Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-06-02
THE GRADUATES
From the High School, Surrounded by
Their Relatives and the Friends
of the Public Schools,
Make Their Formal Entry Into the Busy
World and are Warmly Greeted
What They Had to Say.

| The graduating exercises OF the City Higl
| School, at Leubrie's Theater last night
drew a large audience. These exercises ar
always attended by more people than cal
get seats or standing room in the building
In one respect the audience had the advan
tage of those who have attended most of the
entertainments during the past few years
The weather was pleasant. The graduatin:
class consisted Of Misses Lizzie A. McGrath
Junie NJ. Thompson, Florence Dreyfus, Eva
B. Schlemmer, Lena Frey, Liddie E. Crigh
| ton, Annie L. Banks, Portia c. Finlay, Bertit
A. Thompson. Misses Mollie Duncan anC
Vivian WAR and Master Julian Smith, mem
bers of the class, were absent. The class Of
young ladies embraced several whose bright
intellect ought to secure for them brilliant
future. 1t was one of the best managed en-
tertainments ever given in the theater
There were no annoying stops, no apparent
embarrassment among the young ladies
Above the stage were suspended in ever
green horseshoe and anchor, the gift Of
Superintendent Collier, who is entitled to
credit for the excellent management.
When the curtain rose the graduating
class, with several other members OF the
High School, were seated in line at the front,
while at the sides were members OF the Board
of Education and teachers of the schools.
Among those on the stage were Messrs.
Rambaut, Walsh, Folkes, Randle, Duffy,
Sealer, Gronsner, Grehan, Lawhorn, Ralston
and Mrs. Proctor, Misses Johnston, Kelly
and Mcmahon.
The first item of programme rendered was
the song of the SAILOR Boys Carol" which
was given in excellent order, no mistakes
being made, and the efficiency being remark
able for chorus SO little trained.
MISS FLORENCE DREYFUs
read an essay on Aesthetics" referring at
considerable length to the objects of the es-
thetics taught by Oscar Wilde, and what he
might with good taste add to them. Aesthet-
les, she said, constituted an important topic
of the day. She spoke of the cold, calcu-
lating, every day life of some men, contrast
ing il with the lovers of nature and the
beautiful. She pitied the wife whose husband
considered the cotton bloom the only beauti-
full flower, and the jingle of money the most
agreeable noise.
MISS BERTHE THOMPSON
had chosen the subject of "Sour Grapes" for
her essay. Children had very unsatisfactory
experience by having their teeth set on edge
by sour grapes. "Sour grapes" were thrown
at people in all stages of life. She alluded
to mice young men" who paid great atten-
ton TO charming young ladies till the time
came for proposal Of marriage. The girl
refused, and it was "sour grapes" with the
young man, who suddenly concluded that she
had red hair, cross eyes, and, he thought, con-
sumption. The amount of this fruit TO be
dealt out to disappointed candidates in the
next year, she thought, would be very great.
But they could fall back ON the old excuse
didn't want it, accepted nomination to
please friends; didn't work for it and didn't
care" 1t was an able, sarcastic little essay,
we'll received by the audience.
MISS LIZZIE M'GRATH
gave her views of "Triumphs of the Press"
in the following language:
Standing upon the threshold Of the door
way that opens to us the retrospect of ages
past, and there with peering glances scanning
the fading outlines of the vista Of memory,
how much of real, how much of the i'm agin-
alive, looms up in the chamber of thought.
Let us take up the thread of events and see
which has developed in the fields Of realism
to the greatest degree-which has aided in
the expansion of thought, of fancy, of truth,
in the realms of imagination, in the large
and instructive fields of economy. Is it the
teachings of philosophy? No; the savant
may be eccentric, egotistical or deceitful. Is
it the scientist? No; his theories may fail
in practice, his observation may fail to reach
the ultima thule of science. Is it the astrono-
mer who, with his appliances, written and
uuwritten charts; with his inspiration
drawn from Gallileo, HALEY and
other great lights in the astronomical
world, expounding the beauties of the solar
system to the vision of common mortality?
No. This student of the sun, moon and
stars is often unintelligible to the average
mind, and too frequently obscure, it may be
inscrutabls even 10 superior intelligence.
He deals in millions. He sees the heavens
to infinitude. Reaching with the
wand of knowledge, he points to myriads OF
worlds passing through space, selects their
abiding place and their destination. This
theory is grand, it is sublime; but our finite
minds fail in their acceptance of the beauty
and grandeur-the design of all these won
1ers. Hence, our advancement in the mate
.ial walks of life have no stimulus given, no
practical thoughts suggested. We stand
lwe-strickeD and our minds grope in the
ields of attraction that the enthusiast sees
,blszs with fulI-orbed splendor. Is it the
statesman who, on roslrum or in the forum
Is a diplomat, or domestic dignitary
porting the modern toga, whose appeals
or "the rights of the people" are echoed
n a clamor of babel confusion by an antsg-
,nism of cant or duplicity? The statesman
Who is he? What does he teach? Edu-
,a:ed in school of political trickery, the
nisnomer of statesman is fastened to his
person. Draped with false assumptions, too
based on venality, he struts few
hours upon the frettiDg stage of life, and
hen leaps backward, as 1t were, into an abyss
f obscurity. Has he taught the world in
lis school of political Economy" any noble !
ruths? Has he evolved a measure OF the
,reatest good for the whole of society, mot
he greatest number~ Is the ethical evil
uns may readP" Does he instruct the ear
lest seeker, the ardent student, the hopeful
economist who yearns for information that |
nay lead to useful returns in the materi3l |
7alks of life? We assume the negative. AS |
rule he does not. Per contra, his precepts |
rate of ambitious hopes, OF self and in
uence, of friends and kindred. A ma
ion may be delUged in blood; there
nay be a carnival of crime, grim |
isaged war may raise her front" and the |
and may reek with the gore of contending |
rothers, yet his soul has no alarms sounded |
own along its corridors, his heart beats no
esponse to the wall of woe. He is first for |
imself, and heaven help the rear that is
rought up by his cry for advancement. As |
historical cleaner in the fields OF prose and |
he garden of poesy, after critical research |
{ the records of the cloudy past, what have |
found? Have l gathered from the frag-
collections of fading centuries any
alta to form base of opinion as to what is
ne need, what has been the motor, to what |
ave we to look for panacea from ills po-
tical or social? l flatter myself, and hug |
he JUNCTION to my soul, that without the aid |
{ a philosophers stone, or the help OF IN |
antation, am the true exponent OF what ls |
he true cause, what has energized the past |
heels OF progression, and what Is to he the |
uiding star 10 lead us to fu- |
IRE of well-earned and well-deserved |
spose. 1t is not the wand of Midas, nor is |
the lamp of Aladdin, although seemingly |
he inspiration of enchantment. 1t is a
over that has welded an influence that has
Imost deifed the names Of Faust and Gut
.nberg. II has built up codes and advanced
orals. 1t has put vigor into life. 1t has
sgatived the poppy influence in man, de-
roying the narcotism in life. 1t has built
p, pushed forward and advanced the values
the past. 1t has throttled the elements Of
ice. 1t has caused cravens to tremble. 1t
as aided the pulpit in permeating the social
ructure with truth. Its fulminations have
rrifed the erring. Its praise has urged on
lie ambitious and the aspiring. Its mission
as had an objective point OF virtue. Its
ork has been one of love of man, and his
cation. In the past worker for good; in
lie present as a promoter of virtue, and in
e future as the most important factor in
lman economy. Let me say that this
eat lever in moving all things for
lie general good, this omen, this tslisman CT
Iccess and protection, has no competitor; |
4 paying tribute and yielding homage to
lie press, aye, the press. Wonderful creation
a master spirit. I, with all my sex in
nison, bend IN obeisance to this mysterious
gent in the development of the arts and
fences, this friend of labor, this agent of
form. What would our sex be without the
-ess? No one engine of reform has done
ore for our disenthrallment from the social
tackles of a barbaric past than has the
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