Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-06-27
OUR GRAMMAR SCHOOLS
Second Annual Commencement
at Washington Hall Last
Night - Twenty-Seyen Inter-
esting Young Persons Enter
tain their Friends.

tain their FRIENDS.
Washington Hall was filed to over
flowing last evening, even the aisIes
being taken up, and crowded almost to
sufocatiOn. Numerous persons who
desired to witness the performance
found il impossible TO find even stand
ing room, and turned sadly away. Seen
from the stage the audience presented
an animated view, the moving fans Civ
ing il kalidescOpical appearance. Be
hind the scenes all was in 4 tlutter OF
expectancy until the opening strains OF
music from Josie krameT's band gave
the signal, and the graduating class,
twenty-seven in number, took their
places upon the stage.
The stage was tasteiully draped with
lace curtains in the rear with a graceful
festoon OF evergreen across the front, IN
the centre of which, and surrounded by
a wreath, appeared the figures 70
wrought in letters OF evergreen. At
each side Of the platform flowers, baskets
and growing plants were arranged with
pleasing effect, and several canary birds
swung in their cages at different parts OF
the stage. The footlights were literally
buried in ferns and other greens.
Upon the platform, in the rear OF the
class and at the wings, were the men,
bers of the Board of Education, the
principals of the various wards, several
of the lady teachers, Gov. Mathews,
Hon. Sobieska Brady, Secretary of State;
Judge Cochran; Acknowledgement
White; John Cochran, Esq; Hon. K. J.
Smythe: John Anderson, ESQ; Capt. j.
A. Faris; members OF the press and sew
eral other ladies and gentlemen.
Kramer's ravishingly sweet music
needs no enconium AT our hands. 1t
did much TO relieve the monOtony
which the evenings entertainment
must otherwise have shown,
and once or twice won hearty applause
by the rendition OF some fayorite. Is
pecally was this so OF Emmet's Lula
by.
The exercises were opened with a
brief, but impressive prayer by Rev.
Samuel Steele.
The following is list of the graduating
class, with the wards to which they re-
spectively belong:
First Ward-Mollie Elliiritz, Minnie
White, Mary +. Hart, Laura J. Long
Annie Woodruff and Lillian ID. White.
Third - Lizzie Woods and MOllic
Pogue.
Fifth-Ada NJ. Drake, Edda f. Bin
CELL, Fannie Smith, Matte Gibson and
Annie Myers.
Sixth Maggie p. Husk, Annie Brown,
Lulu Wait, Retta Wolvington, Mollie
Smith and Mary Reppeto.
Seventh-Annie G. Campbell, Ella K.
Greer, Mary Faris, Elwin Frasher, Kate
+. Myers and Negley Cochran.
Eighth-Louis Merit and Alfred {.
Davis.
The girls OF the class won universal
commentator by their unOstentatlous
dress. They were all dressed in lawns,
each one consulting her own taste as to
color The dresses were simply, though
tastefully made, and there was nothing
Extensively SNOWY about any OF the cos
tunes. v e thought this the perfection
of good taste, and heard no one express
another opinion.
Miss Edda f. Bingell had the initial
performance, and she acquitted herself
creditably, taking as her subject "Our
Ideals" She treated it in thoughtful
way, and her pleasant delivery won APP
plause. 1t would be impossible in the
limited space at our disposal to comment
upon each individual contribution TO
the entertainment OF the evening,
though all are deserving OF extended
mention. Some OF the young ladies
voices were hardly strong enough, but
all could have been distinctly heard by
those in the remotest part of the hall
if the order had been what the
class had right to expect. Instead of
being 50, it was simply dlsgraceiul.
Those who were anxious to hear the
reading were prevented by others who
seemingly were present only to indulge
in small talk and Irritation. AT inter
walls during the performance some one
in the gallery would burst out into s
horse laugh, and others would join
him, though not in so loud a key. This
state of affairs was embarrassing to the
class, annoying to the orderly portion
of their auditory, and Notifying to the
friends Of the schools.
Miss Annie Brown, who followed
Miss Bngell, had written OF "Fase
judgments" and Miss Annie c. Camp.
bell, who read the third essay, dis.
coursed pleasantly OF "happy June, the
month OF roses"
Negley d. Cochran, of the Seventh
ward, a son of Judge Il. III.
Cochran, being next on the pro-
gramme, spoke of Gold Mines in
an entertaining and thoughtful
manner. At the close OF his reading,
when the applause had died away, Post
Master Sterling stepped upon the stag,
and apOlogizing to Superintendent Her
vey for his summary invasion, he pre-
scented Negley with beautiful gold pen,
pencil and holder, accompanying the
present, which was made on behalf OF
the Golf Light Guards, in which or
ganization the recipient is a mark
err" with few remarks heartily
commendatory OF Negley as a
member of the Guards ard a manly boy
in general. The pleasant little episode
was quite surprise to the audience, but
not more so 10 them than to the reCipi-
ent of the testimonial, who bowed his
thanks and retired to his seat amid
storm OF applause.
Adah NJ. Drake and Alfred &. Davis,
the next two essayists, were superior IN
one respect TO those who had preceded
them, and that was in the distinct
ness and force with which they spoke.
Particularly is this 50 OF Alfred. His
voice is a prize. Miss brakes lungs
are also strong, and yet her voice is
pleasing. She wrote oi "Drlltwood,"
and the young gentlemen Of "The
Growth OF the World" To the latter
essay We feel like giving the palm OF the
evening, though nearly all were as good
in every respect but their delivery.
Mollie Ellifrits read. next, an essay
on COLLECTS and Obstacles and Mary
A. Faris followed with some pleasant
thoughts about 1.-THE Seventh Ward
Graduates" which were well expressed
and very well delivered.
Elmer Frasher chose for the subject
of an intelligent address, "Mind and its
Creations" He was followed 10y Miss
Matte Gibson, whose voice possessed
tba raOusite strength She smoke Of"Inc