Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-06-28
Goddard Seminary.


The exercises Of the thirteenth annual COM
mencement OF Goddard Seminary are held this
week. The sermon before the graduating class
on Sunday (the 25th instantly at fifteen minutes
past one, p. NJ, was by Rev Almon Gunnson,
Brooklyn, New York. Rev Mr. Shipman OF
Tufts college and Rev Mr.. Kimmell OF Barre as
sisted In the services, and the music for the after
noon was by quartette composed OF Mrs Braley,
Miss Jennie Rmbal and Messrs. Bancroft and
Wheelock, with Mr.. Wheaton at the organ. The
music was very fine Mr. Gunnison took for the
subject OF his discourse, The Education Demanded
by the Needs OF the Times. lie spoke Of the
growing need OF higher education in our imme-
date future. The men OF the past who with
slight education gained positions OF the highest
honor gained them because they fought with
equal foes and on Just field. But brains are
fast taking the place OF Drawn, and the conflict
of the coming century is to be between men not
only OF the highest genius and the strongest will
but also Of the highest culture. The seat OF
power in our country is moving westward. Our
New England hills are fed bare and our boys are
going TO build the mills Of Minnesota and develop
the riches Of Dakota. But Is New England TO
de2 When ltaly's capital was changed TO
Rome, Florence did not die The artist came
with his canvas, the sculptor with his marble,
the poet with his filmy gossamer OF song and
the philosopher with his dreaming, and there be-
came a new Florence, The schoolmaster will long
rule the immigrant, and 30 long as New England
sends forth rivers Of learning and culture 80 long
But in the abandonment Of New England farms
and villages for the cities and the west, there
arises new demand upon education. Our boys
must be educated to respect and love the farm and
Workshop our girls, to respect and love the home
and home duties. The country must be given a
sociability. The lonesomeness OF our country
life must be overcome This can be done only by
a thorough and general diffusion OF culture. Let
the house be made beautiful, and the mind stored
with the jewels Of knowledge. The Persian
wise who gave up all his treasures, though there
were camel loads OF them, that he might retain the
one gem by whose aid he could see all the jewels
OF the earth. Read, read, as though your life de-
pended omit Lastly, there was needed moral
ity In our education. Our coming men must be
men OF honor, men who will not stoop to bribery
nor daily In the corruption that backens char
acter and soul We must educate our girls not TO
be painters Of plaques and aesthetic nonentities,
but to be women fit to be mothers, and proud to
be mothers Of sons who shall set honesty OF char
acter above all things Our abstract can givesbut
family the worth of his discourse.
The rhetorical exercises Of the junior class were
held in the seminary chapel Monday afternoon
at two o'clock. Mr.. Foster in his GRAFTON gave
the history Of Alexander Hamilton's remarkable
political career, and regarded his acceptance
OF Burr's challenge as an act which, though 1t
brought him death, brought good to his country
The or ton was very good and well delivered
Miss Durham contrasted the position Of woman
in the past with her position to-day, In all coun-
tries. Her essay not womans rights J"
appeal, far-fetched in it's demands but rather a
discussion OF her present position and her pros
poets in the near future. Miss Gale spoke Of the
deception OF appearances as opposed to the real
tiles OF life, comparing II to the drama with its
double face, before and behind the scenes. She
excused the society deceit. which conceals one =
inner life and motives, as being right belong
ing to one self and due to the public In his
Grafton upon Ambition, Mr. Hubbard contrasted
the ambitions of a weak and OF strong man, a
true and false ambition. Nettie Lindsey spoke
of the need Of following calling with which we
are in love, and also OF the traits OF character
which assure success-punctuality, honesty, and
fidelity. The following essay, poetical in words
and theme, spoke Of the unseen virtues, sorrows
and purposes in our lives, and Of the mismanage-
ments due to the forgetting Of this. The Grafton
upon Tariff " was a strong argument-strong
when seen In free-trade light-against the tariff
and its supporters. The Grafton was very good.
Miss Pope made practical the lesson taught by
the old task OF sowing thistle down and gathering
II all again. Her essay was full of happy and
helpful thoughts. The essay by Miss Stanley, on
The power of will to make its way wherever 1t
will, was excellent Lester Tilden spoke of the
supremacy of moral over physical bravery, and
dwet especially upon the need Of bravery in our
public men. Lucia West compared in well
written and well read essay, " Mosaics and Life. y
Her essay was very entertaining. All the speak
ing was excellent
The prize speaking, on Monday evening at l. 30,
opened with music, cornet solo, Emily Polka,
LeUy by Charles P. Hubbard followed by prayer
by Rev. DIR. Ballou and music, vocal solo,
"Frendless and Sad" Edstbirn, by Miss Flor
ence f. Powers. The first speaker, Neale A.
White, East Calais rendered the somewhat hack
neyed piece Stansbury's " How he saved st.
Michaels." There was noticeable in this speak.
er's delivery slight confinement to the swing OF
the meter in some places. The selection was a
1.-THE witch's Daughter" Whittier, was deliv-
cred by Miss Emile f Brewster, Irasburgh
little fault might be found with her voice,-it was
too low, but it strangely fitted the weird witch
cry of the piece she had chosen. Her infection
Of both the descriptive and spoken parts was al
most beyond criticism. Pitts speech "On En-
ployment of Indians against Americans" dev
cred by Stephen A. Foster, Derby Line. was
spoken with a too explosive utterance, and the
sentences were too broken. His pronunciation,
too, was little affected, but his voice was good,
and he seemed to enter into the spirit of his piece
Then followed music, vocal duet, Love and
War" Cooke, by Mrs Bradley and Professor Bates
Maud L. Durham, South Barre was the next
speaker. Hers was a selection from Hollands
Bitter Sweet" In her rendition Of this we
could find scarcely fault. A sighting of the
last OF some sentences might be noticed, and her
speaking might have been little slow to suit
some but over against this was a voice excellent
from nature and cultivation fine idea of iDfiec-
ton and understanding Of her selection. Her
man ii. Durham rendered Cartoon Inv rHs1
Settlers Story" most praseworthily, The piece
was a difficult one to render, but Mr.. Durham
did himself much honor, and gave his selection in
a manner that held the audience in close atten-
tlOn, anu Drought MIN nearly hpplhuse. IieNeu
ing the next speaker was music, trio, Blow Gen
tie Gales" Bishop, by Mrs. Bradley, Miss Smith
and Professor Bates. Miss Lillian Gale, South
Barre recited lone Of the Elect" Phelps, very
well indeed. Her voice was little lndistinct, and
her infection was somewhat oyerdone and at
fected. She won much applause though, and
justly. For some reason P. b. b. Northrop,
Sheldon, who had taken "Grattan's reply to
Corey" was obliged To leave the stage when he
had spoken but few lines of his piece. Miss
Inez G. Ormsbee, East Montpelier, was the last
speaker, Her selection was the anonymous piece
How Ruby Played" This was perhaps the
most difficult selection OF the evening to render
without fault Her voice showed fine compass
and she had 1t in full control, and the rendering
that she gave her selection in infection tone and
gesture, beyond criticism. The audience
spoke their praise by thunder OF applause
There was no doubt TO whom they would have the
first prize given. Music followed, vocal solo,
"Roll, Mighty, Ocean," Broad, by Professor Bates;
The judges, Messrs. burlington, Woodbury. and
Dole, gave their decision-first prize to Miss
Ormsbee; second, to Mr.. Durham. This decision
must have been satisfactory to all, we think.