Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-08-01
TIE SCHOOLS.
Exercises of Sacramento Grammar School
The Cha. 9 in GtrmaE-Etc.

| before large audience The assembly
room was gaily decorated for the OCCASION
The platform was prof1seiy ornamented
with ivy and flowers, very tastefully worked
into forms pleasing to the eye. while the
outlines of the room were relieved with
| feStoons of evergreens, and numerous
| baskets of choice flowers were SUSPENDED
| oyer the audience, depending from the
ceiling. Over the center of the platform
was picture of General Grant draped in
| emblems of mourning. as were also the
| national coiors, which formed its back
| ground Suspended beneath these and
| Immediately over the place occupied by the
graduates when performing their parts in
| the exercises, was large floral horseshoe
with a white bank Of flowers within its
| circle. upon which were the letters in pink
| flowers, 81 Good luck On the wall in
rear of the platform Welcome" was
| proclaimed in letters of evergreen,
and beneath it. in gilt was the motto
of the class" Labor IS prayer
A the opening OF the exercises, the sew
| eral classes of the school marched into the
| hail, and to their seats, at the step of
march played upon the piano, the gradu-
ates appearing last ami taking their seats
| upon the platform. The marching, which
was very nicely done, was a highly pleas
ing feature and caused many compliment
airy remarks. The programme of exercises
which followed consisted of tWenty-four
numbers, and each Of which was rendered
| in a manner which reflected the very high
| est credit upon the members of the gradu-
ating class, and the very efficient teachers
who have 50 faithfully performed their
work of instruction. The rendition of each
part was almost faUltless fer the ages of
scholars represented, and the appreciation
aud applanca ~ tl4a and FioA 20,
most generous recognition of their pro-
ficienCy and attainment. The success of the
exercises throughout was complimentary.
and appreciated alike by pupils. teachers
and parents.
The programme as rendered, after invo-
cation By Rev. II. II. Rice, was us follows
Song by the school, Clear Brook =
recitation Labor is Prayer" by Lena
Joseph; recitation, " Kentucky Belle"
Veteran Soldiers, by Frank Meckfes-
sci; song. March of the Men of
Harlech, by the school; reading,
The Christmas Sheaf,' by Ella DAMS
defamation, " Independence Day" by Ed
gar Sheehan'; piano solo, The Magic
Bell by Ora Sepulveda reading Herva
Riel,' by Katie VIM defamation, Get
tysburg,' by Sherman Smith vocal solo,
= Violets Under the Snow by Matte Min
IOIuI IeAuIHS, Inc emancipation OF
Man" by Maud Berry; defamation, THE |
Constitution by Edward Twitchell; reel
tation, The Fire-beil's Story" by Mabel
Steinman; recitation, "Mona's Waters"
by Eva Quimby piano trio era DiavoIo," |
by Carrie Jordan, Ella Barber Sibyl Ben
nett; dialogue, scenes from The School |
for Scandal, by Alice Lindley and Stephen |
Hopkins defamation, The Seventh |
Plague OF Egypt by Henry KEensorge
recitation, " Miss Mallory on the Chinese |
Question, by Lizzie Stevenson; declama- |
Benteen; reading, The First Settlers |
story by Nettie Naghel defamation, |
Loyalty, by George Vice with valedic- |
tory; song by the graduates and school |
Miss Lizzie N. Griffin presided at the piano |
as accompanist during the exercises.
At the close of the programme DR.. Lame !
City Superintendent, presented the dlplo- |
mas and delivered q brief address to the |
graduates and school, full of good advice |
and well calculated to inspire all students |
who heard him to stronger efforts and |
higher endeavors. Director A Conklin |
also made few well-chosen remarks of |
the same import, which were well received |
Other members of the Board were present |
and evinced their warm interest and APP |
proyal.
LOYALTY WITH YALEDICroRY.
The defamation " Loyalty" with vale
dictory written by Miss Annie C. Weeks, |
one of the teachers), was delivered by the !
valedictorian, George Vice, in such an eff |
fective style of oratory as to attract marked |
attention, and secure to him renewed |
rounds of applause. The address was as
follows:
Throughout all ages, and in every cline the |
virtue Of loyalty has held the respect and ad-
miration of all the human race. Where, against |
the blue skies of Greece, the stately columns of |
ancient temples and palaces marked the |
achievements of the trained hands of man, as |
they gave expression to delicate fancies and to !
lofty thoughts; where the snow crowned noun /
tains OF Switzerland, " rock-ribbed and ancient |
as the sun, rear their massive f0rmS-lSSting |
records of the eternal differences between the |
perishable monuments of even the highest hui
man culture and the mighty temples whose |
granite walls arose from chaos at the dread |
word of God through the dimness of the past |
and in the glowing light Of the present, the |
spirit OF loyalty has animated the noblest of |
mankind, and, thank God, still abides strong |
and true, in millions of faithful breasts.
We generally think of the word as a synonym |
OF patriotism, or love OF country, and our hearts
thrill and burn within Us we realize its mean
ing. But is this all2 What are friendship, and |
love, and religion, but the manifestations of |
loyalty to those who are dear to U.s. and the ac- |
acknowledgement of our allegiance to the Great |
Ruler of the Universe?
How has the possession of this animating and I
peIyading principle been proved and tested? |
Ask lne weary c{iDJFeS, VINO, behind prison |
bars, have waited for death as for a messenger |
most loved and most welcome-a messenger,
one stroke of whose cold hand would break |
their bonds and cool their fcvered blood and |
bring rest and peace and freedom Ask the |
brave soldiers, who, on hGrd-lought battleheids, |
have gladly taken their lives in their hands and |
offered them willing sacrifice on the altar of |
loyalty while their mothers and wives, Drawer
still, in desOlate homes have borne the burden
of their own sad thoughts, their wild forebod-
ings. their broken hearts and their dumb |
n who
on torturing racks or surrounded by burning ,
fagOts have endured suffering so terrible that |
the mere record OF their agony makes our |
checks pale and our hearts fail US, and still have
" kept the faith and passed, with songs of |
triumph on their lips and with undaunted |
hearts, beyond the reach of torture and perse
cution.
And what is this to Us boys and girls as we |
are-men and women, as we soon shall be? 1t |
Is question We may htly ask today, as we |
pause Tor a moment and look back with atfec |
ton over the past, even while we look forward |
anXiously and perhaps impatiently, into the |
future. Never again, as q class, shall we assem-
BILE in this room where for four bright years we !
have SO often met our guests and our compan- !
ions. Soon we shall part from the teachers |
with whom we have been so long associated |
and who are, We gladly think not teachers |
alone, but friends, Even our classmates will |
soon be scattered and many loved and we'll |
known face viii be missed though uaforgot |
ten. As these thoughts thrOng upon US, one |
sad word seems 10 ill the summer air, to echo |
and re echo from these dear, familiar walls and |
to sink al last into our loving hearts Fare |
we'll farewell, fareweUr'
And now, what is beyond? How may the su-
preme virtue, whose presence has robbed suf- |
fering OF its sting and crowned JOY with
brighter radiance, become the actuating prin-
ciple OF our lives Throughout our land the
yellow coTn-feld and the laden vine have taken
the place of Serried ranks of warriors; the dear
old flag spreads its bright folds TO the earessing
air, and no stripe is dimmed, no star is missed
from its cleaning constellation. Peace reigns |
within our borders and to her gentle sway our
millions gladly bow. In city, village and ham
let, synagogue and church and Westinghouse
stand side by side. and each man worships as
his conscience dictates, undisturbed by indIvid-
uals or by State. Must we, then, conclude that
while we are still bound by the obligations Of
friendship and the ties of family, loyalty in q
wider sense has become an impoSsibility ?-that
in peaceful land there can be