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Show MHCEIIir ATI THE SCHOOL F0R DEAF AND BUND The annual commencement exercises exercis-es of the Utah State School for the Deaf and Blind were held this morning morn-ing in the school chapel. Superintendent Superin-tendent F. M. Driggs and members of the school board of trustees and faculty fac-ulty occupied seats with the graduates grad-uates on the rostrum. The auditorium auditori-um was filled to its capacity with the students of the school, and relatives and friends. Tho chapel was beautifully decorated decorat-ed for the occasion with potted plants and cut flowers and the program pro-gram carried out was one of much interest. in-terest. It was opened with a selection by the orchestra of the school for the blind and the Invocation by Honorable Honor-able Thomas E. McKay of the board of trustees followed. Other numbers were as follows-Piano follows-Piano solo, "Impromptu".. Schubert Ida Foster. Essay '. Elnora Kotter Vocal solo, "Happy Days".. Ruth Groesbeck Essay Kenneth Olsen Piano solo, "The Flatterer" . . Chamenade Janie McClellan. Professor Milton Bennion of the University of Utah delivered the address ad-dress to the graduates, praising them for thepersistent effort they had made to obtain an education and giving giv-ing them advice and encouragement to continue the battle of life in hap py spirit and full hope of success. Superintendent Driggs also addressed the class on similar themes The diplomas were presented by Hon. Thomas E. McKay the graduates grad-uates being as follows: School for the Deaf, Cora Hltesraan. Salt Lake; Kenneth Olsen, Ferron; Alma Wild, American Fork school for the blind, Elnora Kotter, Brlgham City. The essays presented by Miss Kotter Kot-ter and Mr. Olsen, which created much favorable comment, are here given. What Environment Will Do For the American People. (By Nora Kotter, School for the Blind.) "Through the vast mingling of races brought heie by immigration, the American people have the opportunity of becoming the best race that the world has even known. In making experiments ex-periments along the theory of natural selection. Mr. Luther Burbank, the noted transformer of plant life, has found that the careful crossing of species is a powerful instrument In the improvement of flowers and plants.' As there is a great similarity between the organifam and development develop-ment of plant life and human life, this crossing of species is equally essential es-sential for the advancement and perfection per-fection of the human race "Ever since the history of America began the crossing of species has been going on'." Foreigners have poured into our fair land from eery nation In the early history of America Ameri-ca most of her uewhome-seekers came from northern Europe and the vigorous vigor-ous temperament of the agrelve Anglo-Saxons became prominent in the American race For manj generations genera-tions a beneficial blending of species continued. Later came the people from Southern Europe and other foreign for-eign countries bringing less desirable characteristics Through this vast immigration im-migration the American race has become be-come a combination of many species But when the necessary crossing has been accomplished, both In plant life I and in human life, begins the most important work Jof all the refining, the filtering of the rough material. As a result of this great blending of ' types wo have all the 'best, as well as all the worst, qualities brought out in their fullest intensity. In the finished fin-ished product, which is the race of the future, only tho best characteristics characterist-ics such as strength, intellect, and morality must appear if the American race is to bo the finest in the world's history. This high goal can be reached by careful training and proper prop-er environments. "These environments must be of the best in a physical, In a social, and in a moral way. America abounds In all three. Environment and heredity practically shape the life of every child and fit or mar it for future use- fulness. But heredity Is not the dark spceter, unchangeable and merciless, which many suppose It to be. heredity hered-ity is only "the sum of all past environments. environ-ments. Stored within heredity are joy, sorrow, love, hate music, art, and all the other emotions and feelings of the universe Past environments stored them away, and present environments en-vironments will restore them, Intensify Intensi-fy them, and mould the character either for good or evil from them It has been said that the way to reform a man is to begin with his grandfather grandfath-er Oliver Wendell Holmes says, "Begin "Be-gin a hundred years before the child is born." But the training of both plant life and animal life must take place during the tender, plastic period of life, which in tho human race is the little child. Surround the child with proper environments. Influencei act upon its seusithe nature as the outside world acts upon the plate of the camera; they leave lasting 'impressions. 'im-pressions. Even traits that hae been inherited maj often be overcome through them Normal, health, happy hap-py children cannot be developed by unwholesome environments. First of all the child must be properly nourished nour-ished "A child's food Is of most importance impor-tance for on it depends its health, both physical and moral, through life Jt-must be simple, and well balanced. It must contain sufficelnt tissue-building material and mineral matter, so that the child's little body mav giow (Continued on Page 7) oo C0A1ENCEINT JT THE SCHOOL FOR DEAF AND BLIND (Continued From Pago Six) strong and healthy. We all need food which supplies the elements of growth and repair, and all must also have foods which yield warmth and energy. Most foods contain those elements in vaJ7,"ig "Proportions. But a growing child needs a greater amount of bodybuilding body-building foods then a person who already al-ready has his growth. Children that are not fed properly become anemic, unable to withstand diseases, and always al-ways low in vitality. They become victims of an unnatural development and their life is shortened simply from starvation. Nature, the great life-millder, must have the proper materials, ma-terials, or the structure must be incomplete in-complete and imperfect Upon prop-ly prop-ly balanced food depends good digestion; diges-tion; the nervous systom; and upon teh nervoiiB system depends the child's usefulness ln life. Suitable clothing 1b another essential. An overdressed, or a poorly dressed child is handicapped. Costly clothes, too fine to stand the wear and tear of a tranip in the fields, or a slide down the hay stack, aro a dead weight on a child. Serviceable clothes, that fit well, and look good, tend to both physl-cal physl-cal and mental strength; they tend to self-respect. Amorica is prepared to supply nourishing food and proper clothing for hor childron. and ln this she will greatly promote tho perfection perfec-tion of her race, or climate and healthful surroundings are also other necessary surround environments. Nourishing food, frefch air, and sunshine sun-shine are tho three great health builders. "Keep the child in close touch with nature. Precious are the lessons it will learn from the flowers and the birds and the murmuring streams. Givo it tho blue sky the pure air, and the sunshine, that it may grow ibeauti-fui ibeauti-fui and strong as the wild flowers of the mountains. Surround the child with cheer and happiness. Smiles and laughter cost nothing and are the surest pathwaj's to tho soul. Make music and pictures and all that Is refining re-fining and elevating a part of Its every-day life. Helpt the child to havo a good time, and above all, give it pienty oi cueeriui occupation, for busy hands make happy hearts, and the ability to perform honest labor of any kind is the fundamental -principle of success. America's advantages in the way of industry are enormous. Her agriculture and mineral resources have been the geat drawing card during dur-ing her entire history. Nowhere can there be better opportunities for the promotion of manufacture manu-facture and invention. But and in hand with these economic environments en-vironments must go environments for the ennoblement of the character. "As in plant culture there are certain cer-tain characteristics which must be overcome, so also in the training of a child there will be undesirable traits which must be conquered. But these can be mastered in the patient guiding aright in the formative years of a child's plastic nature. Keep the weeds out of tho child's fertile mind so that the flowers may have a good chance to grow. To give a child a colt and then sell it when it is a 3-year-old, and pocket the money yourself, your-self, is to plant seeds of dishonesty in the character of God's most precious preci-ous creation. There Is no doubt that If a child with a vicious temper be placed In an atmosphere of peace and quiet that its temper will change. Put a boy born of gentle white parents among Indians, and he will grow up like an Indian. Let a child born of criminal parents be brought up under the Influences of morality, integrity, and love, and tho chances are that he will not grow to be a criminal, but an upright man. A stubborn disposition disposi-tion and other undesirable traits cannot can-not be forced out of a child by threats and punishment, but repeated influences influ-ences of an entirely opposito nature will overcome them, for a child absorbs ab-sorbs Influences as the flowers absorb ab-sorb the sunshine and the dew. It is true that heredity is a great factor, and often makes environment quite powerless for a time. When hereditary heredi-tary tendencies are almost indelibly Ingrained, environment will have a hard battle to effect a change, but constant application of tho modifying forces will at last accomplish the desired de-sired end. Continual higher environment environ-ment is bound to have Its effecL If not in this generation, in tho future generations of the race. Education will bring about great changes for the American people, and America leads the world in education. "But the heart of a child, as well as its head, must receive its full share of culture. Education of the Intellect Intel-lect has its place, and should bo very carefully looked after, but ln cultivating cultivat-ing tho memory and reason the heart must be cultivated also, or tho child's education will be unbalanced. A well-balanced well-balanced character should always be the object of education. Cold, mathematical mathe-matical intellect, unaccompanied by a heart for the idealistic and poetic sido of nature is like a locomotive well made but of no practical value without fire and team. A knowledge of languages and the sciences is of great Importance, but far more so is tho knowledge that all true success In life depends on Integrity; that dollars dol-lars and cents do not necessarily make one wealthy; and that health, peace and happinoss all como by heartily accepting and truly living the Golden Rule. Character is heredity and environment ln combination, and heredity being only stored environment, environ-ment, it is our duty to make every surrounding and influence of tho very best quality. In this way character will be improved in the people of this generation, and the desired qualities quali-ties will be added to heredity to have their effeot upon tho race in succeeding succeed-ing generations. If a race haB not acquired ac-quired and stored away sufficient horeditary tendencies to meet all the changes to which it must be subjected subject-ed by its ever-changing environments It will be outstripped and finally de stroyed by other racoB better equipped equip-ped for the fray. "The American race is still a young and tender plant, plastic and sensitive sensi-tive to changes. It must be very carefully cultivatod during its vital process of growth. Its undeveloped powers must be wisoly nurtured go that they may mature well, and ripen into fruits of beauty, harmony, and utility. Then as time goes o.ljJ In its ceaseless course America's many varying elements will become unified; the woedlng-out process will cleanse the American race; and environment en-vironment -will crystaUzo it and leave it the finest human product that the world has ever known.' Soil and Its Improvement. (Kenneth Olsen, School for the Deaf) "It is very important to know the life of soil and its improvement. "Many people look upon boII as but dirt. It seems that the soil Ib a dead thing but it is teeming with lire and is full of activities of tho moBt interesting in-teresting kinds. Tho soil is a collection collec-tion of small particles of rock that have been made fine by tho process of weathering. All the different rocks aro made by the combination of elements. ele-ments. There are about eighty elements ele-ments known but only sixteen are needed by farm cropB. It is true that the soil has life for without it there would bo no plants grown on the earth., Tho smallest partJcleB of soil arc called clay and the next finest particulos humus. The larger particles parti-cles make up the different grades of sand and gravel. There is more surface sur-face exposed spaces in a clay soil than ln a sandy soil but the sand is better aerated because Its spaces are larger, thus giving tho soil water more free movement. It Is concluded that the finer the material is broken, the more surface there will bo exposed, the more water it will hold, and, the better aeration it has. Tho soil that is deficient in air and water will not produce good farm cropB. An agricultural agricul-tural soil is mado up of small particles, parti-cles, soil water, decaying organic matter, mat-ter, and organisms. The size of the partlcules influences tho water-holding power In the soil, the amount of nlant food that can be dissolved for plant use, the ease of movement of the soil water and soil air, the growth of the organisms in the soil, and the crop-producing power. In an agricultural agricul-tural sense one of the great functions of the soil Is to serve as a storehouse for tho soil water. This water varies from a few inches to many feet in depth. The sandy and silt loams are to be preferred for general farm purposes pur-poses and are suited to a wide range of farm crops. For permanent pastures pas-tures and meadows clay is preferred. An arid region Is ono that lacks in rainfall. Iu such regions irrigation is practiced. A humid region is one where the rainfall is so abundant that no irrigation Is needed. "It Is supposed that there Is a wider range of farm crops grown in a arid region than In an humid region. Soil water is one of the essential parts of soil life. Its functions aro to dissolve the different elements into solution enough to bo drawn into the plants by means of osmosis and act as a carrier of the plant food from tho soil. The soil water moving downward down-ward and upward in the soil is called capillary water. Capillary water evaporates evap-orates rapidly In an arid region when the weather is dry and windy. In this way much water from the surface sur-face is evaporated and more subsoil water comes up and is evaporated. The best method for preventing tho evaporation of tho water is by cultivation cultiva-tion to break the clods fine and leave a loose mulch on the surface. This cultivation breaks the capillary connection on the surface and retains much moisture in the soil. When seed is to be planted it is desirable to bring the water to the surface as the seed needs to be moistened for sprouting so leveling or rolling on the surface is done to increase capillarity capil-larity and thus bring the water to the surface. Soil air Is another essential essen-tial part of soil life. The soil must be well aerated. It is from the air that the organisms and leguminous plants secure free nitrogen and fix it in tho soil for the future plant use. The air keeps tho warth In tho soil and helps ln digesting tho plant food In the leaves. If the soil Is saturated with water the air will be excluded and then the soil will be unproductive. unproduc-tive. Decaying organic matter and animal life are called humus. The humus functions are: to supply some plant foods, to help tho growth of bacteria, to loosen the compactness of the soil, and to Increase its wator-holding wator-holding power. Bacteria, earthworms, and ants do valuable work in tho soil. The first aro generally found on the roots of the leguminous plants and fix the nitrogen ln the soil. Tho two latter keep the soil more porous for good aeration by digging holes in iL There aro enough elements in the soil for plant use but not for a heavy cropping. A farmer should help tho soil maintain its fertility and thus aid the growth of the farm crops. Tho methods of maintaining the fertility In H the soil aro the application of barn- H yard manuro, green manure, amend- H ments, summer fallowing, tillage, com- H merclal fertilizers, and rotation of crops. The application of barnyard H manure Is one of tho oldest, cheapest, H and easiest ways of adding" fertility H to the soil. It contains three chief H elements needed by crops. To save H its whole value it is best to spread it H on the land as soon as possible. It H Ib best to use a manuro spreader as I H thlB saves labor and time and spreads H it in an oven proportion. ' H "It Is unwiBe to run a farm without M raising some live stock to furnish man- JM ure for its value to tho farm soil. Some crops are planted for the pur- H pose of green maure. Clover and al- H falfa are the best green manures. It H Ib sometimes expensive to do this but H If there la not plenty of manure It Is j M best to cut these crops a few inches high if they are of no use to be har- tM vested. To do this will make morn H plant food available for next year and ' H add rich humus to the soil. Amend- ments are the deposits of rocks that H are rich In elements. It Is wise to H add tho amendments to the soli, but is expensive. Summer fallowing is M resting the plot of land for a year for M the purpose of keeping it well cultl- H vated, of maintaining the moisture 1 and fertility In the soil and of giving IH an opportunity for the next crop. Til- 1 lage Is one of the chief phases or 1 agriculture. By it we control the to- M ture of the soil, plant food, moisture M in the soil, and the healthiness or tho soiL Cultivation is also Important IH and should be done often to hinder the IH growth of weeds. "The purposes of crop rotation are H to increase the depth of the fertile soil, H to make the plant food more available, M to keep the nitrogen In, and to help B greatly ln preventing and killing dis- M eases and Insects. Its aim Is to In- M creaso the producing power. Deep H rooted crops should be alternated with M shallow rooted crops. In this way we 11 won't bo drawing upon the same ele- M ments to much and then we can even H up all the elements. Other ways of jM keeping the soil free from diseases IH and insects are by seed selection and IB plant breeding. There is a condition H of the soil, known as alkali soil, B brought about by rapid surface evap- H oration over long periods of time. It IM is caused by water coming to the sur- H face saturated with mineral saUs H which are left on the soil as tho water H evaporates. Alkali soil can be treat- IH ed by uuderdrainlng and flooding. JH Soils too long saturated with water M become sour or acid. The condition H is duo to fermentation of humus, bac- m terla, and so forth, and there being no H escape for tho acid caused by this fer- H mentation it gradually increases in H tho soil until its toxine effect upon H plants is so great that they cannot H crow Acid soil can be overcome by H the addition of lime to it to neutralize H the acidity and by drainage. ' H |