Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1871-07-11
Commencement Day at Platteville
Normal School.

The annual Graduating Exercises
of the Plattevile Normal School wer,
held in the large assembly hall o
that institution on Friday, July 7
beginning at 9 o'clock, A. NJ. Fully
an hour before that time the streets
of the town were astir with many
people, all appearing to be in gooC
spirits and all wearing holiday gar
ments. The
WEATHER
was not too warm to be unfavorabl,
to the success of the entertainment
the sun looked on will
glorious eye, and the wind at timel
forgot to blow.
A mass of densely packed human
lty is in the hall. Every seat is oc
cupied, all the standing room il
taken up, doorways are blockaded
and passages filled. Some stand OF
benches and some on tables. These
UNFoRTUNATEs
look in very wistfully, and stretch
their necks in way that threaten,
to disjoint them on the spot. Never
before in the history of our first State
Normal School has the hall been SO
beautifully decorated as on this oc,
casion. The walls are gracefully
testooned with garlands of ever.
green, and hung with choice vari.
ETY. of oil paintings and other attract,
i've pictures. Vases filled with fresh
and fragrant flowers are seen in
every nook. On the wall behind the
rostrum appears the inscription
TEACHERS BUT LEARNERS" and al
The west end of the room we read, in
beautiful characters, "FRoM THE
MIDDLE TO THE SENIOR CLASS. Con
SPEED" Tho decoration of the room
was mainly the work of the Middle
Class, and very tastefnlly as well as
thoroughly had that labor of love
been performed.
On the platform are seated host
Of
DISTINGUISHED VISITORS,
including some of the best educators
If the State, Sup't Fallows, several
'lergymen, the Faculty of che
school, and many of the prominent
citizens OF Platteville. The gradu-
Ites are seated in front of and facing
he rostrum.
The exercises began $50 and open
d with music followed by prayer.
Mss Leora Clay read the
sALUTAToRY ESSAY.
This was truly fine production,
md gave many indications that the
air writer had not been the least
llligent in gathering those intellect
lal grapes that formed the suggestive
ubject of her dissertation. All the
Essays were read and all the orations
delivered in clear and we'll modulat-
ID tones, and sufficiently loud to be
heard in the remotest corners of the
lall. At the conclusion of each,
shower of boQuets greeted the read
n or speaker, and at fitting and oft
'epeated intervals the best of music
'nlivened the instructive occasion.
n point of length, the essays read
md the speeches made were Just
light, while in subject matter as
we'll as in the manner of handling
he same they could hardly hav Q
'een excelled. Our space will not
permit the noticing of each produc-
ion IN detail, therefore suffice it to
ecord that each was q mastery eff
ort in its way, and that as a whole
hey were much ahead of those given
n $50 and 20 Henry Jane of last
ears class delivered the "Class Ora
ion," and Miss Clara Rand read the
'aledictory essay.
After all the essays had been list
ned to, President Charlton read
lumber OF letters from absent men,
'ers of the Board of Normal Regents.
Then the graduating class assembled
he platform where they were ar
anged in the form Of a semi-circle.
acing the audience. The brothers
ltt stood at the right, Mr.. Arthur
nd Mr.. Fruit at the left. President
'harlton favored the class with q
'rief and pointed address, after
which tho always interesting cere-
nony of comforting the
DIPLOMAS
vas performed by our able Superin-
endent Of Public Instruction. the
Ion. Samuel FallowN of Milwaukee.
With each presentation this gentle
nan made some remarks so fitting
n each case, and so full of the finer
ceilings of true heart, that rounds
# the most enthusiastic applause
ollowed each extemporaneous effort.
The following are the names of the
graduates, together with their places
# residence
Lemuel ]. Arthur, Beetown; Mary E.
BASS, Platteville; S. Leora Clay, Hudson !;
ohm ]. Fruit. Washburn; Margaret Graney,
'lattsyille; Phebe P. Grigsby, Potosi; Kate
hcUregor, Waupaca Achsah Morgan, DE
'oto; Clara V. Rand, Platteville Elizabeth
W. Treganowan, Patteville George ID. UT /;
'latteville +; William II. UT, Platteville.
THE CLASS TREE
was dedicated in the afternoon, and
several hundred persons were assem-
oled to see the ceremonies. Speech
es were made, poems read, and gen.
oral good feelings prevailed. The
Prophecy by Miss Morgan was the
Just and poetical cause OF much
laughter. In the words that Tenny-
son did not use: The writer looked
into the future several miles farther
than human eyes can see, and saw
the vision of the Class, and oil that
members would not be.
At the Alumni Association meet.