Smyrna times., 1881-06-15
For the SMYRNA Times
n Birds Eye View of smyrna
Seminary.


Last Friday afternoon. June 10th. it was
my privilege to attend the closing ,SOirce
of the Seminary, and / must say | was
both pleased and surprised to see to what
the pupils had attained during the past
year. My only regret was that the par
ents of these children were not more gem
orally represented. thereby encouraging
both pupils and teachers and would say
that this school should be encouraged and
recognized as desirable institution. by
our townspeople.
The exercises of the afternoon were of
a pleasing nature-cOnsisting of recitatiOns
readings, essays, letters of travel, with
vocal and instrumental music. If time
and space would permit. | wonld like to
comment on each of the actors, but will
only be able TO touch on few.
The school greeted us with an opening
piece called welcome here" The pri-
mary school all did so well that it is hard
to single them out, yet we think Miss
Florence Beck'S recitation on Vacation" p"
and Master Robbie Hoffecker's on Good
old farmer Gray were rendered well and
indicates talent to be worked upon in the
coming years. The small readers gave
an example to us of larger growth in the
manner of dispOsing of our hands and eyes
as well as the holding of our books.
The exercises of the large room were
opened by a defamation by Master
Spencer Lapham, which was we'll given
for so young an orator Miss May Martin
dale and Miss Lizzie Beck pleased our ear
with some fine reading-the former having
very distinct and pleasing voice-the
latter excelled in entering into the spirit
of the writer and pictured well the theme.
Misses Buckmaster and Smithers gave
us recitatiOns entitled "The Red Jacket" :"
and THE death of the drummer boy
both showed care and study in the ele-
ments and power of elOcutiOn.
! The Misses Armstrong letters of travel,
especially the one of the trip to Niagara,
were interesting, although the embarrass-
ment in the reading of them was to be re-
! GREETED.
| must not omit the music. The school
gave us the song of welcome and the clos
ing piece Joy! Joy happy are We"
! Solo and chorus by Miss Emma Hudson
and others, entitled, Amber tresses tied
with blue.?' Solo and chorus by Miss Flo.
Gootee and others, called Kiss me and
will go to sleep" Instrumental duet by
the Misses Hudson, aud the instrumental
solos by Miss Ethel Cooper and Miss Flo.
Gootee, all showed marked improvement
in the management of time, fingers, &c.
Miss Lulu Wands gave us the Valedicto-
nv and like most other farewells brought
tears to our eyes and made most of them
feel as ifthey wished vacation would never
! come.
As we were at the end of the programme
and thought we were to be dismissed, our
attention was drawn to the presentation
of the premiums by the teachers.
In the large room for attendance through
out the last half year Miss Lulu Wands
was the only one who was present at
every session and received n beautiful
volume of Miss Proctor's poems.
For best scholarship in the first class
she was also the successful one, receiving
gold pen with ivory holder In the
second class, Miss Ethel Cooper received
for best scholarship handsome autograph
album,
Among the little folks, Miss Florence
Beck and Master Edgar Tygert, for punct.
uality in attendance were made happy by
receiving a writing desk and chest Of
tools. For scholarship in the first class
Miss Lidie Lord was awarded Chatter
box" a book recognized by all youthful
, readers, In the 9 A, b, c. class, Master
Luther Lapham was the successful pom
petitor winning an illustrated book of one
syllable stories.
/ understand that the examination
through the week were particularly pleas
ing and satisfactory to the teachers, Ii
the examination of Physical Geograph,
the class wrote q test composition on tn,
5 theme and though all We're good and eae1
{ had individual merit, the decision fo
4 the best was awarded Miss Lizzie Reclr
There was no stimulant offered but tn,