Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-07-04
Commencement of the State Normal
School at Platteville.

9OASSA ot \ AattSvAASs
For years the Wisconsin Blue Book [
has contained an engraving of the |
Platteville Normal School, but repre-
sented it as the smallest institution of |
the kind in the state. For this in
justice our legislators have at last
atoned by substituting for the old en-
craving new one, that fitly repre-
sents the size, location, architecture,
black limestone and beauty OF Platte
vile's Normal
The charge was made in 1874 by |
friends of the Whitewater school that
large number of the Plattevillc grad.
yates forsake the profession of teach
ing. This is true. Yet a comparison
of the Alumni registers of each Nor
NAL School in the State shows that
Platteville has fewer deserters from
teaching than Whitewater.
Two years ago leading educator
published an article in which he Sc
verely criticised the course of study
at Platteville. At that time his criti-
clsm may have been just, but at
present there is no basis for such a
charge. 1t may be stated as coming
directly from a member of the Board
of Regents that the Platteville school
has course of study unsurpassed by
that of any similar institution in the
State.
The 9th of June was the day pub
lished on the invitations for the tenth
annual commencement at Platteville.
Before sunrise on the morning of that
day, more than fifty persons, old and
young, merry and serious, started
from Lancaster to attend the gradu
ating exercises of the class of 1878.
Ali the rayines were filled with. solid
masses of snow-white fog, whose
edges were so sharply defined that
they seemed to have been shaped by
pressure. From a distance these
mists so much resembled sfioat" that
they seemed good to eat. With the
approaching light of the morning
they darkened and had more the APP
pearance of water above whose sur
face the hill.tops rose like the tLous-
and islands OF the St Lawrence. The
attempt of the dark clouds in the east
to fence in the sunrise was as weak as
was the project of Lancaster's young
lawyer who proposed to bottle the sun
rise and sell it for patent medicine.
The cold air of the early morning
gave life to the horses, but early as
we arrived at the Normal, we were
almost too late to obtain, seats, for
the large audience hall had been
filled ali hour before the appointed
time of opening the exercises.
The platform was occupied by the
Faculty, Regents, and prominent men
of the state. The graduating class
occupied front seats among the audi
ence. The hall was richly decorated
with an abundance of wreaths, flowers,
pictures and statuettes
The music for such occasions is
usually furnished by foreign talent,
but under the management of Prof.
d. K. Gardner the students of this
institution confine all the exercises to
themselves. The opening anthem
was furnished by the choir of about
thirty members. They were so care
fully trained as to remind one of the
Richings- Bernard troupe. The Choir.
uses, "Great Apollo strike the Tyre"
and GOOD is our Guide" were rem
dered with such thrilling effect as to
call forth much praise for the singers
and the leader, Prof. Gardner. The
trio, 80, Restless Sea-" was given
with exquisite expression, and was
received with greater favor than the
double quartette, "Spring's Delights. "
The Grafton by H. d. Fruit upon
"Elevation Is Exposure" was evil
IDENTIFY the result of much study of
English history. The speakers de-
livery was natural and pleasant. Miss
Nettie +. Brainerd read very inter.
estin4essay upon "Heroism in Com
mon Life" Her utterance was very
distinct. She bears a strong resem-
blancs to a popular young lady re-
Gently lost to Lancaster. j. p. Cas-
selman gave an Grafton upon the
subject, sThe Safeguards of our
Nation" He has good voice and
easy manner. Miss Sadie f. Burr,
OF Lancaster, gave some original
ideas upon "The Women of Shake
speare." This production was re-
ceived with peculiar favor, showing
that Miss Burr has become as great a
favorite in Platteville as in Lancaster
Her reading was remarkably free from
the mannerisms 80 commonly &C.
CURED by ladies. Her essay was
undoubtedly the finest pre- auction of
the day.
In showing the relation of Super
stition to Advancement, Mr.. John H.
Symons deserved the credit of being
earnest.
The .oration upon "Sound" was
creditable to its author, J. w. Living
stone. Its technical character was
quite relief in the midst of so many
distractions.
OF the gentlemen, w. T. Jennings
had the best production. His subject
was, Innovation. lie did not al
low the style of writing or the manner
of delivery to take the place of the
purpose for which he spoke.
AS we have no natural or acquired
taste in cart" and as Mr.. T. G. Nor
row is reported to be critical artist,
we do not feel warranted in express.
ing an opinion concerning his ideas
upon the subject Of Art.
Miss Hattie Gillette's essay in de-
Tense of the Pennsylvania Pilgrims
was written in beautiful style.
In describing scene "Among the
Wild Flowers" Miss Myrtle Sylves-
ter gave a neat description of the
views about her home at Castle Rock.
Mr.. Matt Ii. Richards, in a rich,
deep voice gave "The Mission of Po-
- T. IL