The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-06-10
GIRL GRADUATES.
Commencement Exercises at
Harper's Theatre last
Evening.
Synopsis of the different Els
says and 0rations.
Supt. kembie's Sensible Re-
marks to the Class.

The graduation exercises of the senior
class of the High school were held at Har-
per's Theatre last evening and attracted
the usual large audience. The theatre
was packed from footlights to dome, and
the exercises passed off in most success
full manner.
The stage was occupied by the members
of the graduating class, the members of
the Board of Education, Prof. Gamwell of
the High school, and Revs. Messrs. Searles
and Holiday.
THE EXERCISES
were opened by short prayer by the Rev.
Mr. Searles, after which Mr.. w. d. Merrill,
president of the Board of Education, made
brief and appropriate address. Music
followed, after which
MISS DORA E. NEWTON
lead off with an Grafton 1.-THE Voices of the
Times" Every event that happens has its
silvery tongue to tell its story. The black
ened ruins of Pompeii speak of its for
mer greatness.
In the present the voice of Ireland is a
wailing cry of high rents, scanty harvests
and desolate homes, but she looks forward
with hopeful eyes to the time when her
green fields will be dotted with cosy cot
tages and her people will be as gladstone
and free as her winged larks and twittering
thrushes.
The voice of America speaks of free
dom, unity and sociability as nation,
and of leadership among the worlds gov
eminent.
MATTE E. RALsTON
read an essay ever finishing, never fin
ished, in which she reminded her school
mates that they had by no means finished
their education. At the close of life New
ton felt himself to be but child, picking
upa few pebbles from the great ocean of
truth.
So the utmost attachments of the longest
life are only revelations of greater attain
ments possibly, and our education must
continue to the end.
Next
MERIDA EKINDALL
read an Grafton Planning Career" She
spoke of the Importance of having a def
mite career to which one is adapted by
ones tastes and inclinations.
And yet we often make our decisions un
wisely. In youth we picture what we
will be, in middle age we realize what we
are, in old age we often look with sad re-
AMANDA d. OLSON
followed with a well written essay on
Shorthand tendencies"
She remarked upon the tendency to dis
cover the shortest method to accomplish
the longest result, and said that lazy
man, however extraordinary his talents,
must always fall behind in the race of life.
But education is one thing that cannot be
shortened. There is no royal road to
learning, and ingenuity cannot abridge the
process.
The public school is the cheap defense |
of the nation, said the speaker, contrast |
ing the German with his public schools |
and the Frenchman without them, and APP
pealing to the result of the Franco rus- |
sian war in support of her statement.
JENNIE A. MAsKERY
said that Concentration. or oneness of
aim, - was more effective than genius
One may have the most brilliant talents, |
but If they are scattered upon many OBJ |
jects he will accomplish nothing. The |
men who have left names behind them are |
those who have concentrated their powers |
upon one object. men like Butler Gibbon, |
Kant Newton and Smith, whom the |
speaker contrasted with the gifted Col |
eridge who scattered" too much
A great deal of the effect of
HALLE TRow's
Grafton, 'Silence is Golden" was de- |
stroyed by her low voice, ''an excellent |
thing in woman" at all times save on an |
occasion such as this. She spoke of the |
eloquence of silence in nature and of the |
power of natures silent forces, in the |
treatment of her subject using at times |
language appropriately poetical.
srarA
led off, in the second part of the pro-
gramme, with an essay on Memory"
picturing its joys to the righteous and its |
good voice and a graceful presence, I'M
spoiledby the somewhat awkward gestures |
used by some of her classmates.
MAMIE A. WEIGH,
in her essay, Tools, Not Arms, the |
Weapons of Today" told how formerly |
the energies of the people were directed to |
arms, and how now they were being more |
usefully employed in industrial pursuits
OTHER EFFORTS.
Ruins of Time" was the topic of Miss |
Minnie Cowden's Grafton, which was
most creditable effort and was duly APP
plauded.
Books in the Running Brooks was the |
title of Miss Kittie G. Buffers effort, |
which was gracefully delivered, showing
considerable dramatic power. and also
original thought.
Miss Mamie B. Hogan had for subject, |
Truth Forever on the Scaffold, Wrong |
Forever on the Throne" Her delivery was |
excellent, and the subject matter equally |
good. She possessed the tones of an ora |
tor, her sentences being delivered in clear |
and distinct voice
The valedictory, by Miss Emma Frichot, |
on the subject, 'tAre We Weaving Shad- |
ows, was proof that the selection of the
young lady for the class honors was duly
merited. Her closing remarks to her class
mates were most feeling and appropriate
In presenting the diplomas
SUPERINTENDENT KIMBALL
delivered the following address:
Emma Frichot, Amanda Olson, Minnie Cowden,
Eerilda Kendall and kitte Battles Of the classical
department, and Dora e. Newton, Ballie Trow,
Mamie Welch, Nora German. Jennie Maskery, Mat
tie Ralston and Mamie Hogan. of the scientific de-
partment of the Rock Island High School as a rem