The Portland daily press., 1888-05-23
wEsTBRooK SEMINARY.
The Celebration OF Class Day Yester-
dav.

The Senior Glass at Westbrook Seminary
held their class day exercises yesterday af-
ternoOn at O'Clock. This custom was inau-
gurated in 'S5. The exercises were held in
the Seminary Chapel, which was tastefully
decorated by members Of the class, who dis
played very fine taste. There was a very
large attendance Of students and friends Of
the class as well as the school present. Mr..
E. d. Currier presided and welcomed the
friends in brief speech. On the right of
the platform the Senior Glass was located,
consisting Of fifteen members, eight young
ladies and seven gentlemen, and also the
Junior Class, wearing their pretty badges,
consisting Of 18 members, the largest class
Tor NUMBER OF years. To the left were
seated the members Of Pearson's Orchestra,
who played many fine selections throughout
the afternoon. and Prof. A. b. Allen, Mrs.
A. b. Allen, Prof. III. b. Stone, Miss Morton,
Miss Atward and President j. z. Weston.
The exercises opened with music, followed
by payer by Rev. Q. III. Shinn Of Deering.
Then came more music, after which II. F.
Moulton delivered an Interesting Grafton ON
The Royal Pathway of Life" The Grafton,
Of which the following Is an abstract, was
listened to with close attention:
1t seems to me that youth can well be
compared to that young tree. Each is type
OF promise and hope. Hope is pictured TO
our eyes personifed, and materialized by the
freshness and joyousness of youth, by the
beautiful branches shooting out from our
class tree, and by its budding glories which
will soon spring into lovely foliage. But
II this class tree did not put forth 1t buds in
spring 1t would be wanting In beauty Of fol-
iage in summer and deprived of its golden
leaves In autumn. So it Is with us as young
people If we make no effort for improvement
Of
be barren Of intellectual beauty and virtue,
and in the autumn Of life we shall be want
ing In the ripened qualities OF respect, honor
and happiness.
ask you to consider the subject that has
been suggested ON this occasion, that Is,
the source Of the duties that we must per-
form in order to walk in the royal pathway
of life.
First, it is our duty to form correct relig-
ious principles. As we come down the
epochs Of history we can very easily see that
this is fundamental truth, that religion is
the handspring in all social, moral and IN
tellectual progress. Then II this is so, is it
not our duty to cultivate and strengthen our
religious feelings?
Next; Next in this royal highway is our duty to
mind to be without knowledge is not good"
by the faculties Of the mind the race has
been progressing. We ought to be thankful
for our mind, however narrow or limited it
may be. We ought all the time to be earnest
to cultivate the human mind. Who can
measure its wonderful and mighty powers.
1t Is our duty to strive earnestly to get all
the knowledge that we can, and then use 10
not only for ourselves but for others.
The next important duty that we must per
form to walk in the royal pathway Of life is
that we must have purpose. There can be
no question but what experience and obser-
walton OF men and events have taught this
great lesson that..a fixed purpose is one Of
the great elements Of success. l believe
that oneness OF purpose in life Is to our sue
cess as are the roots of our class tree to the
life Of its branches. There is always room
in any vocation Of life for men Of character,
ability and force.
No one can walk with full success in the
royal pathway TO life unless he is industri-
GUS The successful in our communities
and State are the men who are industrious.
1t Is an old proverb THAT we had better
wear out than to rust out" for wearing out
Will give useful life, while rusting oat
living death.
Another duty of ours is to this institution.
Perhaps there will be no period of our lives
that we shall ever recall with such satisfac-
tion as the few years that we spent in this
school under the supervision Of its most es-
teemed president and its excellent board of
teachers.
At the close Of the grafton which occupied
about one hour, MISS Ella II. Bucknam read
the class poem. 1t was well written and
showed an appreciation OF music Of verse
and literary polish.
Next came the chronicle by r. X. Goodell,
full Of illusions to the peculiarities of the
class; they were well written and listened to
with pleasure.
After music the audience got peep into
the future through the prophecies of Miss
Annie w. Akers. Her power Of Imagination
was equal to the requirement of the
part she had to perform. They were well
delivered.
Each candidate Of the class was awarded
prize by Miss Celia NJ. Staples, who made
the presentation speeches. AS she took out
of a box and gave to each of her classmates
a little toy, she had something appropriate to
say to each one. This was quite humorous
feature of the exercises, and the part was
performed most admirably by Miss Staples.
At this point a procession was formed in
front of the Seminary building. 1t was com
posed OF orchestra seniors, juniors, students
and friends Of the school. They marched
down to the class tree which is a beautiful
elm. Then the class, each with a little
wooden shovel, went through the ceremony
of shoveling earth about the tree. And the
exercises closed by singing the "class ODE
which was finely written by Miss Annie G.
Buffum. and the benedictiOn by Rev. j. r.
Weston.