The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-06-20
LA ST
E:D| TT|0N.
FACING THE WORLD.
The High School Sends Forth
Another Band of
Graduates.
CLASS 'S9's COMMENCEMENT.
The Young People Acquit Them
selves Creditably in the Pres
ence of Host of Their Friends.

ence of a Host of Their Friends.
The curtain at the Academy of Music
was like the visible symbol of that veil
which hangs before the eyes of youth
until the end of school life comes and it is
lifted, disclosing the world. Behind the
curtain waited the High School gradu-
ates last evening, and when it rose, SO
intellectual, yet so practical; SO eager, yet
SO serious, were the faces looking, out that
no one seeing them could doubt the firm
resolve animating those young people nor
the excellence of the preparation that
they have for the struggle before them.
What a bevy of girlsl
And all so earnest. Little trace was
there of the frivolity which is charged
against the ''sweet girl graduate" !" The
admirers of this city's type say that there
is no more straightforward, business-like
girl in the world than grows right here in
Jersey City, and the High School pupils
sustained this belief by their appearance
last night determined to show their
friends the results of the admirable sys-
tenn of training they have enjoyed as
pupils of the public schools, rather than
with the idea of airing their personal ac-
complishments. That their efforts re-
fiected much credit upon the Board of
Education, the Superintendent of the
Public Schools, the Principals and their
able corps of assistants, no one who wit
messed the exercises of the Glass OF 'S9 will
dare to deny.
For an hour or more before the exer-
cises began coaches containing the grad
uates rolled up increasingly before the
main entrance, and the feminine occu-
pants in white satin, lace and ruffles, and
carrying huge bouquets of flowers were
ushered by their escorts behind the
scenes, where they congregated prepara-
tory to seating themselves upon the stage.
These were the ushers who stood ready
TO receive the throng:-E. r. Ramsey. J,
Barton, w. Stout, W. E. Wolsey, A. Z.
6. Little, II. Culver, g. F. Ege, d. Pier
son, A. j. McNabb and H. Coust.
The parQuet and galleries We're thronged
with anxious, anticipating friends when
the stage curtain was raised upon as
pretty scene as ever was. The front of
the stage was banked with bouquets and
baskets of choice and beautiful cut
flowers, presented by admiring friends
to the individual graduates. Behind this
rose tier upon tier, Of sweet, thoughtful
faced maidens, whose white dresses,
though costly and elegant, were styled
almost as simply as the classic Greek
tunic.
A rich flood of light from concealed
chandelier above combined with the foot
lights to bring out the expressions on the
countenances of the graduates. The
stage setting was not unlike that of the
sombre ancient drawing room, and with
the grouping of the participants made q
scene which reminded one OF picture of
the thronged gallery of q Roman or Gre
clan arena.
ON THE STAGE.
T.. Rront Of tho d1Iataa cat prncidaOt
Voorhees,, of the Board of Education;
Superintendent Poland, of the Public
Schools; School Directors Moran and Null
doom, Principal Sweeney, of the High
School James E R. MeKinnsv GK5issn Of # H0gS, aSe
Newark Board of Education; Major
Pangborn, John Boyd Senator w. d.
Edwards, the Rev. Mr.. Halleron, the Rev.
f. A. Meury, Robert Davis, p. H. O'Neill,
J. P. Feeney, John T. Merrihew, Dr. L.
J. Gordon, Principals Kelly, Hoyt, Du
Rie, PRESCOTT. Haskell, Rhinehardt, Pro-
fessors Echoff and Thompson and Others
The proscenium boxes were occupied by
Postmaster Kelly and party, John Edel-
stein and party, and members OF the
Miss Bevier, Miss Spear, Miss Coppinger,
Miss Nicholson and Miss Wygant.
When the applause which greeted the
graduates on the rising of the curtains
had subsidized Superintendent Poland
arose, and, advancing toward the foot
lights, said it gave him great pleasure to
present another class of graduates The
success of the High School was familiar
to all, he continued. The pride taken in
the Institution by the good citizens of
Jersey City was just and pardonable.
,1e alluded to the large classes OF gradu-
ateg annually sent out by the school into
the hi Siness and social world, and closed
nv nresefe.<ing the class Of 'S9.
r'he Rev. tyaniel Halleron made an elo-
uuent and heaStfelt prayer.
Statutory.
Tbe strains of music by Prof Victor
Bnier's selected orchestra had scarcely
ceased reverberating through the dome
like structure when Miss Louise H.
Seeley. the salutatorian of the class, was
announced. She is a pleasant faced young
woman. with thoughtful, studious cast
of countenance. Her appearance elected
round of applause.
She spoke slowly and distinctly Her
thoughts seem to take patrlotlc turn.
She referred to the recent celebration OF
the Washington inaugural centennial,
and instituted clever and interesting
social, commercial and political compari.
sons involving conditions at the date OF
the first great Americans 5 advent into the
Presidential office aud those OF the recent
celebration OF the centennial.
Then peering thoughtfully into the
future, she pictured the prospects OF the
nation one hundred years hence. She
looked forward to the time when we shall
have fifty, instead of forty-two, silver
stars in the blue. field Of onr national
flag. She discussed intelligently the out
look for inventions from the study OF
electrical science, and showed how they
would contribute to universal happiness.
She touched the themes OF American in
teIIectual life, the moral training of future
generations, the publication OF American
politics and the death Of pernicious litera-
ture, and prophesied that BY these re-
nations.
SOME CLEVER ESSAYS.
f. Edward Ferris followed with a
timely and well written eulogy OF John
Ericsson, the Swede inventor, and Miss
Lawdham's essay on Right and Lett
was 4 highly creditable production.
Mayor Cleveland made his appearance
Vapon' the stage while the graduates, ac-
companied by the orchestra and High
school choir, were singing the High
School March, E&