The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-06-05
CONVENIENT EXERCISES
The Exercises held at the Opera House on
Thursday Evening--A Large Graduate
ing Glass, and "a Creditable
Entertainment.


day in every town where there is high
school or college that makes the exercises
attractive, not alone to the parents and i'm
mediate friends Of the graduates, but to the
public at large. Ottawa is no exception to
the general rule, and so, when the annual
commencement day Of the Ottawa High
School comes round, everyone is anxious to
get out and see what y done and listen to
what is said by those who graduate. It i,
always an occasion that fills to overflow the
Opera House, despite the fact that an admis.
sion fee is charged, with an audience better
dressed and in better humor than any
audience of the year. Those who attend al
ways go to enjoy themselves, and they never
60 away without feeling that the graduates
acquitted themselves with credit, and that
the very best thing in every community is
just such an institution as Ottawa boasts.
The graduates themselves enjoy the occasion
not less highly than those who are not priv
legged to sit upon the stage. The young
ladies always make the day one for appear.
ing in pretty new dresses, and the young
men for wearing newly made clothes. The
good nature Of the audience, the pleasant
manners Of the graduates, and the beautiful
flowers that are always abound at every cont
mencement season, combined, cause gradua-
ton day to be the one above all others to be
thoroughly enjoyed.
Hence it was that on Thursday evening,
long before the hour of eight, the Opera
House was crowded by people who were out t.
applaud the efforts Of the class OF 1886, and
renew their allegiance to the Institution that
sent them forth. The exercises throughout
were remarkably good, and il now and then
utterance was given to some very bad politics,
and here and there gloomier view of life
was taken than the facts of life warrant q
kindly disposed audience laid it to youth and
a lack Of experience. There were no at
tempt at decoration on the stage with the ex-
ception of an evergreen arch across it, bear
ilg upon the class motto, "LabOr Omnm
Winct, and q small bank of flowers at either
end. The graduates were seated upon the
stage when the curtain rose, there being row
of young ladies and then of young men. To
the right of them were the teachers: Prof
Tufts and Misses Summers, Cornell. Tucker,
McDougall and McNair, also Miss New
becker of the public schools. To their left
was Trustee Graham, and Hon. Il. C.. Lewis,
who was to present the diplomas. The
class numbered thirty three, but by pre-
vous arrangement but fourteen of the num-
Der delivered Orations. Those graduating
were, in the classic couse, Madge A. Agard,
Lorena Jessup, Hart C. Armstrong, Jos. j.
Killelea, Harry S Barton, James Moore,
Albert L. Buffers, Sophia A. Patchen, Edgar
Eldredge, John W. Scott, Sadie E. Greene,
Wilson, Grin " Harmon, Caddie D. White,
Mary L. HaIeman, 1hos. j. Young and Chas.
A. Hunsberger In the Latin-scientc-
Myra A. Rhiel, Mamie +. Robson Susan b.
Roberts Julia c. Strawn and Anna Tuberty.
In modern language: Henry p. Baumgard
ner. In business English Frank L. Beach,
Emma J. Waterman, Sylvia A. Bushnell,
Flora B. Watts, Chas. NJ Caldwell, Chas. C.
Wilcox and Frank C. Titzell.
The orchestra having discussed econ
course of sweet sounds the literary exer-
cises werebegun by Miss Myra Rhiel with the
Salutatory She welcomed the vast audience
in fitting terms, and remarked that the char
acter formed in school is the foundation up
on which the future life is built That is
the work Of the school: to mould character,
and school life is the apprenticeship out of
which the pupil looks into the unknown fu-
ture, out of the trials and tribulatons of
which only the strong characters come to a
successful end.
j. Vim. Scott, in " Measures, not Men
said that of all literary study nothing pos
sessed the charm of biography; but linked
with the life of each great man is his sti
greater idea. Men are the agents performir G
great deeds, and though we cling to the
memory of such men as Milton, Watts, Lin
coin, &c, yet after all their accomplish
ments are the real objects Of our admiration
and gratitude.
Miss Julia c. Strawn, in Mistakes told
us that history is full of them, The wisest
of men make them Columbus corrected
one of the worlds great mistakes only to
himself make another. The mistake is Of
ten made of attempting universal knowledge,
whereas, in these days, true knowledge is
the knowledge of single idea The mistake
the young should beware Of is the choice Of
a wrong profession, or to imagine that labor
is degrading. The man dignifes the pro-
fesson, not the profession the man.
THE Spirit of the Age" Chas A. Huns
berger's theme. The curse of the times is
the grinding down of the laboriug man; the
unrestraiged immigration of anarchists, So
cialists and the scum of Europe; against
which the protest must be loud and strong.
Tho snirit IF the ace is AGAINST these things.