Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-05-25
A GRADUATING TRIO.
COMMENCEMENT DAY IN TIKI MARTINS
FERRY HIGH SCHOOL.
A Vary Large Audisrcs Present Which Listens 70 4
Very Pleasing Programme OF
Exercises

LAFAYETTE Opera House, at Martins
Ferry, WAS packed like a sardine box last
night Everybody who could get inside
waa there, and they we're all pleased with
what they saw and heard.
The eighteenth annual commencement
of the High School was the drawing At
tsctioa which held the boards 1t is not
safe 10 offer An estimate OF how many peo-
ple were in the hall, but people who are
not held responsible for their assertions
Estimated the crowd at from fifteen hun
bred 10 three thousand. 1t is safe to say
that the number was somewhere between
the two figures named, hut exactly where
cannot be gotten at, because the audience
was of an entirely different class from that
which ordinarily occupies theatre. IL
could not be Judged by the noise 1t made,
because the noise WIS Of very seemly
character, aud occurred only after merito-
rious performances.
The stage was nicely decorated with
flowers, ported plants and people, the
latter decoration baing the most n0ticesble
end spprecisble. Tue front of the stage
was spanned by huge arch of evergreen,
from which vas suspended the letters
forming the motto, Hinc NeiiOrd meaning
in Eoglish Better things hereafter. +"
Whether the graduates expect to do better
things hereafter, or expsct pleasanter ex-
periences in the future Can not he deter
mined positively, bat from the trend Of
their arguments they intend to help 10 do
better thnga. TIE musia was furnished
By the High School choir, composed
Of thirty five trained Voices. under
the direction Of Prof j W. Schofield.
the choir was ranged on On elevated plat
form at the rear Of the stage aud gave some
very good performances Guripg the even
ing. Besides, Master Edward Blumenburg,
one of the graduates, rendered a violin
solo, "Lsragonesa" from d Alsrd. Ed
ward has chosen music as his life study
and will continue his work in that line.
He is now a more than ordinary violinist,
ar d deserves credit for having accomplished
so much along with his regular studies
The program was opened with "Greet-
ing Song" by the High School Choir, Miss
Emily Warwood acting in the capacity
of accOmpanist. Rev. H. n. Campbell then
invoked Divine blessing upon the occasion,
asking that the schools might in the future
as in the past prove source OF much good;
a place where not only the foundation of
an education, but Of gure, holy, chris-
tiau life may be formed. The prayer was
very eloquent, and its effect was visible
upon the audience. Miss Sarah Lewis
read her essay on The Laborer ia Worthy
of His Hire" She treated the subject
very nicely throughout, commenting frat
on the fact that lever since God pro-
nounced the curse, by the sweat Of thy
brow shalt thOl eat bread, man has
been trying to devise means whereby he
shall be relieved from the hare of the
curse. She then touched on the disregard
of people for the child labor law and the
failure 10 enforce it. She tod of boys of ten
and twelve working in factories, exposed to
evils, before their minds are strong enough
TO resent the influence for bad. "a good
education is necessary to good morals, and
night work for small children is utterly
contrary to NATURES laws, and it, with too
early beginning to labor, breaks down the
human frame and mind" The laoorer
is worthy of his bire butt is a poor policy
to hire immature youth at the expense OF
premature DID age" Miss Lewis then
compared the wages paid to men and wo-
men for the same work, and proposed
means whereby the evils can be iemedisd.
She expecta that at later day man will
be driven to the heavier emplOymenis and
"tbe woman lsborer will he worthy of her
hire" Miss Lewis did very we'll and her
effort was received kindly. She is of
Welsh extraction aud still bears the slight
est tinge of the mother tongue, which
makes her delivery very pleasing 10 her
auditors.
Master Blumenberg came forward Al the
conclusion Of Miss Lewis effort and pro
duced his vic lin solo. It was an sble reu-
dition, esp scially for one 40 young, and
elected rounds Of applause. One promi-
nent musician in the audience stated that
it was phenomenal.
Miss Mstiie c. Mitchell delivered her
Grafton on Rome Was not Built ia Day
Miss Milchell's voice is quite weak, aud
her utmost efforts would not make her
voice audible 10 all parts Of the hall Her
Grafton WIS, however, well written and
possessed very good points. She COM
menced with geological time, the forms-
ton of the earth and the time il occupied,
and compared the formation of State to
the building mp Of the earth She traced
the statecrsft Of the United States through
the constitutional formation up TO the
present day, and discussed the advance
ment of American art, literature end
science. She told OF bad features of our
government that iced eliminating, includ-
ing impure politics, anarchy, and the grow
log evil of intemperence. She also sug-
geeted improvements, such as a change of
the foreign policy and the improvement
and strengthening of the navy and coast
defenses. She closed with the prediction
that all would be we'll in the end, but
warned her hearers that with con-
sideration for the slOwness of all reforms
in the past perfection must not be ex-
pected too soon.
Tue High School choir sang "The Heay-
ing Billows," with good effect, after which
Edward Blumenberg read a scientific
thesi is Oh 1.-THE Mechanical Part of Music"
Eddie's subject is one which requires deep
study snd much scientific research. He
bad it well in hand, and pleased the audi
ence greatly, although some few in the
back part of the house had some difficulty
in hearing all he said His thesis COM
menced with discussion of the formation
of musical sounds, and an explanation of
the different kinds and how the results
are attained by mechanical means. He
quoted from the Merchant of Venice
"a man that hath no music in himself,
Nor is not moved with concord OF sweet sounds,
Is tit for treasons stratagems, and spoils.'
And dwelt for a few minutes on the effect
of music on mans passions and feelings,
concluding with complete explanation Of
musical pitch, force and quality, using the
plan oand organ TO illustrate. His produc-
ton was much above the ordinary high
school essay.
It was arranged in the original pro-
gramme that Mr.. NJ. r. Smylie, President
Of the Board Of Education, should present
the diplomas, but that gentleman has not
tar enough recovered from his attack Of i'll
ness to scl. Hon. John NJ. Eaton, Presi
dent of Marietta College, was secured by
Prof. Sparks to deliver short address on
the occasion, and it fell 10 him TO present
the diplomas. In connection with these
Mr.. Eaton addressed his remarks both to
the audience and the graduates, d dealt
very nicely with hissubject. He laid special
stress upon the fact that the clase il small
in proportion to the number If pupils en-