Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-06-16
COMMENCEMENT
Exercises Of the Graduating Class Of
Miss Higbee's School at Leubrie's
1heater Last Night.
Delightful Entertainment mt Mrs. Tuck
er's School Yesterday Morning
Address by the Principal.

Address by the Principal.
Beubrie's Theater was througed yesterday
evening with fashionable ard critical audi
ence eli the friends and patrons Of Misc Jen-
ME Higher, who were present 10 witness The
exercises OF the graduating class Of the school
Of that thorough teacher. The graduate
were nine in number, and acquitted them
lves with credit, rejecting, By their per
f1rnanse, all honor upon their principal and
her large corps of lady teachers. The pre-
grlHme was very attractive, consisting Of
vocal and inslru mental music. essays and an
sddsess by the Hon. Josiah Patterson. The
lair graduates were introduced by Gen q.
w. Gordon.
PROGRAMME.
The exercises began with SELECTION on
the piano, by Miss Rosa Mcishee and Miss
Martha Trudeau. The latter is the teacher
OF music in Miss Higbee's school, and il to
b. complimented upon the excellence OF her
method, and the finish OF her touch.
"THE CRUELTY OF AUTHORS"
was the subject Of a charming essay by Miss
Anna Banks, who revie8eJ the principal
characters of standard novels, and lamenled
the cruelty with which they had been treated
by their authors. Not content with taking
them through the ordinary trials Of life, they
invented the most unnatural sitaations and
toe most horrible instruments Of torture for
th-ir especial benefit. Modern authors were
falling into the habit Of increasing the dam
ger which surrounded their viciime, involv-
i5s them in the eud ia utter and irretrievs-
BILE ruin, leaving with the reader very bad
( a zfa nj fha ms ant al raaIala
A sonata, TWO pianos, selected from Mozlrt
and performed by Miss Nora Duke and Miss
Trudeau, followed: then
A RECITATION,
Mcs. Hemans' "Bride of the Greek Isle" by
Miss Matte McDaviti, beautifully and pa
thetically given. The gentle speakers voice
is soft and melodious, and in that we'll fitted
to the selection so we'll rendered last evening.
The singing of kathleen Mavourneen," by
Mrs. Grace Westherford, was one Of the fea-
lures of the evening. Few are equal to the
d ticult task of rendering this, one of the
] 1veliest things iu song, with tnat degree OF
n ish required. Last evening, however, Mrs.
Weathsrford did all that the author Of the
music could nave desired, and would GER
tainly have received his grateful thanks
could he have been present. Miss Cornelia
Auder, on's essay on
THE POET IN COMMUNION WITH NATURE,"
vas we'll conceived. Miss Anderson gave
proof of the possession of no small degree
ci poetic genius in her own nature, in til at
she understood go we'll the attitude OF the
poet to nature-ihat vast fund from which
he draws ali bis wealth of beautiful senti-
In mt, the goddess with whom be holds sweet
aud blissfnl communion. The twlnklibg Of
the stars in the blue vault of heaven, the
breath of the flowers, and even the darker
siGe of nature, the awful rumbling Of the
thunder, the vivid Hastings Of the lightning
aud the quaking of the earth, all these iur-
nished illus raiions aud human lessons Tor
the poet In the open book OF nature he
could read G od's will and interpret it 10 HIS
fellows. The nature of poet made him
n, arer to God.
"FLYINe JIM's LAST LEAP"
as recited by Miss Ida Wsldrau, who pos.
se-ses full add rich Voice, over which she
has excellent control. The p;ece has more
intrinsic merit than its little indicates, and
all CT this was iul brought ont by vi iss
Waldran, who, in The cIimaxes, thrilled the
sudience, calling forth at the close burst OF
applause.
MUSIC,
"Homage to Verdi" from Duroc, followed
the recitation of Miss Waldrsn. The quar-
te;te who rendered this selection were Miss
Margie Dial, Miss Emma Price, Mies Jennie
Walker and Mics Trudeau. Misses Walker
and Trudesu sat at one piano, Misses Dial
and Price at the other. Their performance
was superior in many respects to the music
usually furnished at entertainments OF the
kind, and no one except very callous critic
would have ventured to find fault with it,
The selection is one of the pillars OF Duroc'+
claim TO popular favor. IL is full of tunetul
strains, and still elegant, chaste and classic
real homage TO VerE. Ooe of the mosI
pleasing OF all the essays was that OF Mis-
Jessie Kenneday,
"a CRAZY QUILT"
Miss Kennedy began by promising not tc
deal in metaphysics, which she thought wal
something that neither the teacher or pupi
uuderstood-sny subject upon which on,
could not talk or think counectedly oil
reasonably. After describing the manner
in which quilts are pieeed, the queer con
trasts that entered into its composition, 1T
bright and its sad colors, the fair esssyist
declared this quit an 'obj sct to illustrate thu
character of many OF the people who go Il
make up the world, and to thst world itself
The essay was short, but bright and vel
tuinsd, and was received by The audlenc'
with considerable favor.
"JsNE CONQUEST"
recitation by Miss Mary Lou Boiling, fol
lowed. With wealth of inionation anC
purity of accent which would have dom
honor to the most cultured elocutionist il
the country, Miss Boiling carried her aud
ence with her, leading them from grave t.
gay, from lively 10 serene. 1t WAS
charming performance, its effrct hight
tned by the easy and graceful gesture
Of the young lady, who might giv'
many of her male rivals hint in art o.
oratory. Miss Billing was evidently in full
sympathy with her subject, and appeared
entirely at ease on this, The occasion OF bel
fret appearances on any stage.
At the conclusion of Miss Bolling's recita
ton a selection from Beethoven was per
formed by Miss Trudeau and Miss Carrie
Richardson, with the came delicate fnisi
that chars clerized the other musical features
of the programme.
The diplomas were conferred, with few
feeling and we'll timed remarks, by the Rev
George White.
The concluding address, which was de
livered by the Hon. Josiah Patterson, is a