The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-07-07
State Normal School,

The second annual commencement of
the State Normal School, Bloomsburg,
was celebrated June 22d ult. O..
The graduating class consisted of the
following persons-Misses Emma Fran
ces Angle, Kate Jane Berryhill, Agnes
Buckingham, Annie Melvina Hender-
shott and Sarah Catharino Spear
Messrs. jerome Thomson Altman, John
Hervey Aikman, George Washington
Bartch, William Hedges Dewitt, John
Montgomery Garman, Robert Robbins
Little and Amos William Shelley.
The class day exercises were of the
most interesting Character. The plant
ing of the commemorative tree, being
the eliminating point in the forenoon
proceedings.
In the afternoon very large AMI
appreciative audience assembled in the
splendid Hall Of the Institute, and the
class exercises were opened by chorus
beautifully rendered-"When DER lake
and forest streaming"
The salttatory was by Mr.. Dewitt !;
and the essays, orations and addresses
were interspersed and relieved by ap-
propriate and well executed musical
pieces.
The musical department is undoubt-
edly feature of which the school may
be proud. The style of the music, and
the execution is of the first quality and
taofa apJ M cohnoI upIaoa ~ ha opa
devoted exclusively to that branch can
boast of more careful training.
1t is often said, and still more often re-
allied, that Commencement exercises,
and graduates voices are most tiresome
and doleful, except to the actors and their
parents and near of kin. 1t has been
my fortune to attend many such occas-
ions, and to bear part in several and
L can truly say that was more gratified
at this last, than at any previous one,
here or elsewhere.
You are not to understand by this
that all the essays, Orations, and ad.
dresses were perfect. The sentiment:
were not always correct, here and there
sentence ought to have been cut out
now and then a word ought to have
been changed; but as whole they
were vastly in advance of the usua
declamations of Commencement Day.
Thercis no doubt this unusual success
was greatly owing to the fact that the
present class has been for lOnge
time under the careful training of Prof
Carver than those who have heretofor
left this Institution; and this fact speak
volumes in favor of the discipline o
the school.
d or course some of the students dit
T better than Others. One or two had no
thoroughly committed to memory wha
they had to say and the prompter o
the manuscript were invoked-bu
+ where all did so well it is almost invid
Q ious to select any one. Besides, taste
, differ, and while each one had his G
+. her need of praise, the majority divide
between Mr.. Little and Mr.. Garmar
t the scale seeming to incline toward MI
i Little. Even this close rivalship show
+ training and excellence, and the frient
!. of the school cannot but be delighte
with these evidences of success.
ri Perhaps the really most delightf
episode of the day was the prcsentatic
r. of handsome gold watch by the ella
q to Miss Sarah Carver. 1t was unknow
>. to everybody and was therefore as plea
"a ing as unexpected. The presentatiC
d and reception speeches cannot undo
N take to give; but the fact that SUI
NJ things can happen proves the perfe
# kindness, confidence and harmony G!
a. listing, and the lasting affection subsi:
a ing between the parties.
A SOJOURNER.