The Iola register., 1889-06-07
THE CLASS OF '89.


The lola High School Commence
ment A Brilliant and Grati-
flying Success.
1t was a fine, good natured audience,
the seven hundred people who found
seats in the A. o. U. W. Hall on Fri.
dav evening last to listen to the
graduating exercises Of the High
School class Of 1889. They began
coming at half past seven and the
first arrivals had plenty of time to
study well the profuse decorations
the flags bordered with oak leaves the
Ingenious evergreen motto "Down
with Micawber," the great bell of red
and white and yellow roses and the
beautiful display of potted plants-be-
fore the last who came at half past
eight had found their places. There was
plenty of applause scattered around,
applause for the teachers when they
took their places, applause for the
school board, applause for the singers
and more applause for the class when
it advanced up the aisle keeping step
to the music of the march played by
Miss Beulah Reimert. Then there
was quiet during the invocation by
Rev. G. n. H. Moore, and apprecia-
tive attention to the anthem which
followed.
The first member of the class to be
introduced was Miss Jessie E. Thayer,
whose topic was "What can she do"
1t was soon discovered that "she" re-
ferred to women in general. and the
answer to the question was in effect
"She can do anything she sets her
mind to-" She can support herself
and husband too if necessary. At
tention was directed to the various
avocations that are now opened and
opening to women and the speaker
declared her belief in the ability of
her sex to follow all of them success
fully, the learned professions not ex-
cepted, and not forgetting at the same
time the ancient and honorable occu.
patton of "being a wife," Miss Thayer
spoke with strong voice and clear
enunciation and left good impression
upon the audience.
Fred w. Brewster was next intro
duced and gave a highly humorous
disquisition Of elevators" It was
just plain account of grain and hotel
elevators. to begin with, but it drifted
soon into funny description of the
way in which a knife and fork, a cy.
clone, bent pin, the father of desir-
able daughter, and the family dog oc-
casionally performed similar functions.
1t closed with a serious reference TO
the moral elevators Of community,
leaving the audience pleased no less
with the sense than with the nonsense
Of the witty author.
'The Island of Polupragmosyne,"
was the subject of Miss Hattie B. Bost.
wick's address, and the audience held
its breath while Prof. Umholtz announ.
ced it, hardly suppressing cheer Of
congratulation when he got safely
through. Miss Bostwick located the
island at AZ deg, q min., south and
10S deg. Sc min., east in the land of
Nowhere, describing it as a place
where everybody knows his neigh
boris business better than his own,
where everything is upside down, and
all the operations Of ordinary society
are reversed. Decidedly enigmatical
at first the essay developed soon into
an easily understood and very clever
satire on modern society which was
highly appreciated by the audience.
Harvey S. Christian maintained that
"pluckn and not Occasion" made the
man, or rather that is only pluck that
can take advantage of occasion. 1t
was well written protest against the
Micawber idea Of "waiting for some
thing to turn up," and was delivered
with much earnestness and energy.
Aquartette, "Awake! Awake. For
the Spring has come," by Mr.. and
Mrs. Frank Letter, Miss Sadie Reimert
and Mr.. J. E. Henderson was next
announced. 1t was fine piece of mu-
sic and was well rendered.
No mere summary can do justice to
Miss Susie B )yd's essay on Frogs"
1t was full of humor from beginning
TO end, its appreciation of which the
audience testified by Numerous inter-
ruptions of applause and laughter.
Miss Boyd certainly has a faculty in
this line which it would be worth her
while to cultivate.
"The Childhood of Science" was the
subject chosen by Oscar J.. Cowan and
perhaps no higher co2:nendation could
be given than that he succeeded in in
vesting so dry a topic with SO much |
interest. Itwas a recital of the small |
beginnings of great sciences, with |
suggestion of the yet greater achieve
ments the future may hold in store, |
showing wide reading and much care
in its preparation.
In general We have horror of school
girl poetry" and resort to almost apy
subterfuge to keep from it. Our in
dividual appreciation of Miss Mildred
Henderson's verses on the topic "a