Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1889-06-27
EIGHTY IN II.
GRADUATING EXERCISES OF THE
HIGH SCHOOL,.
The Glass of $50 Bids Adieu to Its Alma
Mater-Good Exercises and Crowded
HOuse-The Glass banquet

The Glass of $50 Bids Adieu to It's Alma
| Mater-GOod Exercises and n Crowded
House-The Class banquet.
The graduating exercises of the high
school took place at Opera Hall Friday
evening. The class of 'S9, which at this
time bade adieu to its alma mater, con-
sisted of eight members of whom six
were young ladies. Opera Hall was
crowded almost to suflocation. All the
sitting room and nearly every inch of
standing room was occupied. The gray
haired sire and the tottling babe, that, by
the way, didn't fail to add his voice to
the programme, were alike present. At
| least 100 were in attendance. The stage
was tastefully arranged. Flowers were
abundant. Large clusters of geraniums
at the right and left, and a pot of beauti-
full hydraugeas in the centre were among
the most noticeable of the decorations.
During the opening piano duet, by Miss
Ethel King and Miss Nettie George, the
class, with Principal Simpson and Miss
Barry, were ushsred onto the stage and
seated. Prayer was then offered by the
Rev. Mr.. Dasuomb. 1t was one of much
fervor and fitting the occasion.
Bribery in Elections" with salutatory
addresses by Walter G.. Smith of Bellows
Falls followed the prayer. After fitting
salutatory remarks Mr.. Smith began his
Grafton proper, which he handled in a
very creditable and thorough manner.
"Man is a dishonest ANIMAL he said.
Never had this proposition been more
aptly illustrated than by bribery in cleo
tions. Bribery has always existed but
never to such an alarming extent as of
late. Votes are bought and sold. Long
lines of men appear early on election
days and the buying of their votes is SIM
ply a business transaction. One of the
worst examples of bribery was the plan
recently used in Indiana by which blocks
of five were kept together by some faith
| full leader who directed how their votes
| should be cast. These are danger signals
and unless they are needed honest men
will withdraw from politics. The people
want good government. Bribery must
| be eliminated from politics. 10 do this
the people must be awakened, organized,
educated. The Australian ballot system,
which has been adopted by ten states, is
a step toward a much needed reform, but
the thorough education of the people is
the only way to neutralize the evil.
Miss Mary A. Hackett took for her
theme ''Outlook for American Litera-
tur-." A topic which she discussed very
gracefully. Little by little America be-
came literary nation. Washington Irv-
ing sounded some OF the first and sweet
est notes. His sketch book is a literary
gem. Bryant was the poet of nature.
Every work from "Thanatopsis'' to '"The
Flood of Years. has its charm. Emerson
and Hawthorne were conspicuously Amer
lean. Emerson stood second to no essay
ist, and Hawthorne in imagination was
excelled only by Shakespeare. America
found her highest ideal in Longfellow,
the most popular and endeared of poets
who went down in his gray hairs amid
the tears of the entire nation. Holmes
and Whittier remain of the old school.
But their life course must soon be run
and no one stands ready to fill their places.
Indeed Lowell and Curtis and Steadman
and host of others have written well.
But their writing does not touch the deep
stirring chords of the soul. 1t is written
for today and tomorrow forgotten. The
| speaker closed with an expression of hope
that after temporary decline in Ameri-
can literature we should see other poets
who would sing like Longfellow and Bry-
ant and the rest, and that American liter
ature would ere long resume its former
high standing.
The next speaker was Miss Alma NJ
Richardson of Bellows Falls. g A Glance
Backward was the subject from which
she drew inspiration. America in few
hundred years has grown from a handful
TO be the largest nation in the civilized
world. Her progress has been wonderful.
| Slavery seemed to check her, but TODAY
more cotton is cultivated by the free
blacks than was raised by the slave labor
of 25 years ago. The reduction of the
national debt of three billions One-half
indicates the prosperity of the nation.
Ten years more and it will be blotted out
| American industries now compete with
those of the world. One-fourth of our
people are engaged in agriculture New
inventions have made agriculture EASY.
Marvellous discoveries have been made i'm
electricity. But still greater future
awaits its application to science. Best of
all is our advancement in religious
thought.
A song by the E. W. c. B. Quartette fol-
lowed Miss Richardson's essay. The quar-
tette sang with their usual sweetness and
were called back by a perfect uproar of
| applause. Their second selection was even
more acceptable than the first and again
the audience showed its enthusiasm.
Miss Annie M. Ball of Sherbrooke,
| Que, was the next speaker. " What of
the Morrow was her text. Miss Ball
spoke without manuscript. Her voice
was noticeably pleasant. She said that
| this is an era of scientific research. Great
as have been the discoveries made in the
realms of science, still greater ones are
in store for the world. Great things are
expected of electricity. 1t is in its in
fancy. Great problems must be solved
in the next few years in the social world.
The question of capital and labor has to
be fought out. Danger will come from the
monstrous influx into our larger cities.
Here capital and labor will battle against
each other The principle of brotherly
love must be applied. The question of
temperance is an important one for the
solution of coming generations. Educa-
ton and Christianity will carry us through
the crisis. Then Americans will have
better civilization than ever before ex-
| listed.
One of the best productions of the