Nebraska advertiser., 1877-06-21
STATE NORMAL.
Commencement Day-Highly Credita-
bic Exercises.

Editor Nebraska Advertiser:
The State Normal closed its term
and year to-day, in a style highly
commendable to the institution and
the parties directly interested.
The programme for the day consist
ed of the exercises of the graduating
class, and can be fully appreciated
only by those who were privileged to
witness them. The Normal School
to-day presented ali argument in her
own behalf more potent to those who
needed conviction of her efficacy than
tongue or pen can produce.
The commodIous hall was filled to
its utmost capacity sometime before
the exercises were commenced, and q
large number of persons were obliged
to stand In the rear of the room aud
in the halls. The rostrum was taste
fully though modestiy decorated,
needing but little in addition to the
appearance of the class to make it
complete.
At 9:l5 the exercises were opened
with music, praise the Lord" sung
by large and we'll selected choir, in
Guiding the class. Prayer was offered
by Rev. Reid, of Peru, followed by
Hail to the Lord" delivered in
splendid style by the choir.
Miss She Prichard, of Peru, deliv-
cred the Salutatory Address in a style |
which fairly won for her the approba-
ton of the entire audience; and |
though tle character of her exercise !
would MT admit of weighty argu-
ment. G even closely connected |
thought. her pleasant countenance
and graceful attitude lent an irresist-
able cham to the pleasant greetings
which she, in behalf of her class, ex-
tended % all departments of the
school, md was oomplimented by a
shower o beautiful bouquets from the
audience
Miss Ida DennisoR, of Nebraska
City, was introduced and read her es-
say, "The Reason Why" Though,
perhaps, not distinctly heard at first
on account of the high wind, little
additional force by the reader made
the most of it very distinct. Miss
Dennisois exercise was an original
poem, containing a terse, pleasant ar
gument br the beneficence of the
Creator IN producing all nature for
mans use and enjoyment. Miss d.
evinces considerable talent for poetic
expresslpl, and may accomplish much
by carefulculture. This exercise was
highly Onplimented with flowers.
Aga Mckenzie was here called to
the stsge.and performed the pleasant
little duly of collecting and present
ing the fGal offerings which followed
each eXgdse.
Music--The Mermaid's Song"
Mr.. Fnd, II. Arnold, of Peru, gave
the neXtekercise, which, according to
the programme, should have been an
essay onEdgar a. Poe. bat your cor
respondents is informed that the gen
ueman, not being wholly pleased
with hb paper, consigned it to the
flames aialate hour yesterday, and
set abesJ preparing defamation,
which vas delivered in commendable
style, tlough little tortured at first.
Mr.. Arpld shows himself fertile in
resources when the crisis comes.
Miss lillian Bain's oration, "Inves-
tigatiorand Invention" was a clear,
mastery effort, showing the mutual
relatioHof investigation and inven-
ton, arl that the pursuit of one gen.
orally lads to the development of the
other. Being unwell, Miss Balm was
Obliged to close her exercises before
com mplded, but it was finished in u
manne that led the majority of the
audieiDe to regard it as complete.
Miss Elsie DeCoD, of Palmyra, fol-
lowed6i all Grafton Of twenty five
minuhs length subject, Helps Over
Hard Haces." Though some of the
figuresemployed were not quite true
to the subject, the exercise withal
was tn, most florld production of the
day, aid elicited round of applause
in addition to the floral tribute.
Miss Jessie Bain's Education of
Woma" was a masterpiece of clear
though, logical arrangement and
good dlivery. Although hackneyed
subject the audience was RECALLED with
q fresh vigorous, earnest presentation
Of it witch won for the speaker the
admiration of all who heard, aud
competed the acquiescence of those
avowedy opposed to the doctrine that
womanshouid enjoy equal scholastic
advantages with man. Miss Balm ar
gued hat were the mothers of the
land properly prepared by broad,
liberd education, for the great respon-
sibiIiy resting with them, namely,
the ea'ly training and development
of theyouth for final citizenship, the
prophecy of national ruin would fail.
The discussion, as man the Archi-
tect ofhis own Fortune ?" was open
ed by Leslie Lewis, of Falls City,
who very clearly proved that pluck
and pdseyerance, in conjunction with
a weIIdefned plan of action, mainly
deteruin mans circumstances, and
that Without these the blandest smiles
of fotune are of little avail. The
negative was argued by l.. a. Bates,
of Naria Neh In his vioornus- mas