Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-07-02
Plaffayilla Commencement.

late to tempt US to Platteville. the last
being the graduating exercises of the
Normal School last Thursday, June 25.
An early morning drive through the
clear cool air, with the blue of distant
hills to allure US, brought us within
sight of the many-steepled town before
the sun had begun to shower his fierc-
est heat upon us. As we entered the
city, crowds were already pouring into
the new City Hall, without let, him
drance or injunction. Seats had been
secured for us through the kindness of
Mr.. j. H. Evans, the resident regent,
and under his escort we soon found our
selves in the beautifully decorated hall.
When we raised our eyes after being
seated, we almost fancied we had been
transported to some tropical cline On
one side of the stage was group of
palms, Japaneses plums, ferns and
geraneums; on the other lemon tree
with ripe fruit depending, an India
rubber tree, cacti, ferns, hydrangeas
and foliage plants. Across the semi
circle OF the stage was thick bank of
delicate greenness, maiden-hair ferns
replacing the footlights. baskets filled
with vines hung above, and the palm
lent to all an,air of oriental lnxuriance
Great baskets of roses and lemon lilies
shed fragrance upon the air, sweet
aud evasive as far away memory. At
the right of the stage was the class
motto q Out of the Bay, into the
Ocean"-in green letters on red back
ground. The floral decorations were
arranged under the direction of Miss E.
M. b. Felt, and to Mrs. H. S. Bayley
the school is indebted for many of the
rare plants from her conservatory. The
gallery and body of the hall were
packed with an audience of unusual in
telligence and refinement, eager to hear
the first public literary efforts of those
who had just completed the prescribed
course of study in one of the best Nor
NAL schools in the country. The ushers
then scattered the following program:
Music-Hallelujah Chorus. .......H Handel
Prayer by Rev. b. Il. Wheeler.
Mnsic-The Nightingale. .......... Mendelssohn
oiation-Ethical Education. John c. NeCons
Essay-The Promised Land Lies at our Feet.
....... Annie A. Thomas
Music--Little Jack Horner ........ Caldicott
Essly-Eliyaheth Rarrpft RrnwninO
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. Ida K. Jenkins
Esssy-ilinsions ,;........:.;;. May A. Evans
Music-Come, Dorothy, Come Swabian volkslied
Essay-The Sister of Charity 49,:
................ Julia A. Cummns
Essay-clouds at the Base, Sunlight at the sum
Music-Ye Spotted Snakes ~ McFarren
Presentation of Diplomas.
MusicAliail to Thee, Liberty -. "Semiramide"
Bcnediction.
The exercises opened with Handel's
Hailelujah Chorus by chorus of trained
voices under the leadership of Prof.
Gardner. The selections throughout
were fine and rendered with much spir-
it, Miss Cook presided at the piano,
which, supplemented by two organs,
furnished the accompaniment. After
prayer by Rev. E. B. Wheeler, the Choir
us sang Memberships Nightingale.
The first of the graduates who appeared
was Mr.. j. G. NeCollins, who delivered
an Grafton upon Ethical Education. He
began by studying the worlds growth
morally and intellectually, spoke of the
growth and greatness of Rome, and
other nations up to certain point and
their final decadence, and questioned
whether we were not on the eve of
similar crisis which could only be avert
ed by better system of education;
by schools on every hilltop where men,
''broad shouldered, deep chested, big
hearted men," shall be trained. He
pointed out the defects Of education of
the intellect at the expense of the moral
sense, and plead for an education of the
heart as we'll as of the mind. In Eng
land, pugilistie force is test of scholar
ship. In Germany, scars mark the
way to preferment-but we must look
for the dawn of better era, in which
education will fashion a man whose
heart shall hold the balance of power
over the intellect. Miss Annie A.
Thomas next read an essay "The Prom
ised Land Lies at Our Feet This
essay presented the high and various
pleasures that lie within mans grasp,
and especially the enjoyment of the
beauties OF nature to him who sees.
She spoke of Lengfellow, whose heart
throbbed with the great heart of nature,
and who found his highest bliss in sim.
plest things. She dwelt upon the pleas
ures of labor, of the delights of doing
good, the harmony and beauty of the
lives of those who seek the best pleas
ures, finding them always near at hand,
80 would the marts'grow holy and the
streets worn now like dungeon floors
with tramp of weary feet, grow golden
court-ways unto heaven" A double
quartette now sang the affecting story
of .'Little Jack Horner." Miss Ida
jenkins spoke of the life of Mrs. Brown
ing and its glorious aims and end. She
told the story of her life in sunny Italy,
of her earnestness in philanthropy and
intense moral zeal. her feeling for the
oppressed, and outcry against wrong.
Miss May Evans next read an essay on
| Illusions. She affirmed that we were
all victims of illusions, even the sagest
of us, and proceeded to point out some
/ of the numberless illusions that have
deceived men since the beginning, and
how these illusions are founded upon
facts, and sometimes establish facts !:
as modern Pharmacy is the outgrowth
of the illusions of the old Alchemists
The essay showed decided origin
atty both in subject matter and manner
of treatment. Charles G.. Woolcoek
delivered an Grafton entitled mo Rest
! in Nature He set forth the constant
unrest of everything in nature; tho
changes mountain SUBMITS wearing
away, old Olympian fields buried, the
once sunny plains now wave-washed,
and heather growing where once the
ocean roared Mature" be said, lis