Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1885-12-18
THE NORMAL SCHOOL.
Graduating Exercises of
the Christmas Class.
INTERESTING COMMENCEMENT.
Twenty-Five Graduates Receive
Diplomas-The Prophecy, His
tory and Poem.

Yesterday afternoon the Christmas
Glass OF the Branch Normal School held
Its graduation exercises at the Grand
Opera HOUSE. Two o'clock was the
time advertised for the exercises to be-
gin, but long before that hour the sdi-
flee was filled to overlooking by the
friends and relatives Of the young ladies
and gentlemen who had completed their
course of study and were to take the
first step into the real path of life-
There was profusion of flowers and
the music was excellent.
THE CLASS.
The following is the class with the
subject of each member; Carrie w. At.
kinson. "The Influence of Fashions"
Ida NJ. Bailey, ",rhs Scholars Attitude
Towards Truth" Alice j Cushing,
0Enthusiasm an Element of Success;
Olivia Day, ''The Heather Chinee;"
Margie c. Downing, "Woman as Po-
liticaI Factor" Henry A. Fisk, Char
acter in Politics." Mary K. Toy, ''Pecu
iisr;ties Of the Lake Poets;" Ellsworth
Gerry. "The Indian Question:" Jessie
Gil, dBody the Basis Of Mind; Ray
Good, Fiction the Handmade OF HIS
tory:" Jessie G. Grow. "The True Work
of the Teacher" Emily ]. Hamilton,
"Chivslry;" Leonora Hassler, Tho
reau's Experiment." Richard b. Hay
dock, "The Tehusutepec Canal" Lucy
B. HUE, "Our Duty TO Our Mother
Tongue;" Corinne Z. King, 1.-THE Poetic
Temperament" Anna d. Morrison !;
nspain the Land Of Romancej" May
Plank. Measure for Measure;" Alice
K. Smith, Educational Waste;" Mary
Z Smith, sour Antagonist our Helper"
Fred Taylor, Different standpoints: :
Louise l.. Williamson, painting in
Color, und W ords." The Faculty is:
Ira More, Principal; c. j. Flstt, Vice
Principal; Emma L. Hawks. Sarah r.
Monks, Melville Dozier, Mrs. Nj. a.
Heath, Harriet +. Dunn.
The above, together with Rev. A. j..
Wells of the Congregational Church
and Mr.. o. W. Childs, occupied seats
upon the platform.
The exercises were opened by n
chorus. greeting song, which was nicely
rendered, under the direction Of Mira. T..
5. Valentine.
Rev. Mr.. Wells then offered up an
eloquent and impressive invocation.
President Moore then introduced the
first esssyist,
MSS EMILY >. HAMILTON.
She had chosen for her subject "Chiv-
airy" and handled it with rare grace and
enunciatsd very clearly. She cited in
stances Of the old days OF the Roman
Empire, and of the ohivalry during the
time Of King Arthur. Nov the true
knight is the Christian gentleman who is
kindly, brave and courteous. Miss
Hamilton spoke OF the influence that
woman had exercised over the true
knights Of old and now exercise over the
knights Of the present. Miss Hamilton
was nicely dressed and has decidedly
prepossessing appearance. She received
several handsome floral tributes.
MISS MARY 3. SMITH
Read an essay on 'Onr Antagonist Our
Helper" Miss Smith dwelt on the fact
that obstacles in our path nerve US to
greater labor and thereby strengthens
us. "Opposition Is good for all, and
rivalry brings out hidden virtues in a
person and often leads to the achieve
ments OF great things." Miss Smith was
attraotively dressed in lead colored and
cardinal silk.
THE CLASS HISTORY.
To Miss Olivia Day was given the task
of writing the Glass History. and very
worthiIy did abe acquit herself OF the
trust imposed upon her. She stated that
three years ago the class started out
with q membership of twenty-eight; now
only four OF the original class remained
but the places Of those who had dropped
out had in great measure been filled.
aud the present graduating class il only
few short of the original number who
started out. Miss Day recounted In .
yery witty and amusing manner the va
rious pleasures and incidents happening
70 the class during its time OF probation,
showing that Normal School life is not
all hard work, but that frequently CLEANS
of sunshine fall athwart the path of
the student. Miss Day called attention
TO the numerous picnics and excursions
had by the class. and particularized one
al Santa Monica and one at Devils Gate
canon. The history was very interest
ing, and the HERALD regrets that its
length precludes the possibility OF pub
fishing it in full. Miss Day wore pink
nuns yelling.
After an anthem, o, Give Thanks,
MR.. W. FRED TAYLOR
Delivered an Grafton ON Different
Standpoints." The young gentleman
thoughts, language and delivery were
good and he handled his subject well.
CLASS PROPHECY.
Mss Alice X. Smith, very charming
Young lady, delivered the Glass Pro-
phecy" as follows.
One clear, bright evening the Senior
AS Of December, 's5, one and all, bent
ON q frolic, tripped down the slope of
the Normal hill to a spot behind the
Magnetic Observatory; and there each
threw down the old note and scratch
books that they might again be- changed
to their pure native elements.
When the complex combination OF al
zebra, astronomy, geometry. physics,
etcetera, was well piled in q heap, with
. chemical compound for the foundation,
our worthy cIass President, Mr.. Fisk.
caused a little birthstone to form con.
neetion with famous old chemistry
notebook, aud the book sprang forth in
a red heat. II spread its rage among its
many neighbors until all were in q blaze.
1 looked and listened. The flames, in
their anger, seemed to me to r, fleet
images OF the future. as il to haunt the
persons who were circling around.
Al. a.. ~. ii
before me. The hand that had scratched
the fatal match was resting upon the
railing Of the deck, and recognized, in
the person, our old class-mate, although
ten years had passed over his head.
His dress was that Of a British Ad-
miral and the vessel. bound for his own
loved country, faded slowly from my
sight, but not before | had caught q
glimpse of Jessie Gill among its passen.
gers.
Her love for the briny deep had
prompted her to take long sea voyage
This was the last sight had Of her.
unless, am not quite sure,--I saw hei
ghost in the cove where the water-mel
ons were buried, once upon time.
The flames leaped higher, and saw
in the parlors of prominent Senator, q
gay assemblage Of ladies and gentleman,
and our little Miss Grow occupying the
place Of hostess.
She was perfectly at home and was al
that moment presenting a small mar
with large title to Mardge Downing.
To all appearances, Mardgo had mel
her fate. Suddenly the brilliant light,
Of this scene changed to the more sombr,
shade Of an office and ! saw Ellsworth
Gerry sitting by the desk. His brow was
stern as he weighed the evidence of the
case before him.
He closed the book and the room
frightened into costly furnished apart
ment with little work tables here and
there. At one sat bright little figure
our old pianist, Ida Bailey.
She was receiving instructions from
the famous Worth preparatory to th'
establishment Of branch house il
America.
MI "a.