Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-07-04
Letter Fr:m Boston.
BEipr"ED ACADEMY - CuMMENC CEMENT 1T
IIAENAED.
nns1nN II1nn oi 1SIn


nAEvAED.
BoSroN. June 81 1879.
To The Editor of the Free Press an Times:
Last Wednesday | enjoyed the pleasure Of
attending the sevcnty-ninth anniversary eN-
crcisrs of Bradford Academy at Bradford,
Mass. As it is the oldest seminary for Young
ladies in this country, and has been, and still
is pair"nized by Vermont parents, Il short de
scripiion Of it may hc Of interest. The build
ing is OF brick. four stories high and siuai-
ed upon an eminencc which ovcrlnoks the
city Of IIavcrhill. and the val'y Of the Mcr-
rimack river The institution was founded
in 1893 and has been in Successful operation
ever since. The rooms were thrown open TO
the public, and | found them large and well
ventilated. The school room. recitation and
music rooms, library. reading room, parl0rs,
dining room, bathing rooms. etc. are all
heated 10y steam, lighted 10y gas, and have an
abundant supply of pure water.
The exercises were held in the large school
room, and were unusually interesting. The
graduating class numbered twelve and in
cludes two Young ladies from Vermont,
Miss Mullic VI. Dodge of Burlington, and
Miss Nellie A. Stone of Windsor.
Miss Dodge has been devoting particular at
tention 10 music, and had two numbers upon
the programme of the day, besides arranging
the music of the parting hymn, which was
written by another member of the class. The
address was 10y the Rev. J. G.. Nose. ID. ID.
Of Providence, X. |. After the exercises
followed grand banquet in the school room.
Ampn,r the grhnlarS | nnfipaI the
youngest daughter of Ex-Governor J. g.
Smith of st. Albans. The secretary of the
board of trustees is the Rev. J. ID. Kings
bury, a graduate of the L. V. NJ. class of
1852, and now pastor of the Congregational
church at Bradford.
Last Friday was class dav at old Harvard
and never having seen the exercises of that
much-talked-of occasion celebrated | was
on hand bright and early The day was. as
1t always is, glorious one and about ten
o'clock 1.-THE sisters and cousins and aunts''
of the class of - began to assemble in and
about the campus. The ward was ropcd off
and policemen stationed about the yard and
different buildings To prevent the entrance
OF those who were not provided with the re-
quisitc pastcboard.
Through the courtesy Of Mr.. G. b. Dan
forth, city editor of the Boston Herdld, |
Wis prov lbti Win II llthtt bl i'llnlsSibil, ana
| was enabled TO witness the many and novel
scenes Of class-day. The graduating class is
an unusually large one, and il is estimated
| that nearly 10000 invitations were issued to
friends. One Of the prominent features of
the day were the spreads given by vari-
Gus societies and individuals, and consist OF
! punches lemonade, ice-crcams, ices, salads,
pastry, etc. The tables are spread in diff
tercnt rooms and presided over by colOred
walters. Invitations are issued to lady
1 friends of the class, and they are privileged
To invite male escort. Being fortunate
enough To have II relative who had received
the necessary invite To the spread of the
| Signet Society which was in Thayer Hall,
We presented ourselves at the door, when
We we're met hy the senior who showed us
I 10 the reception room, and We were soon
1 participating in the festivities Of the occa-
sion.
( At 10 i. IN, the senior class assembled in
| front of lIulworlhy Hall, each with dress
suit and tall hat, and marched TO the chapel
and attended PRAYER. after which they ad-
] iourncd To- Saunders Theatre where the liter
AIRY exercises were held. These consisted of
] a class Grafton and a class ode. From two
until five there was dancing in Memorial
/ Hall, and music and prOmenading in the
/ campus. About :, the students formed
again, and led by a band visited the different
buildings about the college quadrangle
/ cheering them as they passed. and then
/ proceeded tu the tree. which is located in Il
/ smaller quadrangle formed hy the buildings
and which was fenced Off and raised seats
arranged in Il circular form around the tree
/ Here the proceedings are productive of a
/ good deal of fun, the various classes takin =
/ hp'd of hands and surrounding the tree
/ first the Seniors. then the Juniors. Snphn-
mor"s and Freshmen. Then they cheer
/ everybody from the President ta ih.
/ iunilur, and for ten or fifteen minutes
the air is fun of the peculiar rah
/ rh, rah. which constitutes the Harvard
/ cheer. Al given signal th, class begins Ia
/ move around the tree in opposite directions
1 and another signal announces u rush" 10y
/ She seniors for large number of flowers and
/ bouquets which have been previously placed
around the tree about ten feet from the
ground
/ In this melee the Sophomore usually CON
| trivcs 10 give his last dig into the Frcshman's :
/ ribs while the Senior omcrg,s from the rush,
! disappearance unsunlv anything but digni-
| fled In the evening the campus is cnlvcn-
ed by calcium lights, Chinose lanterns, music
aud Irritation, dancing in Memorial Hall
and n reception To the Senior class and their
friends by the president The day and
evening being a fine one the music superb,
/ the inilcttcs exquisite. altogether it was an
/ occasion shall long remember PAINE.
/ 1t is stated that legal movement is short
/ ly To be undertaken against the notorious
Oneida community, located near Syracuse,