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In behalf of the pupils of the old white schoolhouse. They have served their country well, not perhaps on bloody battle field, but none the less a battle field. For all life that may be worthy, the name of living is a great struggle. They have been found in every division of this great army. Some have fallen in the strife, we miss their faces tonight, their genial smiles and pleasant words are not to be ours again upon this earth.

Those of us who have been spared stand tonight in deep thankfulness to God who has cared for us in our days of battle, and permitted us to stand again tonight, so near the spot so sacred to the memories of many. We make but one claim for these survivors of the conflict of life, and that claim is not the claim of perfection. But simply that we have striven to do our duties of the commonwealth, and come only to ask for ourselves a share in the joy and happiness which victories won entitle us to expect.

As already suggested we have furnished members for every division of the great army we call life. From our unpretentious halls have gone forth the statesman, the legislator, the doctor, the lawyer, the farmer, the merchant, the housewife and the nurse.

Some of our struggles have been fierce. We have had our Bunker Hills, our Lexingtons, and our seven days strife, but we have won, and come to you tonight to present our compliments. And like the Greek of old, we feel that we stand In the midst of sacred associations and, as we look over the battle fields of life upon which we have fought, these brave soldiers were products of the old white school house, surrounded by memories such as these, surrounded by men and women such as these, we feel that we have just reason to point with pride back to our first camping ground.

At this time, great is the joy and pleasure at meeting and renewing so many old acquaintances. No joy can be so great to cause us to forget our missing ones, our comrades who have fallen while nobly fighting the battles of the world. Our lament is only that some voices which cheered us in the gloom of past days while In the midst of dark nights of toil and strife, that stood by and put new courage Into us, are not here. Their voices are not heard tonight, but memory of their achievements shall be fresh in our memories forever.

We are thus reminded that this meeting is not only a reception for those who return, but a commemoration of those who shall not be able to come to us, but to whom we may go, after a few more battles are fought, and a few more victories won.

For those of us who return today, whatever the danger of the peril through which we may in the past have come, we can but feel that we have scarcely done enough to merit this great pleasure. But for those whose work of life is over, and yet who live forever, for being dead they yet speak, no honor seems too great for them. Your patience would fall me were I to speak of each and all of our fallen comrades, as thoughts of them might arise. What I say of the w, might be well and justly said of the many.

And in conclusion let us remember one and all, it seems to me, we renew the record of the pupils of the Old White School House, that it has been one of unselfish service and, in nearly every case, one unbounded success. That we cannot do less than renew it with much pride and no little gratitude, wherever service has been honorable and useful they have been willing to render it. Not only have cheering words gone forth from their lips but, like many of our great commanders, they have laid down their lives while hosts were coming.