Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-07-03
"PIatteville Normal Commence.
menr.

4
at five O'Clock on last Thursday mornino
tne HERALD reporter started from Lancas,a a.
to attend to commencement exere;sas - Il.
State Normal School at PlattevilIe. Al,bo,ch
he was early, there were Others who -.
ahead on the way TO the same place, for the
same purpose, and great many behind A..
irving IN Piatteyille shortly after EIGHT o,c,oo.
ne enjoyed the time until the ex.-c;sos 49,,
meneed, in wandering about the hean,;ea,
village, enjoying the neat and tasty apno;pt.
ments of certain private houses A. IL
O'Clock the large and oapscious Me,bod;.,
Church was filed to its utmost notw;,bstora
ing the threatening aspect Of the heaven.
The room was well ventilated, and the s,sce
was beautifully but not very profusely deco.
rated with running vines. The large nots &c
flowers at the foot of the stage added greatly
70 Its appearance. The exercises were a.
follows:
Inc hrst, musical performance. deserves
no worse an appellation than "beautiful . he.
ing played on the piano, Lutte and violin.
Every note was played with the utmost pres
cisicn, each player knowing his part perfectly
Rev. q. w. Case, pastor of the NJ. +. Chprcb
made fervent prayer. The anthem .srba
song OF Jubilee" sung by choir of thirty
voices, under the trained leadership of Prof
uardaer, was next surg. No fault could NOS.
slbly be found in the manner of its rend;t;o,
zee literary exercises were opened with an
essay, "Who Wins by Miss NJ. Emma Bing>
nam, OF lryington, Nebraska. II was fne
production, written and delivered in a very
creditable manner. Miss Bingham's appear.
ance on the stage was graceful and easy.
Education Increases Happiness by Harry
~ Evans, OF Platteville, was thought by some
to have been the best of the day. The che.
rus, 20 Hail US Ye Free" was, as was all the
music, finely delivered. "Moral RESPONSE
bllity," by Miss ]. Lille GrswoId, of Fenni-
more, was read in very clear and distinct
voice, and lacked nothing to make it at least
equal to the others. George II. Mllman, of
Elk Grove, Lafayette county followed ssThe
Causes Of Rome's Day" from The earliest
times in creditable manner. Lights and
Shadows Miss Margaretta Lewis's beautiful
essay, was well received. She is proof that
Patch Grove can turn cut good material for
the Normal. Miss Elida Birchard, well known
to Lancaster people, took leading part in
the singing especially in the next performance.
song and chorus entitled, "The Alpine
Echo" leading with her clear soprano, and
elieiting the admiration of everyone present
Lottie Z. Richmond, of Monticello, Green
county, dispensed thoughts admirably about
Ethical Novels" Clyde R. Showalter. of
Bloomington, known to all Lancaster s'young
folks" delivered an grafton, "a Political
Problem" as would political speaker of many
years experience. Next came another cho.
rus, "Where the Bee Sucks, there Lurk I,"by
the choir. Miss Mary Robbins, of Platteville,
was next with "The Will to Labor Outweighs
the Power to Achieve" long subject, but as
full of beautiful language as the length of the
essay would permit, and declared by most of
the auditors to be the best essay, but not in
my opiHioH superior TO 'DeaQ~HeadS, the
last of the literary exercises, an Grafton by
Homer A. Terril, of Platteville. The trio.
"Gently Fall the Dews of Eve" was excel
lently rendered by young ladies under Prof
Gardeners leadership. President McGregor
made an address to the graduating class full
of interesting and useful advice, after which
he presented the diplomas. The Governor,
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT and State Superintendent
of Wisconsin being present, Governor Smith
was called on for an address, to which call he
responded with few fitting remarks The
chorus, awake Kolian Lyre," was then
sung, after which the meeting was closed
with benediction by State Superintendent
Whitford.
In the afternoon suitable class exercises
were held on the Normal School grounds
at which Miss Loltie Richmond read class
chronicles, Miss Margaretta Lewis read
toasts and Mr.. Samuel Hanford presented the
class mementoes. The usual alumni exerci-
SEES were held in the evening.