Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-04-09
SEMPER PROCEDENTES
EXERCISES OF THE
 CLASS OF 'S9.

| Fourteen Scholars Receive the High l est Honors of the High School | Carefully Prepared Essays and | Orations Listened to With Interest. | The many friends and relatives of the graduating class of the High school crowded into every available space in the City hall last night to listen to the last and most fruitful work of the scholastic course of the class 'S9. The stage was beautifully decorated with potted plants and represented a cheerful woodland scene, while in the distance could be seen the spires and streets of little village. At the rear of the stage sat the choristers of the school, who opened and closed the evenings enter tainment and interspersed beautiful melodies at different points of the ex ercises. Toward the front Of the wood land sitting and screened by the odorous flowers sat the eight young ladies and six young gentlemen who were about to complete their last both sad and joyful task. All the members of the class took their places with look on their youth full faces that betokened not fear, but an an anxious yet confident significance. | The exercises opened with a chorus by the scholars of. the school, Happy and | Light" which was nicely rendered. | Then followed the words of welcome or the salutatory by Miss Jennie M. Dudley. | AS she addressed her words of greeting, now to the board of education who oc- cupied seats to the left of the stage, then to the teachers of the school, now to the beloved parents and friends, and finally | to her school companions and classmates, her voice rang out in graceful salutation and her joyful expressions of welcome served to dispel the gloom of parting which lowered above the assemblage. Miss Mary c. Walsh followed with thoughtful essay on the so much talked of Oklahoma" She spoke of the great care with which the growth of this large territory should be watched and ! touched on the laws that govern the country. She brought her attentive listeners back in thought to the time of the Cherokees, gave a lucid account of their history in connection with Georgia and Alabama, the treaty of 1888, the habits and customs of the Cherokee na- tion, and step by step gradually ap preached the present time and dwelt at | length on the possibilities of the future of that great territory.
 | Miss Edna G. Hicks being the class poet was excused from reading her essay on Manual Training in Public Schools"
 | Thomas J. Kilmartin gave probably one of the best orations of the evening and treated his subject, "A Board of Trade, with well balanced concise and thoughtful argument. He spoke of the | first Organization of board of trade which occurred in the fourteenth century at Marsailles, the formation three cen turies later of similar board in Eng land. America witnessed her first | Of city was the mother of the movement. The young gentleman spoke at length upon the Waterbury board of trade. He showed the work accomplished by the board since its formation last January and what interests were now being ad- vanced for the city's good. The union depot and a government building were recommended as matters of interest to the board. In conclusion the speaker drifted in fancy into the future. Imagine ourselves returning home after an absence of ten years. Fine dwellings,, new shops and large structure on the corner of Bank and | Grand streets is known as the govern me9lt building. All the streets are pay ed. There is a new apothecaries' hall and large insurance building on the corner of West Main street. The Tiff fanys' of Waterbury occupy fine six story block and a granite bank building has displaced the time worn Blue Front. All these changes denote the work of the board of trade.
 Miss Clara A. Bronson, who was the class prophecies, was also excused from the reading of her essay, The Argentine Republic
 | Finton Phelan handled his weighty subject, Annexation of Canada, with a care and correctness which argued we'll for his hard study. He spoke of the great advantage to be derived, dwelt at length on the fishery question, the min- eral products and lumber interests, gave an interesting account of the inhabi- defenses and throughout showed an ad- mirable tact and a good knowledge of his subject.
 l Miss Helen G. Bangs treated her essay on the Business Training of Women" with prompt and truthful expressions This is practical age, quote the young lady, and the demand for practical wom- en is now as great as the demand for practical men. The girl of to-day must be so armed and equipped as to meet the eXigencies of any case. Our colleges are filled with young ladies after prac- tical knowledge Girls are as good as boys, but do not receive the same remun- eration. Reviewing the case correctly, practical knowledge for girl is as neces- sary as the same knowledge for a boy.
 Miss Ella M. Patchen took her audi ence with her on a trip to Alaska. the largest annexation of the United States. She introduced them to the fishing and hunting grounds, treated them to taste of the climate, wrapped their bodies in thought in the skins of the seal and otter explained the early history of the domain and its purchase for S7,2O0, ,00O from Russia. The young lady, who has a talent for description, finally told of of the advantages derived from the pur- chase and the blessing it has brought to this nation.
 William o. Beecher, the class historian, delighted and pleased for few moments the attentive listeners with a witty and mirthful history of his classmates. Each
 member of the class in turn received his
 or her humorous biographical sketch,
 and as the different puns and jokes were
 sprung on the various members a smile
 would break over the faces of each only