The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-06-09
Somerset School Commencement.
1881.

This interesting event has come and
gone. The music from the Orchestra be-
ing heard BY all and enjoyed by all was
not, therefore, permitted to intrude largely
on the willing ears of the audience. The
music by the singers-called in the works
on this divine art Uocdl, was so soft and so
modest, and so shy, and so solemn,
and go select, as to partake Of
graveyard sensations and requiems of
sympathising mourners at large funeral
and for this reason was frequently inflicted
and prolixly executed so as to give the oc-
casion as much solmmity as it could very
we'll contain without indulging in out
burst of irreprissable sorrow
Half the audience heard nothing of the
graduating essays by Miss Ida Hesse, or
Miss Ella Trout, or Miss Minnie Greiner,
or the long and tedious paper read by Mr..
Heise. with his back to half the audience
and his face to r. NJ. Barr and the grad
yates. Ifthe words of Mr.. Heiss could
have been heard 25ft. beyond his back, the
audience could have forgiven the presen-
tation of his face toward the rear wall OF
the stage and the low voice in which be
delivered what he had to say. As 1t is on.
ly small portion OF the town, and only a
small fraction of those who attended can
know any thing Of the merits, or dement's
of the addresses from the graduates or the
professor himself.
This is not the case however of the Rev.
Mr.. Richards of GAINESVILLE, Ohio, who
wound up the panlomime by a gust and
volume of sound which was inaudible to
half the crowd until Mr.. Barr, who had
but q small conception of the worry and
disgust endured the whole evening by ths
chattering backenders, requested attention
and made way for the reception of the ad
dress.
| The truth is the back enders had heart
nothing that was said and had been 81
used to entertainment through the eye ant
not the ear. that Mr.. Richards was called
up not only to read a speech but to con
vert backenders from eye to ear witnesse
ofhis remarks, in which task he was abl,
assisted by the city Marshal. The confu
sion which at first drowned the voice O
Mr.. Richards and converted his speecl
into q pantomIme equal to what the bacl
enders we've treated to all the time, may a
we'll have lasted to the end of his remarks
as it was scarcely worth the silence and al
tention bestowed upon it. He is preach
er. He wants the schools to be the nurse
~ of his flock. He don't care SO much 70
intellectual. moral, or physical education
so it is Christian and results in large sals
ries to the clergy. The Bible was left ou
Of school, but praying teacher and
Christian Snperintendency must not b
exclusively consigned to the Sunda,
school, the chatecism, the home circle, g
the church itself for these are nos unde
government patronage like the blesse
common schools are.
There was nothing in all the proceed
ings, so far as those can judge who coul
nee but not hear them, that elevated tt
common schools beyond the position the
are known to occupy in the affections I
our people, an affection which can not
weakened even by efforts to show off goo
, music obtained elsewhere, and exhibit di
! play and 6nery as the fruits of the scho
{ fund. SPECTATOR.