Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-07-31
+" In LIMINE. !"
GRADUATING EXERCISES OF THE
SACRAMENTO HIGH SCHOOL.
Immense Congregation of Citizens
Brilliant Programme
Striking Points.


If in our comments, Involuntary brief
that follow, there is a steady current o
commentator AID compliment, let it b'
understood from the beginning that it il
not therefore insincere laudation, or dis
position to speak pleasantly of young peo
pie Just on the threshold of life, and who
ought TO be given God speed you % by
every true man and woman. No, the
uniformity of approval is simply the
natural result of meritorious work on the
part of the pupils of the High School
Faithful and honorable journalism does
not prostitute itself to say pleasing things
and spare the feelings where
TRUTH AND JUSTICE
To the reading public demand adverse crit
icism However minded to carp and pick
flaws we could not do so in this case for
such error as there was in last nights ex-
ercises, or such fault as there was in essay,
reading or music was OF such trivial and
unimportant character as not to merit no.
And when we say excellence, we mean that
the judgment determining it is formed ac-
cording to standards proper to be applied
to High School graduates, and not such as
we should invoke in case of matured intel
ects or academicianS.
THE OPERA HOUSE
Was packed from pit to dome last night,
and hundreds were turned away unable to
gain admission though holding cards of
admission. Here was an error. 1t would
have been better to have issued just enough
to have filled the house, and no more.
Sensible people would not have grumbled
at impossibility But holding ticket
and preparing TO go and going, and then
being turned back, is sort of stroking the
fur the wrong way that even the most fair
minded and reasonable will be tempted to
resent.
On the stage appeared, behind pretty
barrier of flowers and beneath floral sus-
pended arch bearing the class motto, IN
LIMINE," the graduating class of the Sacra-
Benteen, Alice +. Bellmer, Annie Brogan,
Maye Carroll, Mabel Cluness, Lena DAMS,
Bertha Ebert, Nellie Siddons, Bella Simon,
Ada E. Van Alstine, Maud Willis, Clark J.
Burnham, J. f. Brown, Jr., Elsie A. Kiefer,
Nellie A. McManus, Carrie S. Merrill, Ruth
Merrill, Mollie E. Morton, Mamie O'Neil,
Nettie Price, Andrew N. Henderson. Ar
thur l.. Ripley, Addison J. Perrin, Il. McA.
Richardson, Howard S. Smith. and W.
T. Terry. They were fortified by the
City Board of Education, the Chaplain
of the evening, Rev Mr. Herrick the
Orator, Rev. Carroll NJ. Davis; the Faculty
of the school, Professor w. w. Anderson,
Principal H. W. Chapman, Vice-Princi-
pal Mrs. E. B. Parnell, Miss F. De-
Laguna and Mrs. n. L. White, instructors /:
Professor LipowitZ, instructor in German,
and Mrs Fleissner- Lewis, musical director
of the evening.
THE EXERCISES
Opened with chorus by the class, Miss
Lewis accompanying. Rev. Mr.. Herrick
invoked Divine blessing upon the schools
and the occasion, and President William
NJ. Petrie of the City Board of Education,
made the opening address. 1t was brief, to
the point and expressed the Judgment of
the Board that there had been good work
done in the High School in the
past school year. Professor Anderson
then announced that those to take part in
the literary exercises were not selected to
represent the highest excellence of the
class. But a committee had chosen from
all the essays those most thoughtful and
graceful in diction and considered also the
vocal capacity to fill so large building
with the tones of the voice. Misses Bertha
Ebert and Nellie Price then played piano
duet, selections from " IL Trovatore." 1t
was rendered with precision, taste and ease,
and the yigor necessary, and of which
female performers are SO frequently lacking.
Robert McA. Richardson then read an
essay on that eccentric, brilliant literary
Dr Tnh
was a comprehensive and thoughtful re-
view of the chief traits of character of that
wonderful man, and testified to fair judg
ment, strong convictions and conscientious
ness on the part of the graduate. 1t was
clearly, forcibly written and easily and dis
tinctly delivered Alice Z. Bellmer, in
strong, feeling voice, and with earnest
ness in evey tone, then read
an essay, One Learns by Fail
ures." And she proved it, not only
logically, but by recalling to her hearers
their experiences. She insisted that fail
ures are necessities to ultimate success, and
that ideals are approached only through
the many attempts by which we are taught
a practical and graceful paper, illustrated
by numerous historical examples. Nellie
Siddons then read in French an essay on
CHARLOTTE CoRDAY."
Her accent was GOOD, her delivery of the
foreign tongue unhesitating and confident
and the treatment of the subject showed
familiar reading concerning the beautiful
heroine of st. Saturnin DIES Lignerts, who
plunged the dagger to the heart of Murat
and persisted by the guillotine nearly a
hundred years ago. Bella Simon then
played a piano solo with excellent effect :
Adagio Var V, OPP. 26, Beethoven, and
Polish Danse Scharwenka.' The num-
bers were difficult, but performed well and
with good judgment.
Lena DAMS read thoughtful paper on
Observation and Imagination, i'll which
she demonstrated that while observation is
prosaic and imagination poetic, the latter is
controlled by the former in all good art and
literary effort. Observation supplies the
material for the work of the Imagination
Imagination beauties the objects of art
but observation must supply the models.
1t was fair treatment of subject upon
which newspaper men have constantly in
mind, and before she closed her essay she
pointed out the practical applications of
the sentiment of the paper. 1t was well
read and clearly heard by all. Andrew
NJ Henderson delivered a defamation on
THE AMERICAN SAILOR,
De1eDulDS MIN as devoted patriot ana
the whole record of the navy as one bril-
liant chain of patriotic achievement 1t
was delivered with forcible deliberation
and in clear. strong voice, and was a not
ably strong number of the programme
a male chorus of twelve voices, including
most of the young gentlemen who were
graduates and some friends who kindly
aided them, sang, with agreeable effect,
Ny Queen" The audience demanded its
repetition, but Professor Anderson inter
vened with the rule, " No encores" Ma
mic O'Neil came next, with a graceful es-
say on the Friendships of Story and
Song" and, singularly enough, the strong
est and most touching examples of souls
knit together like those of David and JON
athan, were those of undying friendship
between men, and not an instance from the
womans world did the young lady cite
1t was an admirable paper, full of feeling,
and well read. Maud Willis read an essay
in German on Schiller. 1t was superior
production. She drew striking picture of
the times that nurtured
scHILLER's GENIUS,
And interpreted with clearness the spirit of
his works, that have become such an i'm
portant factor in the educational discipline
of German youth. She held Schiller to be
the champion of the ideal and the bard of
| true liberty, citing his last drama. Will
| helm Tell " as a work that will stand for