The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-06-05
THE HIGH SCHOOL.
The Annual Commencement of the Ottawa
High School.

The Annual Commencement of the Ottawa
High school.
The annual commencement exercises of the
Ottawa Township Hg School were held at the
Opera House on last evening Tickets had been
issued to keep the house as far as possible from
children and the mob; but by Wednesday every
seat had been given out, and the tickets were
all used, the house being filled from top to bot.
tom.
The young ladies had decorated the house
very prettily--a great wreath of flowers extend
ing in graceful loops from one side of the stage
TO the other, with boquets pendant. On the for
ward fly was the class motto
NO HEIGHTS
WITHOUT CLIMBING,
in green letters on white ground, while under
them hung floral globe. In the rear center
stood pyramid of flowers, and on either side
were bouquets on small round tables.
The young ladies all wore white Swiss, except
Miss Wood, who was dressed in blue satin and
bunting. All wore mits and short dresses.
The exercises began by music by Prof. Bald
wins orchestra OF II pieces
Prof. Boltwood regretted that mistakes had
been made in the seat numbers but hoped that
all could find seats; after which Miss Belle c.
Strawn read
THE sALUTLToRY.
In behalf of the class of 1880 Of the Ottawa
High School, composed OF eight girls and one
boy, illustrating, by-the.by, the Darwinian doe
trine of the survival Of the tttest, | extend q
cordial welcome to all who have assembled here
to greet us in our last school exercise.
Especially do we greet our parents, whose care
and self denial has secured to us the advantage
of high school education; the board Of eduCa-
ton, under whose fostering care the school has
risen from what is to what it is; the citizens
Of the town, who have taxed themselves for the
support of the school; and our fellow pupils, 10
whom now resign our places.
few months since, the trees which are now
so beautifully clothed with verdure, were wrapped
in .lumber Gradually they walked to life and du-
Ity and the tiny green leaves appeared. Soon the
pure fresh blossoms burst upon our view and
filled the atmosphere with their sweet perfume.
These lovely flowers soon fade; but the delicious
fruit is slowly and surely developing, end ere
long will be fully matured
SO with our school days. In earlier years We
worked in dreamy unconsciousness, with no
thought Of the future. Gradually it dawned
upon us that life is not howery dream. This
day, 30 eyentful TO VS., reminds us that soon the
spring time Of life will be over, with its gaety
and gladness of bloom. But why should We re-
gret this, if we succeed in bringing to perfection
the fruit OF noble and well spent life!
During all these years, with what interest have
we looked forward to this time and to-day we
hold the proud position of the first graduates
from the new school building.
As we pass from the careful guidance OF our
teachers, and 60 out into the world, taking our
share OF its thronging cares, let us each share
some aim in life and let no petty obstacle turn Us
from our chosen path.
Work for some good be 1t ever so slowly;
Cherish some flower, be 1t ever so lowly.
''Labor-all labor is noble and holy"
And with the spirit that has animated US in the
past let us shirk no work that is before US.
MAY all the clouds that come down between
Us and the future have silyery lining; and when
the busy cares OF after-life engage US, may We
delight in our intervals of rest, the recOlec
tons of 1880.
After which she read her essay proper
THE OLD AND THE NEW.
In an art gallery was attracted by picture
the building of Great Pyramid-a monument OF
human labor that seemed 10 connect heaven and
earth. In the back ground stretched the desert,
the personifcation of desolatiou. In the fore
ground were the laberers, geaded on by tireless
taskmasters-poor slaves, with worn looks, pale
faces and bent FORMS for lives Of little value
in those days.-In another place was another
picture-a country snow.scene, with plain, old
fashioned house and quaint old barn; in the dis.
lance snow-capped hills; nearer, q woodland
with leaf.land branches frozen stiff in the frosty
air; while all, house, hills and trees, were COW
cred with snow. Ii is Whittier's "Snew. Bound"
Compare the two;-in the one, the pyramid,