The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-08-04

| 4auleo anu PAobotuK " SuIloblhn lIlouuD 0uu
parents. At the close Of the exhibition, which
was conducted in both the French and English
languages, the Rev. Father Nethsrt, Superior
of the Rsdemptorists OF this City, made few
encouraging remarks and gave parental
warning against the dangers of that other
large, rough, ezacting and wicked school, the
| world, into which nearly all must pass some
day, and whose lessons are calculated to des-
troy all that is pure and beautiful in woman
| hood.
The distribution of premiums and browning
Of pupils which followed Father Neithart's ad-
dress, was particularly interesting, and showed
as much good taste and delicaoy on the part
| of the Sisters as 1t evidenced good scholarship
and department on that Of the students.
The reward for suocess-or for uniform ex.
cellence in all the studies prescribed by the in
stitution-was golden diadem, and the young
ladies who merited these hono1s had the hap
piness Of being crowned by those whom they
loved best on earth. Now it was q proud
| father, and now q happy mother who placed
the golden diadem upon their childrsn's brow:
this feature of the distribution is another of
| those particulars in which this exhibition ex-
cells all others. Books, very handsome volumes,
were also given as testimonials of success in
ordinary studies or Of proficiency in religious
instruction. For exemplary conduct, the re-
| ward was q wreath of pure white flowers; and
it was noticeable that nssrly all of the golden
crowned foreheads bent down to receive also
the white wresths of virtue For the little
ones of the institution, there were pink rose
wresths denoting satisfaction on the part of
the teachers and improvement on the part of
the scholars; while for "wee ones' who scarce
ly knew what study meant, there were gar
lands of green leaves, Indicative, as the Mother
Whispered, "of hope in the years to come"
When the slight stir of the distribution of
crowns and premiums was over, and the pupils
had once moro resumed their seats, q view of
the platform was certainly q foresight of the
Court Of Heaveu-a prophetic picture of the
glorious dawnipg of eternity.
Those robes Of wkite, those crowns of gold,
those rosy garlands, those brightrewards, those
happy faces, suggested the great day of Gods
| own distribution-when,a after the tolls of life,
| each will receive his recompense of Joy, his
disdem OF glory. All recipients of eternal hap
pinese; but not all crowned alike. Even "as
one star differs from another" 90, some shall
wear simple wreaths of flowers; Others gar
lands Of ever living bloom, and a few be
crowned with diadems of Incompatible glory.
This was the picture on the stage that day,
which made one feel the difference between the
faahions of the Church and the fashions of the
world.
The former always lead the heart nearer to
its God, the other draw and bind 1t closer to
the earth. In too many Of our educational es-
Establishments, the commencement exercises are
only g scene of gaudy and immodest dress, of
wild and forbidden dancing. Here We saw
young girls in the light of the morning, attired
as became Christian maidens, rewarded ac-
cording to their merits and crowned by the
hands of loving parente; there, We find an exa-
ning's entertainment protraoted far into the
night, costumes so redoleDt Of vanity that they
recall the worst days of Roman Voluptuous-
ness, declsmations of so theatrical a style az
to challenge comparison with the actresses of
the stage, and finally a round of forbidden
dances by means of which the young student
takes her first lesson in the worlds school, and
learns alas the meaning of all that is opposite
to virtue, innocence and faith.
Now we think the particulars referred to; suoh
ss the morning entertainment, the open cir ex-
ercises, the crowning by the hands of parents,
the modesty and simplicity OF dress, the diseri-
minating, yet encouraging system of rewards,
are certainly such as to make the Convent of
OA0 S'oS0An VA Sp' OooOPA1 = NoSlEdDA0 uOGt1O /
and salutary school for youth. Added to all |
this, the Sisters have also branch establish |
ment at Bay st. Louis, to which the city school |
is transferred during the summer season, and |
where sea bathing and walks in the woods |
for part of every days routine
We have not time to detail the literary ex-
ercises [ the 25th and 9th, nor to mention
the names of all who received crowns, prem
inn and honorable mention. The graduate,
Miss Maggie Lawton. showed by her prof.
cheney in French and English, her skill in
needle-work and penmanship, and her agree
able vocslizstion and piano performance, that
the Sistsrs had labored most diligently to fit
her for the society in which she is to move, and
t. make her help as we'll as an ornament t.
the home she is to emb bellish with her virtues.
The names of Murphy, LibeImAn, Logan,
Fisher and others, sounded familiar to the
American ear the larger number of pupils