Evening journal., 1891-06-24
SWEET MUSIC AND PRETTY GIRLS.
Twenty-third Annual Exercises at tn
Academy of the Visitation.

Twenty-third Annual Exercises at the
Academy of the Visitation.
The twenty third annual commence
ment exercises In the Academy OF the
Visitation, which began at o'clock yes
terdav afternoon, were well attended
Among those present were: Rt. Rev
Alfred A. Curtis, bishop of Wilmington
Vicar General John A. Lyons, Rev. M
X. Fallon and Rev. w. J Birmingham Of
st Paul's Rev. George Kelly and Father
Mealsy of st. Mary's; Rev. William
Dollard of st. Anne's, and Rev. Father
Rsugh, s. j., of Bohemia, Pa, Speaker
John p. Donahoe, editor of the EVENING
JOURNAL and others.
The room In which the exercises were
held was handsomely decorated with
plants flowers and eyergreens; the front
was reserved for the pupils, and in the
back portion were seated the spectators,
principally the parents and members of
the pupils families. In the side centre
Of the room on a table, were piled the
crowns ana premiums to be awarded to
the pupils for excellency Of conduct and
progress In their studies.
The only graduate was Miss Kate NJ
Donahoe, the beautiful daughter of
Speaker Donahoe. She was the first to
receive the gold medal and crown from
the bishop. and she it was who delivered
the vRledctory in terms which at once
proclaimed her modesty, her gratitude
toward her preceptors, her depths Of
feeling on quitting the convent, and her
thanks to Bishop Curtis and Vicar
General Lyons, who was chaplain of the
sodality, for advice extended her during
her Eve years course The address was
touching In its sincerity and while she
who delivered 1t struggled to suppress
her emotion, her auditors were deeply
moved
The opening march was led by Ida
Gallagher, year old tot, who marched
to the music Of the piano, went through
many of the movements with skill and
took part In the singing. She carried a
handsome bouquet which, at the close of
the march, She presented to Bishop
Curtis on behalf of the pupils.
The pupils were all elegantly attired in
white, shaded dresses Their waists
decorated with flowers and lilies, which
also bedecked their hair. Their dsport
ment was most lady like and their appear
ance extremely pleasing.
The program was read by Rev M. X
Bishop Curtis. AS each pupil came for
ward to receive her prize she bowed with
easy grace and kissed the ring on the
bishops finger as an act of courtesy and
reverence.
The elocutionsry powers Of Miss Ella
Byrne, Alice Fahey and Helen Flynn
were displayed to perfection, the musical
ability of Miss Agnes Curley, who pre-
af1ad ot fho ,fo
able praise, and the vocal powers of
many others was theme OF admiration.
The exercises lasted from o'clock to
6p m and were closed by an address by
Rev Father Haugh, S j. he said that
when he had been asked by the bishop to
deliver the address he intended to take
hssty departure. but the thought that
there were some in Bohemia who had
charged him with carrying to the pupils
of the Academy Of the Visitation their
warmest love, and who would hold him
to account, did he neglect his duty
deferred him froln carrying out his reso
luton Those of his flock who were
pupils of the academy st time were
now the flowers OF that congregation,
and It would be showing 1t bad taste on
his part did be not do something to show
his sense OF gratitude for the institution
which had given him such persons The
sisters Of the Visitation were of that
class Of teachers that brought out all the
noble, virtuous and lovely qualities In a
person, developed them and polished
them, brought out the useful qualities
aud msde them combine with the
ornamental, and flushed by sending home
their pupils who we're not merely orna-
ments to look on, but active and useful
beings Not long ago he met college
chum who had grown rich but had never
entered the bonds of matrimony. Upon
being asked why he had not married, he
replied that women now looked so much
toward ornamentiug their person that a
wife was costly luxury which he could
not afford TO keep.
This was what the sisters of the
Academy Of the Visitation sought not to
make, but they sought to develop the
heart, the brain and the hand, so that
the pupils while ornamental and astrac :
tive, possessed the qualities Of useful
ness and were after the guide and
pioneers of their fortunate partners in
matrimony.
Many OF the pupils who live in differ
ent parts Of the country left yesterday
for their homes.