The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-06-15

JUST OUT.
The Graduates from the City
High School.
Commencement Exercises at
Harper's Theater.
Synopais Of the Addresses end Prof.
Everotts Speech.
coMMENcEMENT.

was filled to repletfon with the friends o.
the graduates and the admirers of the pub
lie schools, and was striking proof of thu
high esteem in which this popular branch
of school system is held by the genera
public.
The exercises commenced at an early
hour and were continued throughout the
evening, the whole proving entertaining
and highly successful.
/ The music rendered by Prof. Biehrs
orchestra, during the evening, was an at
tractive feature of the programme.
/ The graduates, the members of the board
of education and the instructors in the
High school occupied seats upon the stage.
| The floral decorations and contributions to
/ the graduates were numerous and very
| handsome.
| A novel feature of the evening was the
employment of little Miss Maggie MeFar-
| land and Master Give Taylor to convey
the boquets and floral offerings from the
ushers to the fair recipients. The little
| ones performed their duties satisfactorily,
and their presence was generally comment
ed upon.
The exercises commenced with few re
marks by Mr.. Merrill, president of the
| board, who briefly stated the object of the
gathering and its Importance.
Prayer was offered by Rev. Mr.. Patter-
son, after which the graduates spoke as
noted below.
THE GRADUATES.
The first Grafton was delivered by Fred.
| J, Hass, and was entitled 81 will ind a
| way or make way" The young orator
commenced his address by outlining the
scope of his caption in the statement that
! the true character of an individual was
proved by his ability to overcome the
obstacles found in every human life. Mr..
Hass referred to the origin of the proverb,
and detailed the circumstances attend
ing Alexander, the Great, in his famous
attack upon the city of Tyre, at which
uttered the title of the Grafton. The
speaker then made personal application
OF the proverb to the scholars life, and
logically deduced the conclusion that to
man of ambition and decision, if no way
exists for the accomplishment Of his
desires, he or she should make one.
The subject of 'eBenevolence" was next
taken by Miss Rhoda Cowden. Miss Cow
den spoke of the effect of benevolence ON
the men and the society, and argued that
benevolence was a virtue the doing OF
which was his own reward. AS the miser
takes the pleasure of his life out OF the
mere boarding of his gold, so does the be-
nevolent man find his recompense in the
work he has done, and looks to no higher
reward; neither does he expect any. The
effect of benevolence could be seen on
men and society both, and it was virtue
whose generally utility was great. Benev-
olent men had left their mark on the times
they lived in and the people they met.
Miss Nellie F. Burnston followed in an
Grafton on the subject Manner is Power,
and by her graceful bearing on the stage
IS a striking illustration of the force OF
the title OF her address. Miss Burneston
affirmed that the manners were sure and
striking index of the human character.
She likewise stated that the cultivation of
ones manner was especially required IN
America where independence of the nobil-
ity was unknown and every one was popu
lar or disliked as their manner was agree
able or otherwise. She drew pretty pen
picture Of the poor with the rich, and show
ed the influence Of manner upon all.
Miss Nina G. Bowen then followed with
an essay entitled, "Restless Activity Proves
the Man" Miss Bowen referred TO the
different chances which men possessed in
this country and others for success in life.
The spoke of the qualities of restlessness
as displayed in boys and its after-etfects i'll
the man. The character of the American
people was given as an instance of activity
and the deeds the people have accomplish
ed were referred to as instances of what
such activity could accomplish. Miss
Bowen evidently does not believe in lazi- |
ness and her essay was one to discourage
any such course. The lives of active men
were referred to and IA short account of
such men given.
Wesley J. Philip took for the subject of
his essay Modern Invention" In this he |
defined invention as being the embodiment |
of an idea. placed in a tangible shape He |
briefly referred to the inventor, whose
brain evolved the idea. Next he touched |
upon the manufacturer and laborer who |
were benefited by this product of the hui
man brain. Following this train of thought |
the essayist touched upon the results of
the numerous inventions upon the civil |
lied world, and concluded that famines |
and other natural disasters of similar ma
ture, if not totally eliminated from the face |
of the earth, were at least made less fire. |
quent by Modern Inventions"
Miss E. June Kendall then delivered an
Grafton with stepping Stones" as a sub |
ject. Miss Kendall spoke of the choice of |
life pathways open to each man or woman. |
dHu tuc ItdSOHS lIdt InlD6II them
to make the choice they do. The differ !
ent ways to fame or failure were filled |
with actions and incidents which the ora
tor styled stepping Stones" and the var
ious one were narrated. The history of our
country was given as an instance, and the |
numberless incidents and events in
its exciting life, were but stepping stones"
to its present prosperity The moral
qualities were all stepping stones" in the
life of every man.
Miss Sara f. Coyne delivered very credi- |
table essay on There are gains for our
losses" Miss Coyne contrasted the inevi- |
table losses that come TO ALL with the
gains that such deprivations have produc- |
ed. She particularly dwelt on the gains |
which civilization has given the world, and |
compared it with the losses tibet were felt |
in former ages that such good might be |
brought forth
She was followed by Miss Bride NJ |
Egan. The subject was change" Change |
is the law of life, change is necessary to
every state of being. The beginning of |
the world meant change, and change |
must appear in everything. material or
immaterial. Thoughts, ideas and beliefs |