Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1872-07-02
NORMAL COMMENCEMENT.
Public -Debate-Graduating Exercises-Essays
ard misunderstanding Diplomss-Ded-
ication Of Class Tree-AIumni
supper, Toasts, Respons-
etc..
Especial correspondents Of the HsRaLp.l

the land. Fairly open now is the
delightful and intellectual Com
mencement season, and many are
the reports of graduating exercises"
that find their way into the news
papers everywhere the country over.
The fourth class was graduated from
the First State Normal School. at
Platteville, on Thursday, June 9th,
and the occasion was one of suffi-
cient interest and significance to be
worthy of an amplified account in the
columns of the Herald.
The different classes in the school
were examined on the first three
days of last week, by board of gen.
tlemen specially ordained for the
work. On Wednesday evening the
Philadelphians gave public enter
tainment in Normal hall, which, de-
spite the dissolving state of the
weather, was thronged by vast
concourse of suffering fellow NOR
tails. The programme Of exercises
did not differ much from that of any
previous occasion. There was the
defamation, the grafton, the debate,
relieved, as usual, by the convention
al accessories. Amnesty was the
subject which four OF the normals
were to discuss; but as soon as the
first ne began to talk a general dis
PERSON of the audience began also,
and by the time the second speaker
bad had his say scarcely more
than score of auditors could be
found in the room. The menacing
aspect of the heavens together with
the unruly wind which blew out the
lights and served to scare even the
dauntless, conspired to effect the
stampede, leaving the orators only
the empty benches to harangue and
the echoes of the darkened room to
applaud their eloquence.
Thursday was graduating day, and
once more the Normal hall was full
to Overlooking. None failed to OBJ
serve how beautifully and effe ctively
the room was decorated-how the
walls were festooned with evergreen
hung with pictures, and ornamented
with flowers and fitting inscriptions
The students composing the Middle
class performed the work of beauti
flying the walls, performed it wei
and with an exhibition of taste sci.
dom if over traDscended.
Great was the concourse of PEG.
pie that crowded the hall, and quite
as equatorial as the law allows the
atmosphere that surrounded them
An imposing body of distinguished
persons sat on the rostrum. The
Faculty of the school, education a.
men from other parts of the State,
an editor and several reporters, and
musical quartette-these were
among the occupants ofthe platform
The two front seats of the middle
range of benches were occupied by
the Senior Class Of ~ on the seats
Immediately behind them were seen
members of the classes graduated
since 60.
The exercises began at $50 A. NJ.
with the anthem Gather 0 hear US, T"
which was simply "lnkod sweetness
long drawn out" and prepared all
for the full and perfect enjoyment of
the day. After prayer by the Rev.
Mr.. Knibbs, Miss Lou A. Falley of
Lancaster, read a sprightly essay
entitled "Pebbles," calling out APP
preciative if not enthusiastic APP
plause at frequent intervals. A for
al shower greeted the lady at the
conclusion of her entertaining effort,
something, by the by, which oc-
CURED at the fms of each essay
read and Grafton delivered. Mr..
Aaron S. Newcomb, of Pla!teviIle,
spoke next, the subject of his ad-
dress being Civilization. This was
in many respects an admirable ora
ton, and the gentleman by whom it
was delivered showed himself entire
ly equal to the subject and the oc-
casion. Mr.. Eugene r. Boynton, al.
50 of Platteville, spoke pleasingly
for few minutes upon moral
theme, clearly demonstrating to the
audience that character is the result
Of influence. A piece of music,
"Moonlight on the Lake" was now
executed, and enabled tho audience
to bear with more serenity the bur-
den of solid intellect which had been
heaped upon them. The next speak
er was Mr.. Dwight r. Crowel, of
Moscow, Iowa. His address was a
right good lecture upon astronomy,
the very thing, in short, for the
mental digestion of a popular assem-
bly,. He fittingly concluded his CO.
lestial oratory with these often quo
ted words from the nineteenth Psalm:
"The heavens declare the glory of
God and the armament showeth
his handiwork. Day unto day ut,
tereth speech and night unto night
showeth knowledge. There is no
speech nor language where their
voiaa IL mt hoard Ufbn;r H. =: