St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-06-24
ST. JoHNsBURY ACADEMY.
ANNIVERSARY EXERCISES.


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Etc.
The anniversary exercises of the St.
JOhnsbury academy, beginning with
the baccalaureate sermon Sunday even
ing, June ID, and ending with the re-
ception in the Atheneum Friday even
ing, were fully up to the standard long
ago established and in many respects
were especially noteworthy.
The baccalaureate sermon, full re-
port of which was published in last
weeks CaledOnian, was delivered be-
fore the graduating class in the North
church, Sunday evening, by Rev. F. d.
Aver of Concord, n. II. A report of
the exercises of the past week are Civ
Ell below.
The Commencement Concert
Was given before a small audience in
Music hall Thursday evening by East
mans orchestra of Manchester, n. H.,
assisted by Miss Annie Coffin, elocu-
made up entirely of instrumental Sc
lections and the TecitatiOns by Miss
Coffin. The playing by the orchestra
was excellent, smooth and finished in
the rendering and giving evidence of
good taste in the arrangement. Miss
Coffin is quite prepossessiRg in person
al appearance. She was we'll received
by the audience and recalled after ev-
cry selection. The concert as whole
was a very pleasant affair.
Commencement.
The commencement exercises by the
graduating class took place in Acade-
my hall Friday morning. The audi
1t was a cool June day, one perfectly
adapted to the business in hand. The
floral decorations were rich and pro-
fuse, everybody seemed happy and all
things pointed to the successful per-
Torrance of the unusually attractive
program which followed. The only
drawbacks to unallOyed pleasure were
the memories aroused by the sOmbre
mourning drapery over the picture of
Thaddeus Fairbanks and the vacant
chair on the platform where he was
accustomed to sit on similar occasions.
The exercises were opened with
prayer by Rev. S. S. Martyr of Peach
am and then followed the Orations and
papers by members of the graduating
class. AS these have all been pub
lished in the Academy Student extend
ed notice at this time is uncalled for.
The OratiOns, discussions and papers
were without exception characterized
by originality of thought and express
sion. They were evidently prepared
for this occasion and for a purpose.
The young men permitted the remains
of George Washington, the martyred
and Garfield and even General
Grant to rest in peace, these great
and worthy men were not mentioned,
while the papers read by the young
ladies were strong enough to hang to-
gether without the traditional blue
ribbon, and, last but by no means
least, the papers were all brief and to
the point.
The Latin salutatOry by B. S. Gill
man was we'll delivered and so plainly |
that here and there the
could catch word and the
There was nothing dead
about the salutatOry save the language
in which it was delivered.
The honorary essay, by Bessie R.
Oughtred was on ga cruel fashion,"
After comparing the absurd fashions
of years ago to some of the more COM
mon sense fashions of to-day she sharp
ly criticised the wicked and foolish
custom of wearing dead birds on hats
and bOnnets. The article was timely |
and made decided impression on the
hearers.
An grafton on the relation of Vol
5aire to the French revolution by Ed
ward p. Drew followed. His line of
thought was that Voltaire, whose only
belief was in all unbelief, crystalized
The forces of infidelity that made one
Of the elements that operated to bring
ID the French revolution. 1t was an
lble Grafton.
"Unappreciated poetry" was the sub
ect of the essay by Abbie M. Case, in
which the many bits of unappreciated
poetry that constantly come to the sur
ace in the practical experience of ev-
ry- day life were brought out. 1t was
ull of the dry wit that has come to be
,nOwn as peculiarly American eff the
'etter sort and was thoroughly appre-
lated by the audience.
The discussion was on the question
)ught Ireland to have home rule, E.
}. Raymond taking the affirmative and
,. o. Grover the negative, both pre-
enting strong arguments.
One of the brightest of the essays
vas by Alice G. Clark, who, speaking
# the institution which provides for |
'OOr city children a breath of fresh {
Ountry air, brought to notice another
organization, the &C. L. b. o. p. G.. C.. ,
-" The City Ladies' Benevolent Or {
,anizatiOn for the Promotion of the
culture of Country Cousins. The for {
unes of Victory girl, Jane Huckle- :
Jerry, during a visit to the city, were
told. c
In striking contrast to the last paper
vas the Grafton by j. F. Putnam on /;
he supremacy of thought. The ora :
ion was a good illustration of the {