The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-07-03


The room was decorated with admirable
taste and with no slight expenditure of
labor. In front OF the rossrum was an
arch formed from overgreens, and the
testoons passing overheard made the
stand a lovely bower. Bouquets Of
flowers made the air fragrant while de-
lighting the eye with their beauty.
The pendant lamp holders We're decked
with flags.
The graduating class numbered s per-
Sons, 3 young gentlemen, the remainder
young ladies. The youngest We believe,
was the valedictorian OF the class, q dis
tinction given for superior scholarship.
Two Of the class have had experience
Themselves in teaching. The young
men III the programme OF exercises,
were assigned orations, while the ladies
productions were designated by the
more modest term of essays. We de-
signed giving q pretty full summary Of
each OF the orati3ns and essays, but our
notes were necessarily IL eager and the
of subjects make it impossi-
bic for the memory to fully retain the
line Of discussion pursued in each ease,
or the thoughts expressed. One notice
able and nraiseworthy feature IN the
rendition of the essays was the clearness
of voice and loudness of tone, which
made it easy for every one present to
understand all that was said. The exer-
cises were in high degree creditable to
those participating. The essays showed
considerable Independence in habits of
thought, and no Slight amount of research,
IN persons so comparatively young.
Two of the essays showed considerable
originally both i'll thought and manner Of
treatment. The essays of graduating
classes invariably have sophomore fea-
lures. There is something so fascinat-
ing to young people in resonant terms,
something 50 pleasing in citing exam
pies from antiquity, that the fond de-
sire often proves stronger than the
promptings Of good sense, and classical
are more earnestly sought after
than close reasoning, Or logical force.
THIS IS 2 fault which il is difficult to elimi-
nate, and it is one which mars to great
extent the product of the youthful brain.
The Spartans and Romans, Carthagenians
and Troians, have long done service on
tented fields and in literary productions.
Their introduction now has lost the
charms Of novelty and their presence
weakens rather than embellishe8 the
pages in which their names figure.
This is not intended as q structure on
the efforts OF our young friends but
thoughts suggested by the mention of
these off cited heroes, which I4Gy app
propriately find place in an article of
this character.
Beyond the Hills Lies Rome, was the
subject treated by Miss Eta Markham.
The subject was treated mainly III its
fgurative sense aud the metaphor Of the
ancient city, guarded by natures breast
works, the mountains, and Roman valoT,
being likened 10 the gcai which scholars
strive to reach, was a fine one and fur
nished an opportunity for the presenta
ton of nice thoughts. The hills had to
be surmounted before the flashing towers
and the lofty ElinaEot9 Of Rome came re-
view, so obstacles have to be overcome
before knowledge is acquired. Miss
Markham S reading was deliberate and
her voice good. Not q word was lost
through indistinctness.
The Battle Fields OF Life, was the
title of an Grafton by Frank Canright.
Every thing worth having is secured
through strife against the obstacles in
terposed. We also wage a constant
warfare against vice, but strength comes
from conflict with adverse circumstances.
The graduating class had simply polished
their arnlor and sharpened their weapons
for the conflict of life.
Miss Burnett had as her subject the
East Looking to the West. She traced
the advance Of civilization from the
Orient. Starting at Jerusalem and Min
evah, through Thebcs Alexandria, Greece
and Rome, 10 the new world. Literature
also marched hand in hand with ciyiliza-
ton and tended to the west. Now that
the west has outstripped all competitors
in advancement, it should stand ready to
aid the east, it should be ready to give
as well as receive. On these grounds
she plead for the Chinese.
Miss Laura Ransch read m excellent
essay on Ambition. We regret that orr
position, behind IN organ which hid the
speakers, did not allow rs to follow Miss
Ransch's line of thought without intemup
ton. From what we heard we are inclined
to believe that the palm OF excellence for
originality and vigorous thought, lies
'SNth1Cl4 -iAs1 ItsilIeIll iGitt lllG Nd-GUlCtJI~
ian of the class. Miss Ransch discussed
ambition under two heads, that which
seeks for renown and that which seeks
to benefit mankind. Eminenec depends
on ambition. Life is short but the in
fiuence OF great and good acts lives,
after he who performs them has passed
from the scene Of action. It is an incen-
tive to labor aud while it may lead
to an effort to secure power dangerous
to the liberties of q people, there can be
no excellence without its presence. Miss
Ransch's essay deserves a fuller synop5is
bat the latter part Of it we were unable
to hear.
Mr.. Andrew delivered an Grafton on
Napoleon. The hero of that name was
the subject ana not those who followed
and who resembled the great man only