Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1889-06-14
NORMAL COMMENCEMENT.

The exercises of the twenty-trst
annual commencement opened
morning with the bacca-
Iaurate sermon by Rev. Ray
Palmer. Rev. Stephen Greene, OF
st. Louis had been invited and
came to deliver the baccalaureate
sermon, but for reasons given
elsewhere, declined. and his place
was supplied by Rev. Palmer of
this city. !
Monday night, the tenth annual
declamatory contest for the VIM:
Z. Baird prize medal was held
in Normal chapel. The audience
was very large, but everything
that could be was done for the
comfort of the peple and the exer-
cises of the evening, though OF
great length, passed Oft very
pleasantly. The contestants were
nine young ladies, chosen as repre-
sentatives of the literary societies
of the school, each society pre-
senting three. The following
are the names of those who were
thus honored. Misses Florence
May Griffin, Virginia Downing
and Maud Theodosia Dougan,
Zetosophian society; Misses Le-
venia Belle Fentem, Lena Rivers
WoodIan, and Carrie A. Steen,
Philomsthean society; LYDIA 81.
IKe-nan, Lillian Bundy and Cath
crime +. Allen, Senior, society.
The judges gave the honors to
Misses Dougan, Steen and Allen.
OF these three Miss Allen graded
highest and was awarded the
medal. The audience however,
did not generally agree with the
: Judges in THEN decision, and
seemed to be very nearly equally
divided between Misses Steen and
iDougan, who rendered their sci &c
tions in a manner almost beyond
2 adverse criticism.
t The oratorical contest for the
i, Regents Prize Medal, took place
Tuesday evening, and was a de-
cided success. Perhaps no ora
tions have ever been delivered IL
the school that gave more univer.
sal satisfaction. The orators were
> James S. Arnote and John e
Swanger, Zetophian society; Edgar
T. Hubbard, Philomathean socie
: ty; George Hartt Owen, Ezra
Monroe Carter, Senior society
g The Judges gave the prize to Mr.
Jas. S. Alnote, and second honor
: to John L. Swanger. AS in the
}. declamatory contest tho audienc'
y was very much dissatisfied ant
i criticisms of the judges were out
spoken and frequent. Messr
Owen and Swanger were tn
i favorites of the audience. 1t i
a but Just to state that each gentle
s men in the contest did himsel
6 and the school, honor, and it wa
. apparent to all that good degre
> Of originality entered into tn
!. orations.
: Wednesday morning the gradu
i ating exercises of the Elementar
& class took place. This class cor
;. tained forty-one ladies and gentle
II men and the exercises consisted c
S essays and orations, by represer
o tatives of the class. The honor c
e class representation was cor
ferred on the following member:
Nora Bell Phillips, Ida'McClellal
Ella Cockrum, Ezra Monroe Cal
e ter, Anna d. Hill, Clara Bant'
4 The annual address was de
h livered Wednesday evening b
II Hon. Xenophon Ryland OF Lexine
" ton, Mo.
Artistic decorations, fower
Ii music, sunshine, balmy air an
a cool breezes, all contributed t
it make commencement day a gal
N and memorable occasion, and
nerve the graduates to put fort
their best efforts.
IL The essays of the Junior elias
decerve special mention for thei
excellence, Miss zimmerman
"OId Fashioned Flowers" was
quaint and charming production
= Whiteford's discourse on 9Th
N Wisdom of God as Revealed i
Laws of Chemistry" was eioque1
d and full of information; Mis-
q Fields essay on the "School-ma'
e ter in Fiction" might serve as a
% interesting contribution to col
a temporary Literature.
e For the Senior class Mis-
-. Woods offered very neat an
T. graceful salutatory address, an
Il her essay awakened some OF th
r most beautiful of the Memories
q Scotland. Mr.. ". ii. Elring tol
of the splendor and Significance {
, the paris Exposition" Mis-
"a Isabel Ellison gave pleasln
d narration of the events that led u
1T to and succeeded the execution c
: Charles l., ana she wed that tn
spirit which invited England
&c &c Great Rebellion was active N th
1t American history. "The Missio
ie of Mohammedanism," subject
l. Edgar Hubbard's address, wa
10 handled in a mastery mannel