Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-07-16
COMMENCEMENT AT MILLERSVILLE.

Yesterday Afternoon Eexercises at tho Nor
NAL SchOOl-The Graduating Glass;
The large dining room of the Normal
was taxed to its utmost capacity at noon
yesterday. The rain, which fell in showers
early in the morning, ceased about ten
o'clock. and from that time on visitors be-
gan pouring in so that by noon the crowd
that had gathered to hear the morning
exercises had been reinforced nearly one
Ealf its number.
At 1:3O o'clock the graduates filed up
the center aisle and took their seats in
front, although long ere that time the
chapel was being rapidly filled by specta-
tors. After chorus, "Pour out your
Sparkling Treasures, from Robert le Di-
able, rendered by club. Miss Dora f.
Rogers was the first speaker to make an
appearance possibilities was the sub
ject. she had chosen, and she appeared to
grasp the idea of her theme and adhered
to it closely. Although the audience had
not become perfectly quiet yet, sine succeeded
in making herself heard in all parts of the
chapel and soon gained the attention of
the audience and maintained it to tho
close. The possibilities of life, she said,
are infinite. There are possibilities for
good and for evil. The acorn drops to the
ground and finds lodging in the earth, the
tiny germ springs up, and finally when
time has continued his ceaseless whirl it
will have grown impregnable and lift its
head in proud supremacy as monarch OF
the forest. Thus it is in life, the child,
flower from heaven, will rise up
and he among the great and noble
of the earth. He may make his name
immortal through the medium of art
and science, or even if he he not one OF
Fortunes favored sons, he may live a
happy, honorable life. In this strain Miss
Rogers strung many fine pearls of thought
on her thread of argument. Often, she
said, in life there is 4 far beginning, but
before the development into perfect man
has taken place the being is contaminated
in his growth by circumstances. 1t is the
duty of all to fulfil the brightest pOssibili-
ties of their nature. 1t is in the power OF
everyone to become wiser, nobler. AS time
p.sses away SO all nations learn and exc
cute the law of truth and right, and learn
to live honestly and peaceably. We, who
stand to- day among the highlands, have
caught glimpse of culture and thought.
May its beauties lead us on until we reach
the highest possibilities of our natures.
Nav We learn to cultivate the good, to
crush evil; and whatever may come to
us in the great unknown, either of power or
position, may we prove ourselves true citi-
zens of the great republic of America.
Next on the programme was piano
solo, Bailadc 4 Flat, Op. AZ (Chopin),
and was admirably executed by Z. f.
Montgomery.
Scratchers'' was the subject of an ora
ton by w. l. Hibbs. In introducing his
subject he said that never was there
Il time i'm the history of our country
when calm, independent and reso
lutte resistance to wild and danger
GUS popular fallacies was more needed
then now. The question thOt most inter
esst us to-day is some method that viii
secure against the dangers of partizansllil
The days of negro slavery are past an
the bells of our national jubilee ha"
sounded and yet we are slaves slaves
4 party. The cry Of the politician i
reform within the party. Better suppol
4 bad nominee than the other party, an
many good and honest man allows HIM
self to be led to support man who is t
protect the interests Of the whole nation
and who he would not trust
any other position. Popular ci
dorscment does not make a bad princip
worthy of support. 1t is only the nor
dangerous and should encounter more &c
tive resistance. 1t is the 6 scratchers
that are the country's salvation. With
six weeks thousands of young men haV
gone out from our colleges to help slaI
the future of their state and nation. Ho
many Clays, or Summers, or Bayards wi
history record when each should be :
worthy and as noble! All honor to I'll
army Of "scratchers." There is not til
hollow sounding title of reform, for the
work has proven that honesty in politics
to gain recognition. May their work /
aided and encouraged until every dishoi
est ofliceseeker shall have been cOnsigne
to Ubscurity.
"Believe Me- trio from Verdi
"Attila." was sung by Miss Westlak
and Messrs. Sample and Montgomery.
Miss Rose Stewart was the second las'
to appear in the role of an orator. She ha
a commanding presence, good voice, an
an earnest manner. Taking for her sui
iect, "What shall We do with our ol
folks9' she said this is the question of til
century. Ifsome OF us young folks go I
lecture or concert for a little lark, 10 an
behold there are some of the old folks
eying us with their great, serious and II
proving eyes. Thus it is at church. Ou
movements are always criticised.
The trouble with our old folks is that the
are behind the age and are as much out {
fashion as their coats and bonnets. Tll
Young folks like to dress in the ncwes
styles. Why,
We pinge our feet, we SINCE our hair,
We screw il up with pins
OH, never mortal suffered more.
LIN pcnance for her SINS
When we get a new dress We want iu
pattern-twenty yards at least, and the
we must have the proper trimmings. Bu
grandmother reminds us that when sh
WAS Il girl five yards would suffice. An
these good old folks are SO inconven ientl
careful of us, too. And they are SO cart
full about the company we keep, just as