Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1877-06-21
An End and Commencement.
Closing Exercises Of Our
High School.

| If parents and friends of our Schools do not
by their frequent visits show an appreciation
of them at any other time, certainly at com
mencement season the presence of SO many of
our best people upon the exercises evinces the
interest felt in the mental and moral progress
of the pupils of our school On Thursday
evening the sixth class of graduates went
forth from our High School as the fruits of
another years labor in the curriculum of
school duties, to take position in the world
according as they are severally entitled by
their application and faithfulness to school
duties. The exercises were held in School
Hall, which was filed to overlooking with
patrons and friends of the school,
THE full stage was required for seating the
Board of Education, Graduating Class, Mu-
sicai Association, and invited guests Back
of the platform was tastefully decorated with
eyergreens, flags and fowers The exercises
which were in charge of Superintendent
Burns, began about o'clock, and the pro-
gramme as published by US last week was fol-
lowed out. 1t is not our intention to dwell
at length on the merits of any of the per-
formances. The translations from Virgil
showed familiarity with the language en-
tirely commendable. Declarations, in our
opinion, are below the standard performance
which should be required of young men who
deem themselves prepared to leave a High
school, such as ours. Those delivered on this
occasion showed lack of preparation.
The essay by VIM. Mcmillan, on Temper
anee, was evidently highly original and crude
in diction, yet containing much truth.
The leading literary performances of the
evening were the essay entitled 'The Bell
Strikes One by Jas. s. Moffat, Of War
nock's, and that entitled "What MIGHT Have
Been," by Miss Lulu Brown, of St. Glars
vile. Certainly the palm of superiority
should be given these, for their excellence.
Mr.. Moffat's essay was augmentative in style,
and choice in its language. The sentiments of
the essay were praiseworthy, and there was
distinctness and .learness in its reading.
Miss Lulu Brown honestly won the praise
received by her for her thoughtful production
on "What Might Have Been" The essay
gave evidence Of a careful preparation, and
its reading made good impression upon the
audience, both by reason of the matter and the
manner of, its delivery.
Immediately upon the conclusion of the
reading of her essay, q pair of beautiful silver
goblets which had been adroitly secreted,
were presented to Prof. Burns by Miss Brown,
in behalf of the class of 1877, in most neat
and appropriate address. Prof. Burns, ut
terly surprised as he was, found terms to re-
spond to the good wishes and kind words of
the class, which was about to leave his tute-
lsge and to accept their gift. ft
Diplomas we're granted by the. Board of
Education to Lulu Brown, Jas. 8. Moffat,
Lafayette Hatcher, Wm. Mcmillan, Samuel
West and James A. Patterson, and they were
presented in q pithy little speech by the Su-
perintendent. The address to the class bv
Rev. Thomas Balph, was most pleasing ef-
fort, aboundiug in good words and sound
advice.
The exercises were intersperscd with very
excellent vocal music by the school, with
organ ACCOMPANYING Mt, presided at by three
young Misses. Although the programme WIS
lengthy he audience remained u,til the last
ing was sung, and went away seemingly well
pleased with the entertainment of the evening.