The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-19
COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES.
The High-SchOOl Graduates FOrty-six Stu
d~ents-Topics of the Graduates.

wv 6h =
dents-TOpics Of the Graduates.
The curtain rose promptly at 8 o'clock upon
the sixteenth class graduated from the Indian
apolis High school
The invocation was by the Rev. John Ala
baster, who, in fitting words. asked the Divine
blessing upon the occasion, the cause Of educa-
ton, the school, the class and its exponents.
The salutatory was given in clear and ringing
tones by Lewis Medert, who welcomed the
friends of education, pronounced a fitting tribute
to a loved class-mate who had gone to that
country from whose bourne no traveller re
turns" and concluded with an Grafton on "Our
Republic, hoping that all threatened dangers
might be peacefully averted at the ballot-box.
The salutatory was followed by an essay on
'Storied Panes7 by Miss Lille Reeves, who
drew conclusions from the page of history.
After music by the band, Miss Jennie Gray
don made a sterling appeal for college education.
The essayist spoke as one who only vie ed the
High-school as opening the door to a higher cul-
ture. The hope of our country lies in its schools,
its churches and its universities. The fair es-
sayist spoke with vigor, and had
something to say which she evidently
believed. The essay was above the usual girl
graduate idea and style. Its author has excelled
in Greek and will next autumn enter the Fresh
man class of the Indiana State University.
George Murphy took the favorite subject of
American youth, American Politics" warning
all whisky-loving users and politicians that ere
long women would have q voice in politics and
correct many existing evils.
Miss Bessie B.. Hill showed the joys and dis
appointments of anticipation in the various
stages of life and experience, warning her audi
ence to remember the old adage, Never to cross
a bridge until you reach it.n
my face is my fortune, sir, she said, was the
topic of Miss jeanette Smith, who is a believer
in womans rights in its broad phase, and not in
it's ordinary acceptation. Like most young la
dies, Miss Smith had canvassed the whole subject
of the relation of the sexes as to domestic life,
education and politics. Her essay was far SUI
perior to the trivial gush on woman's rights
which often emanates from older, but not wiser
heads.
John S. Mccullough, in an Grafton entitled
"a Demand for Justice, was evidently saturated
with the popular tone and feeling of the people
at the time of the Cincinnati riots. The young
orator spoke straight from the shoulder, con-
demning courts and juries for not executing the
laws. He would vest the pardoning power in a
board, with the Governor as chairman, root out
the professional jurymen, and commence all re-
forms in the primaries and at the ballot box.
The essay was frst-class in matter, style and
delivery, and was closely listened to and greeted
with significant applause.
Miss May Greene, in a vivacious essay on
Storytelling" reviewed the juvenile literature
from Robinson Crusoe to Charles Dickens, closing
with a sarcastic parody of the modern serial
novel, which proved the hit of the evening and
was welcomed with a storm of applause.
Horace Anderson was full of wrath against
the Chicago wheat Spectator, and as soon as he
recovered his voice, gave one of the best ora
lions of the evening, AS with those of Medert,
Afr-N1r- nA1 AIn(,11A3-h he az dali x-,41,
practical ethics, and was handled with all the
warmth and conviction peculiar to noble youth
when they would go forth and reform the world.
Young Anderson goes to Princeton College next
September. He said:
'tSignifcant statistics show that the mortality
of man increases with the price of wheat.
What a load of guilt these men will be compelled
to bear. 1t has been well said that the worst
thing that could come to a cornering syndicate
is that it should be successful. We need only to
consider the matter to see its magnitude and its
true bearing, for every day that these artificial
prices are maintained some workingman on the
wharves of Liverpool grows more discontinued,
some fathers heart in the by-ways of New York
grows heavier, and every week the cry of some
little one grows more real for three grains of
corn"
Harold Swain, who Lad an essay on physical
culture, was excused from appearing, as he is at
Cornell University, taking the examinations for
the freshman class.
Miss Leah Benson, whose high standing ia the
class warranted heP Selectlon as ValedlctOrlan,
after a few well-chosen thoughts on Memory"
expressed the gratitude of the class to their
teachers and to her comrades in study their
mutual sorrow at parting.
The exercises closed on the part of the class
by the rendering, in very effective manner, of
a vocal solo, THE Return by Miss Ottilie
Schellschmidt. f&8 So
President A. H. Brown then, on behalf of the
board, awarded to each of the forty-six grad
yates, diplomas, as Principal Grant called their
names, the pupils arising, after which the bene-
diction was pronounced by Rev. Alabaster.
Following are the names of the class; which,
with eleven graduating last winter, gives a total
of fifty-seven for the year.
Horace Anderson, Lewis Medert,
Anna L. Burton, Mary Moore,
Mindie Bean, George II. Murphy,
Leah Benson, Ruth Ada Martin,
Jenet M. Bivin, John S. Mccullough,
Julia H. Boetticher, Lille D. Reeves,
" ~ A.