The President of the United States Speaks to Students

[Gary Freedman]

On November 22, 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt and several members of his cabinet traveled to Philadelphia for the dedication of the newly-constructed Central High School of Philadelphia. The Central High School of Philadelphia had formally opened on October 26, 1838, with a first class of sixty-three students. At the time of its dedication, in 1838, Central was only the second public high school in the country and was open only to male students. In 1902 President Roosevelt spoke first in the school’s assembly hall to an audience made up of city officials, the faculty, and school alumni before then delivering a speech from the north balcony of the building to the students amassed below:

"Boys, it was perfectly easy for me to see by my reception that you felt happy over the football game of yesterday. I have but a word to say to you, and will sum it up with a word of advice with which I think those concerned in the development of your team will agree. You are here to study, and while you are at it, study hard. When you have the chance to play outside, play hard. Don't forget this--that in the long run the man who shirks his work will shirk his play. I remember a professor in Yale speaking to me of a member of the Yale eleven some years ago, and saying: "That fellow is going to fail. He stands too low in his studies. He is slack there and he will be slack when it comes down to the hard work on the gridiron." And he did fail, too.

You are preparing yourselves for the big work of life. I earnestly believe in each of you having as good a time as possible but making it come second to doing the best kind of work possible. In your studies, as in your sports here, in school and afterward in life, in doing your work in the great world, it is a safe plan to follow this rule that I heard preached once on the football field: "Don't flinch, don't foul, and hit the line hard."

[Kittycat]

Neat

[caseyjo]

Really Gary...Cool

[Gary Freedman]

That was my high school.

[caseyjo]

I bet people were ecstatic about it...Wow! The president coming to our school!......Dang, If you are so scared of subliminal messages stop watching TV.The most damaging things on TV are the commercials... selling your products none of us need in the first place and the spinning news stations, weaving stories the way they see fit......We are learning though...I have learned...no more do I buy your crap.