Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-06-05
DIPLOMAS AND FLOWERS.
HIGH SCHOOL COMMENCEMENT
EXERCISES.
Fifteen Graduates Receive the High
est Honor of the City Schools S
Carefully Prepared and Well De-
livered Essays and Orations-
Large Audience.
IDEAL gently with US, ye who read!
Our largest hope is unfulfiIled;

| OuI ldi FSI nope ~ u01ul0llSu5
The promise still outruns the deed,
The tower but not the spire we build
The above stanza which was the elias
motto Of the graduating class of 1881
was evidently believed in heartily 10y
the young ladies and gentlemen WIZ
took part i'll the commencement tx
ercises Thursday evening at the Operi
house. That the young people
friends appreciated their efforts Wa,
evident from the fact that the large
audience room was crowded from stage
to lobby when the school board anC
the graduates took their places.
a prOfuslon of flowers graced Tie
stage and the members of the class
looked their prettiest as they sat in {
semi-circle awaiting the signal fol
opening.
ESSAYS AND CREATIONS.
Tie opening chorus by the high
school girls of the senior and sophie
more classes, with Miss Carrie Corbett
at the piano was graceful and sweet
and pleased all with its harmony.
After prayer by Rev. Porch, Miss
Nettie Geauque gave the first essay
False Proverbs" She quoted a num-
Der of common sayings and showed
their falsIty. The world is too apt TO
jump at conclusions and Miss Nettie
cOunseled careful judgment.
Harry S. Taylor in Looking For
ward and After" believed that the past
was but a trifle compared with the
future in the scientific accomplish
ments. Mr. Taylor delivered his ora
ton too rapidly, but was loudly app
plauded.
Miss Grace Hodges subject was,
1.-THE American Grip and a strong
plea did she make for her heroine.
Originality, independence and good
sense are the American girls credentials
to honor the world over.
Misses Mae Scherer and Mauie
Eames devoted their essays to a SYM
postum on BUYERS and Tennyson's
delineation OF the character of Harold.
The rough but brave leader was de-
picted in two strongly contrasting
aspects and the disrutants entered
heartily into the spirit of the authors
they champiOned, the one idealic and
with honOrs crowned; the other
boOrish, heartleSs and uncultured.
Both arguments were well given.
Another discussion, THE Individ-
ual'' against 1.-The Masses" followed,
champiOned by Misses Florence Nc
Master and Ida Humbargar. While the
first took the list of leaders like New
ton, Calico, Lincoln and Field and
showed how they carried forward the
torch of knowledge, the second argued
that the masses must follow or the
leaders would fall. Miss HIS position
was reinforced by reference to this
republic, the grandest monument of
the power of the masses. Both young
ladies made strong cases.
Jesse T. ElstOn's grafton was de-
voted to plea for better education
which he called "a Nations Safe
guard" Mr.. Elston was little severe
on the Kansas farmers, accusing them
Of waStefulness on their farms. a
better knowledge of the country's
needs would make them richer.
did Shylock Receive Justice at the
Court of Venice?" was the subject of a
spirited discussion by Misses Alice
Humbarger and Addie Over. The lat
ter showed the INSCRIPTIONS character
of the money lender and claimed that
he deserved to lose his ducats. The
former reviewed the farcial character
of Portals court and showed how Shy
lock was robbed of both his money and
his bond. A keen interest was taken
by the audience in the arguments.
The Bright Side,'' by Miss Flora
Stoves was an optimistic plea for a
more sunny world. All would be bet
ter if the suggestions given could be
followed. "a few cranks," said she,
''see one man drinking liquor and de-
clare prohibition failure, when in fact
it is not"
"a Partial Justice" by Miss Maude
Curtis showed a decided leaning
toward the cause of woman's rights.
Miss G. is convincing speaker and
put the ability of woman to take part
in the affairs of state in strong light.
"a Life of Many Distinctions" was
the subject of Miss Bertha Blevins' bi::
ography of John Quincy Adams, in
which she traced the eminent states
mans career in a manner that showed
much historical reading.
The valedictory was given by Cleyson
Brown, whose Grafton was on Bella
my's Nationalism. He took up several
of the nationalists and
showed their falsity. He believes the
settlement of the capital-labor ques-
tons will soon be here and will come
by a more sensible route than Bellamy
suggests. His farewell remarks to the
class and the teachers were in we'll
chosen words.
OTHER EXERCISES.
TntarSnprSad with tho ossouS moro