The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-06-30
Weatbrook Seminary.


mencement exercises at WestbrooE Seminary
could not have been desired. The pretty Uni
versalst Church was completely filled with the
parents and friends of the graduating class;
the platform was adorned with numerous bou
quets of flowers that distilled their rich odoIs
filing the sanctuary with their fragance; the
young ladies we've attired in white carleton
robes cut and trimmed in accordance with the
latest fashions and occupied the pews near
the front just in rear OF the boys, while the
rest of the school sat directly back of the grad
uatng class.
Precisely at 10 o'clock the procession entered
the church headed By Rev. J. c. Snow, the
Principal, to the music of the Band. The
order of exercises was as follows:
FORENOON.
Prayer.
The Death Penalty VIM. e. Pulsiler. West Sum-
Solitr,le-=vrgpia #. johnson, Bangor.
Intemperance-Frank Roberts, Dexter.
MUSIC
Sunshine and Shadow -'OIvia Mildrlm Wells.
Progress of Cvilz ition-Wiltie j. Hobbs, Wells.
sand they. tina truth with superst,tions aid ira
ditions, taint, "-tHeen A. i'imock. Lmington.
Man 8 Inhumanity TO Man-Albion w. Larrabee,
Oak Hill.
MUSIC.
Foi est Muxings-ts. Jennie NIldram, Wells.
America and Fore gu Nations-Seth l.. Larrabec,
AmbltIoa-sB. Frank Bradford, Livermsre
The End Crowns the work-tADbie S. Russell,
We:tbrook.
Comforting o. Diplomas
AFTERNOON.
MUSIC.
Address-Rev. s. II. Me ;oI lister, Nashua, n. FL.
MUSIC.
Pocm-Mrs Helen Rich. Brasher Falls, N. Z.
music.
*Canlidate for the Degree Of L. S. tCandilae for
the Degree OF L. A. SExcused.
The essays were characterized by a depth Of
thought aud grace OF expression that we rare
ly remember to have observed in seminary
class before We say this net as an idle COM
pliment, but because we mean it. Students
efforts are rather apt to be crude, bnt these
productions were decidedly matured. Such
particularly was the case with the essays OF
Miss Helen A. Dimock. of LmingtoD, and
Seth L. Larrabee, of Oak Hill. We partcu-
larize these simply because they were especial
ly above the average. Miss Dimock's idea
was that all truth is so tainted with superstition
and tradition that progress Is able to make but
slow headw way. In that connection she showed
HOW lily it-oICs VI
foreshadowed great deeds and how Gods truth
10 spite of all opposition is gradually working
its way until finally it will be recognized by all
nations.
NJ. Larrabee referred to the manner in
which old empires had faded away and there
was 10 reason why Europe should not share
in the same fate. Civilization tends from L asst
to West, and the United States, from their re-
cent origin and rapid growth give promise of a
future power and freedom that We caunot con-
ceive of now. He spoke of the political and
climatic advantages Of this country, of its fer
tlily in inventors and tine excellence of its
manufactures; that though young in years We
still had made a name in history and literature,
and we point with pride to our common schools.
Miss Abbie S. RusselPs theme was excel
lently treated. She described the formation of
the world and its occupancy.and demonstrated
how the divine law, like silken thread, ran
through all Gods works. Application and in
tegrity are the two great essentials necessary to
success. The life of Jesus is one of earnest
labor. Life is a combination of all our thoughts
and feelings; they should be pure or we will
fail in our strivings for any crown. Let US
strive with all our mi ght for our crown and
then when worn our struggles will not have
been in vain.
AT the conc'uso of the exercises the de-
grees of Llureat of Science and Llureat of
Arts was conferred upon the young ladies (who
alone take a collegiate course) by Mr.. VaIney,
the Assistant Principal, in few we'll chosen
words, assuring them that if they pursue their
labOrs in the future with the same energy they
had 10 the past the lend would indeed crown
the work.
sang the class song, written by Miss Helen s.
Pratt.
o Time! the dull-worn path retraee
Der which thy feet have passed,
And from thy dial-p ate's grim lace,
be shadows b edward cast!
In vain wi.h his ooiseess step
Ha, reached the shore beyond,
And while our FEAR are in the past.
Our feet gliding on.
Bur Oft wiz nem'ry tell how dear,
Thou, Alma Mater ART,
Wrought link by ink with love, the ties,
Which binds us to thy heart
Beyond the brink on which we stand,
Lies future veal or woe,
Upon the verge we ia ter wait, -
Up trembling heart! Tor 70
This web Of Lille Is ours to weave,
The warp and wOot own;
The secd-time ours the harvest white
We reap as we have wn.
1t heavy hearted, hopeless, weak,
We'd lay the burden down,
May Faiths SWEEP ice sill whisper low,
The Cross and then the Crown.
The music by Lorins's Band of Yarmouth
was excellent. In the afternoon Rev. s. III.
McCollister delive ed very able and finished
address, taking for his subject ga Look Back
qnaintance the graduates had been forming
during their collegiate course with the facts
and civilization of forty centuries, and with The
races that have shaped the destinies of the
world, and asked them as they stood high up
on the mountain taking backw look if
they were not impressed with the idea that
their climbing has been fringed with flowers
and gided with sJars-that The world had en-
larged and lie become intensified. AS they
looked upon the past were they not ready 10
re ioice that they bad been born in the nine
teenth re2tury. Fancy the world without a
newspaper, a telegraph, a railway, college OR
library, and You may Wonder how people
ever got along without them. With all
its splendors, all its treasures of art, there was
not sufficient compensation for the learning
and the scieLce and the conveniences of the
present. congratulate you young men and
wOmf n, said the speaker, who have SO cordially
acquitted yourselves on this your Commence
ment day. The promises of the past are bios
sompg in the present, and am confident will
ripen into abundant fruitace in he future.
congratulate your Reverend Principal and
teachers of this Seminary, upon these, your
fair offerings of your caings. congratulate
your Trustees of this institution, for this rich
return for yonr beneficient efforts. Icongratu-
late our Church in Maine. which sends forth
this precious centenary Offering to your State
and County. [ congratulate Your parents for
the Joy and the satisfaction which must be
yours to-day. Go FORTH young friends, become
heroes and berOines not by wearing the Order
of the Bath, or the Cross Of the Legion of Hon
or, but by faithfully and constantly bearing the
Cross OF the Redeemer.
Mrs. Helen Rich of Brasher Falls, New
York, delivered poem sparkling with wit aud
humor, at the conclusion of which the audience