The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1873-06-26
COM M ENCEM ENTS.

The Public Schools and Colleges OF our
city are becoming, as all our people are
glad to know, the very best in the State,
and all are manifesting deeper interest
In them than ever before, which is evidence
of positive success in the future, and en-
enlargement to those upon whom devolves
the duty of instructing the young.
But, now, commencement season is over,
and the usual number oforatorical, prosai-
cal ard poetical efforts. dedicated to the
glories of ancient Greece, Rome, Thebes
and Marathon, the Caesars, and the more
modern places of notoriety and illustrious
characters, have been delivered IN good,
bad and Indifferent style, and more than
the usual number'Of bouquets have been
hurled atthe feet of the lady or gentleman
performer, by their friends and enthusiast
tic relatives. A momentous occasion is
commencement day to the student. Life's
great stage. and life's great drama contracts
to the College rostrum size. and the heroes
and heroines are named in the program
me-" with the particular part they are to
act. Great expectations and anticipations
are formed, overshadowedawith doubt and
fear. and the mind becomes excited and the
body nervous Years hence, the graduate
cannot bu. remember it as tine most ire
mendous epoch of his life, What tho ugh a
very short memoried world will forget it,
the student will not The recollection of
that day. will always cluster about him :;
nor does he regret it even though the mem
DRY of an awkward, ungainly, halfgrown
school boy, or a giddy, thoughtless girl,
may now and then intrude themselves.
Yet, how often do we see the young gradu-
ale going forth from the college halls, duly
impressed with the erroneous, ill-timed
idea, "that he goes forth to mould the
opinions of the world" and if the world
does not Immediately recognize their col
legiate and classical attachments, are con-
tent to think, how lamentable it is, that
such stupidity and darkness obscures the
general mind, and look with scorn upon an
ungrateful world, and the unlettered, un.
tutOred kinds that call themselves "the
public We would in nowise wish to be
cynical or indulge in fault,fnding, but
when we hear giddy, unstable and in
experienced youths talk of "moulding the
opinions of the world, I've seriously ques-
ton The capability of one in twenty, to
suitably prepare page of manuscript for
the press. We are fully aware by our own
deficiency of the advantages of classical
education, but then, we are contented with
knowing that there are great many, who
were debarred of collegiate course by un-
toward circumstances, and that we are not
an unworthy exception. We offer these
few remarks simply to those who have
just stepped forth upon the wide world s
stage, where the theoretical knowledge
they have gained in the classroom must be
practically tested, and that in earnest, for
it is now they actually commence learning
and also, as few wholesome hints to those
who have yet to graduate.
PENN COLLEGE.
Several years since school under the
auspices of the Friends of this county,
fiourishei about two miles northeast OF
town, under the name of "Spring Creek
School," but one day the building was &C.
cidentally burned down, and when the
Board began to talk of rebuilding, it was
decided to do so on larger scale, and
with greater pretentions To this end the
Iowa Union College Association of Friends
was organized and Incorporated on the 22d
day of September, 1866, or as the records
show, on the 22d of 9th mo-, 1866 We
understand from JOS d. Hoag, onesof the
Bolrd of Directors, that the first money
they had to depend on was donation OF
about $4,000, from some Friends in Eng.
land. donated for the founding of a College
in Iowa. Either by the articles of incor-
poration, or agreement entered into at
that time, work on the building could not
begin until $4,000 had been raised This
was done after much labor, and Friend
Hoag acting for the Board, purchased Of
John White, 80 acres just north of town,
for a college SITE The Board decided that
only ten acres u ere needed'for the College
grounds, and sold 20 acres, realizing 10 the
College $3.50 more than the 30 acres cost.
| In 1870 work commenced on the west
wing of the building, and progressed rapid
ly until the walls were up ready for the
root, when the big storm of June 18, that
year, came and blew portion of it down,
leveling the east wall TO the ground. With
the right kind of snap and energy the work
of repair wssat once begun, and ere long
| it was enclosed and finished, and since last