The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-05-26
THE BROAD FIELD.
or Life Opened TO twenty-five High
school Graduates on Thursday
Evening.

The seats for the Commencement Of the
High School were placed on sale on Monday
morning at eight o'clock, but by seven the
lobby of the Opera House, the steps and the
walk in front Of the great doors were packed
with showing, squeezing mass of perspiring
humanity, whose only ambition was to get
seats somewhere on the lower floor, it mat.
tered little where. The 1925 tickets given
out to the graduating class, had filed the
first three rows, and by eight-thirty O'Clock
every seat on the first floor was represented
by a coupon ticket. The gallery was taken
by Tuesday evening, after which tickets
could not have been procured at three doll
ars per head.
Thursday afternoons rain, which contin.
tinued without intermission until Friday,
did not appear to dsmpen the ardor Of these
who held pasleboards, but like the late
lamented Mr., Tascott, they got there just
the same, and when the curtain rolled up at
8 o'clock, the house was packed from the
orchestra to the gallery doors. 1t WAS q
more intelligent assemblsge than had filled
the house during the season, In fact since
"lsst year." Wealth, beauty and fashion
we're there, but fashion had her little pin
ions dampened by the sizzly .sozzly atmos-
phere, and was rather subdued than other
wise.
The stage was tenanted by the graduating
class, twenty five in number, ranged in
three rows, with Profs Cotton, Bigham,
Wheeler and Brode, and Misses Tucker, Nc
Dougall, Fuller, DeLsngneau, Judd and
McNair, at their right, presenting a very
attractive appearance. There is something
so saccharine about graduate, girl
graduates that her presence, like music,
lends enchantment, etc. There were twenty
one Of these sweet creatures, Mae Colwell,
Grace r Lee, Mary E Hoffman, Ellen L
Lovejoy, Susie Halden King, Jessie F Lillis,
Mary E Read, Bertha v Finley, Mamie E
Holmes, Nettie L Ellsworth, Harriet c
Formulas, Mabel Fuller, Elizabeth G Hodge.
man. May Kelly, Rosamond NJ l. OConor,
Ray Zeluff, Elizabeth 4 Wilson, Ssllie P
Waterman, Ella L. Rugg, and Harriet L
Rowe. They were ROBBED, with but few
exceptions, in pure spotess white, and each
looked as bewitching as we'll, as girl grad
uate can look. The young gentlemen, Geo
Hills, Ralph Z Sapp, Harry P Center,
Dwight c Meigs and Will B Hunt, were
manly looking quintette, and deported
themselves with becoming modesty.
A much smaller number than usual, but
six finished in the Classical course, three in
the Latin Scientific, five in the modern
Language, and eleven in the English
branches. Miss Hoffman stood highest in
Classics and general standing, Harry Center
lead in Sciences and Modern Languages,
Miss Hodgeman was first in English, while
the greatest improvement during the course
was shown by Miss Ellsworth thus emitting
them to essays. while Geo. Hills, Dwight
Meigs, Miss Finley, Will Hunt, Miss Read,
Ralph Sapp and Miss Rowe were elected by
the class The evenings exercises were
opened by very fine overture by Willis
orchestra, followed by the
sALULATORY,
the very credtable production of Miss Hattie
Rowe. A welcome was extended to the
parents and friends of the class, the trustees
and teachers, and to the patrons Of the
school in general. Their school career had
closed, career uneXplored and of
greater import lay before. The school life
with its associations was relinquished with
sincere regret. Whether they had profited
by their four years of study-time would be
the only Judge To the schoolmates Of
younger years, to whom they were bound by
ties of affection, Miss Rowe rendered
pleasant welcome: Gas we pass beyond the
portals, and no longer rank as schoolmates
in your band, may all success attend you
as you labor faithfully in the dear old
school, which year by year gives out recruits
to true manhood and womenhood." Miss
Rowes essay was nicely worded, teeming
with beautiful passages and quotati ons. and
was delivered in excellent TASTE
HARRY CENTER,
the Scientist Of the class, spoke upon
"a Scientist and his Discovery" enlogizing
LIE Blance, the discoverer of sodium. His
Grafton was filed with interesting scientific
drift and exhibited taste Of the unknown"
seldom found in youths. The discovery Of
sodium was a triumph of chemistry which
had accomplished more for the cause Of
mankind, than any other mineral, and had
simplifed and made possible results which
had baffied science for centuries. His
delivery and language gave evidence of close
application, and the Grafton was well reciev-
ed.
ADAY IN ANCIENT ATHENS
was the title of q descriptive essay by Miss
EVELYN Hoffman. The beautiful temples of