advocating the Declaration of American Independence: We shall make this a glorious, an immortal day. When we are in our graves our children will honor it. They will celebrate it with thanksgiving, with festivity, with bonfires and illuminations. On its annual return they will shed tears, copious, gushing tears,-not of subjection and slavery.-not of agony and distress, but of exultation, of gratitude and joy."

But I am consuming time, Mr. President, and will close with the words of the poet:

"May the pen and press assist mankind

To make a conquest of the mind."

When the exercises upon the ground had closed. the people dispersed to meet again in the evening and witness the exhibition of fire works, prepared by Mr. J. G. Hovey, the eminent pyrotechnist of Boston.

[NOTE. It is proper to state in regard to this Holyoke celebration that Mr. Hildreth was instigator and prime mover of it. The committee of arrangements authorized him to go to Boston and engage an orator for the day, and also purchase fireworks for the evening. He was successful in both cases. Timothy Bigelow was known to be a popular public speaker, and on calling at his office Mr. H. was informed that Mr. Bigelow was absent from the city, but fortunately met his mother there. This lady was a sister of Abbott Lawrence, once United States Minister to England. She invited Mr. Hildreth home to dinner, and while there the son returned. When the Holyoke celebration was mentioned, Mr. Bigelow at first declined to go there to deliver the oration, -but after further conversation the mother remarked: "Tim shall go," and go he did, to the great satisfaction of all interested parties. The fire-works, which Mr. Hildreth purchased, were greatly admired by the vast concourse of people who witnessed them, and were pronounced far superior to any similar display ever witnessed in Holyoke.]

THE OLD ARM CHAIR.”

Somebody in Holyoke, Mass., having the fear of God before his eyes, and, in obedience to the great law of love, regarding his neighbor as himself, has sent brother Hildreth of the "Mirror" an arm chair for his sanctum. Such a man ought to be placed in a cabinet of his own making, as a true sample of the genus homo. "The lines have fallen to thee in pleasant places," brother Hildreth, and the paper, whose editor is thus remembered and cared for, shows the influence of contented feelings, else how could it be so full of sparkling interest?-Vergennes, (Vt.) Independent.

You are right, brother Judd. We do not allow the equanimity of our feelings to be disturbed by trifles. Having the ardor and expectation of earlier days somewhat chastened and subdued, with few regrets for the past, and little solicitude for the future, we probably enjoy as much of life as falls to the lot of mankind in general. But our object in copying the paragraph was to show our friend Quint how a fraternal sympathy has called forth grateful expressions in his behalf from a brother editor so far away. Were it not for the distance, we cannot doubt that our Vergennes brother would be made equally happy with ourselves through the benevolent promptings of Mr. Quint's liberal heart. "In doing good there is great reward.”—Ed. Mirror.

NOTE. That editorial arm-chair is now used by Mr. Hildreth in his sitting-room.-ED.

EDITORS' AND PRINTERS' MEETING.

The Association of Editors and Printers of Western Massachusetts held their annual meeting at the American House in Springfield on Wednesday, January 17th, the anniversary of Franklin's birthday. Nearly all the members of the Association

were present. The afternoon was spent in the discussion of business affairs and exchange of information on subjects of mutual interest. In the evening an excellent supper, laid in the best style of Mr. Adams of the American House, and presided over by Dr. J. G. Holland of the Springfield Republican, was partaken of with hearty zest. Thanks were voted the retiring officers for the "able and efficient manner in which they had discharged their duties," when Mr. Chickering of North Adams, the retiring President, responded in a neat and pertinent speech. At eight o'clock the company separated, cheered and refreshed by the incidents of the occasion. The officers elected for the year 1855 were: President-C. J. J. Ingersoll of Greenfield; Vice President-A. B. F. Hildreth of Holyoke; Secretary-J. R. Trumbull of Northampton; Treasurer--Sam'l Bowles of Springfield. Standing Committees were appointed on Advertising: Job Printing; Labor; Prices, &c. Mr. Bowles was appointed on the Committee on Advertising, and Mr. Hildreth was placed upon the Committee on Job Printing.-Holyoke Mirror, Jan. 20, 1855.

EARLY DAYS.

How many reminiscences of "days that were" rose up from the "dark backward abysm of time" as we read the following passage in a familiar epistle from an old friend and fellow student: "I rode yesterday through the Hollow' and close by the old church; and my heart filled with boyhood's memories as I looked upon its well-preserved, revered frame, its wooden columns,-its gilded weather-cock, and its tin-tipped spire. Fullness of heart swelled to overflowing as I looked behind it upon the gray walls of our dear old academy, and upon that row of locust trees, now picturesque and strong with age, that were but pliant saplings when you and I, and Charlie, and some who are

better now than we are, used to bat the ball and play at quoits upon the Green. I stopped instinctively, and waited there an hour. I heard again the bell that used to call us to our morning task. I looked upon the hills on which we spent our holidays. There was the same old orchard, and the trees that H- used to guard, and from which in spite of his watching we used to bear our golden stores. Oh! I could almost hear the voices and almost see the faces of those we may never hear or see again. And as I turned away my heart could not suppress the prayer that we may all meet again with fresher, gladder feeling, in that changeless world where youth will be immortal, and even to enter which we must renew the childhood of the soul again and become as little childdren."-Mirror.

From the Holyoke Weekly Mirror.

SCHOOL TEACHERS.

We have often wished that school teachers would use greater endeavors to make practical men and women of their pupils. Of what avail is theory unless it can be carried out in practice? What does it amount to for scholars to repeat the abbreviations, the sounds of letters, the pauses, &c., at recitations, if they are to remain totally ignorant of their practical use? We have experienced much annoyance and mortification in our day on account of the woful and persistent ignorance in these particulars of the help we have had occasion to employ in our office. A slight knowledge of English grammar would often save compositors, as well as others, from making themselves ridiculous. For instance, they might possibly be brought to write or put in type a plural noun without giving it the form of the possessive case, a distinction which to many persons is wholly unknown. Of what use are schools if they are not to train our youth for the duties of active life?

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