Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-06-23
LINDEN BALL.
"raE SWEET GIRL GRADUATES" "

commencement ut tho I.ststx Female Selni-
nary-Essays. Readings, Music and Floral
Favors-An EnjOya6lo occasion and .
Largo and Delighted Audience.
Yesterday was a day to which looked
forward the bright anticipatiOns Of year
of the sixty or more students at Linden
Hall seminary, Lititz. 1t was commence
ment day at the venerable and excellent
institution that for a period so far back
that its earlier history seems cnvelOped
in the far-off purple haze Of an
tiquity has been devoting itself to the
work Of the intellectual, moral and social
culture Of girls and young women, and
preparing them to enter upon their life
work IS useful members OF society. Not
alone have the " accomplishments been
kept in view by the instructors Of this
school, but the real practical education Of
brain and taste and fingers has not been
neglected, as was cOnspicuOusly illustrated
in the exhibition of needlewOrk. plain
and fancy, that in the afternoon attracted
the attention Of visitors to the school
building, and where the skill
which the young ladies have acquired
in the use Of the needle, under the guild
ancc of competent instructors, was illus
trated in a manner that must have been
not less gratifying to ths parents of the
pupils than it was sOmmendable in the
young ladies'. This ncedlewOrk, rs the
principal, Mr.. Brickenstein, informed the
audience during the course of the evening,
is accomplished by the pupils during their
leisure hours, with the exception of the
''plain" sowing, which is made 4 part Of
the regular course of study, and u certain
amount Of work in that line is exacted
from each pupil just rs in any other
branch of the school curriculum.
ImmemOrial custom has made COM
mencoment day at Linden Hall u festal
occasion, and the eeighty-seventh recurrence
of the event was no exception to the
usage, but furnished rather IN additional
evidence of the interest created by this
annual celebration among the pupils, pa
irons and public. For a few days past
there has been 4 quiet influx into the vii
parents, guardians or intimate friends Of
that tho name and fame Of the semin-
ary have become favorably known beyond
the borders of our state and cOunty-aDd
yesterday this influx developed into an
actual ''rlsh,' the turnpike between
this city and Lititz being extcn
sivc,y travelled during the afternoon by
vehicles which varied from the buggy Or
phaetOn to tho cOmmOdiOus omnibus
Which one cnterprising livery establish
lnent ran to tho scene Of the celebration.
The commencement exercises were held
in the MOravian church, and while yet the
departing rays of the sun sinking behind
the surrounding hills tinged the heavens
with brilliant and ever varying hucs, the
pretty cdiiice began to ill up and by the
hour announced for the opening it was
crowded above and below. A large plat
form was erected across the upper part OF
the room, and the young ladies', most OF
them attired in simple white swiss dresses,
with IN occasional dash Of color by
way of variety, ranged along both
sides of the elevation, formed i most at
tractive picture fit for tho brush of the
artist or the ecstasy Of the poet. There
was no attempt at floral decoration, save
that the edge of tho platform was neatly
fringed with green, and two large
stands filled with flowers and
growing plants occupied conspicuous
positions at the front Of the plat
form. OF to one side and a little to the
rear was Il taller stand, upon which were
hung the floral offerings Of friends to the
graduates and other pupils, it being one of
the established rules of the school not to
permit these gifts to be made publicly
during tho exercises. And Just 1T this
point it may be remarked, that the floral
favors of which all tho graduates and many
other Of the participants i'll the programme
wcro made tho recipients at the hands of
loving friends and admirers, were uncOm-
monty rich and elegant. There were the
horseshoe, the exquisite basket,
the varied designs of tho florists art, and
the more modest but not less appropriate
bouquet, and these tastcfnlly arranged
upon tho stand erected for the purpose
= most pleasing picture upon
which to rest the eye.
Tho programme was preceded by i brief |
religious service conducted by the princi- |
pal, Rev. ii. A. Brickensten, after which |
the entire school joined in the singing Of
the chorus /" Morning." which was given
with much spirit and beauty, the solo
by Miss Woodward showing her
to be the possessor OF Il more than Orttin-
arily sweet voice, soft and flexible,
and yet not wanting in power and COM
pass. This yOung lady's vocal perform
ancc during the entire evening furnished
evidence of the careful and skillful train
ing and development Of natural talent of
high order.
The salutatOry essay was read by Miss
Maria Schreyer, Of Milton, Pa, member
IF the graduating class. 1t was a charm
ing composition, brim full Of pretty senti-
ment and poetic feeling, and the audience
was afforded a glimpse Ofthe young lady's
Owe Of the beauties Of nature rs manifest
I'd in the flowers and plants to which the
essayis. made apt illusions. In we'll
chosen language she extended to the audi
snce a greeting and cordial welcome.
An instrumental perfOrmance-Ovcrture,
'' Fingars Cave" (Mendelssohn)
Two pianos, by Misses Estclle Vansant,
Sarah Dusenbcry, Sarah Sides and Maria
Schreycr, with Else RulOn at the organ,
was very skilfully executed, the compost
ton being an exceedingly difficult one,
md its rendition unmarried by i single
law. One of the performers, Miss Sides,
S a daughter of Mr.. John Sides, Of
his city, and member of the
graduating class. n feature Of the per-
ormance was the violin obligatO by gen.
,leman whose name did not appear on tie
but who together with several
,tlcr gentlemen whose mOdesty, probably
forbade the publication of their names,
since they were not printed Oh the pro-
,ramme, lent material assistance in the
of number OF the musical per-
Ormanccs of the evening.
Miss LeonOra Good executed with fine
and brilliant touch Rubinstein's
Valse Etude. and then followed trio,
' Rest Thee on this Messy Pillow
,Smart), with chorus by the vocal class,
which was capitally sung.