The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-05-29

Inc exercises Oh COMMENCEMENT
week at the Normal eliminated las
night in the graduating exercises, he'll
at the opera house. That building
has seldom, if ever, held such larg
audience, for standing room wa
scarce. The exercises passed off YER
pleasantly and satisfactorily, and fer
ty young people were added to thu
alumni Of the school. Their names
are as follows:
ADVANCED COURSE.
Carrie A. Bachtle, EaSton: John W
Bowe, st. Clair; Lizzie L. Coleman
Pine Island; Alma Coyey, Worthing
ton; j. Milton Davies, CORTLAND: Ger
trude G. Drake, Nicollet; Halsten O.
Eggen, Mankato; Kate L. Hovey
WOrthington; j. O. Johnson, Madelia
Clayton L. Kennedy, Mankato; j. j
Livingston, Centre Chain; Guy Liy
ingSton, Centre Chain: Nellie E. LOr.
ing, ST Peter: John X. McBroom
Sherman; Andrew t. Wig, Hazel Run
Harriet Wildes, Lake Washington
Anna NJ. Wright, WOrthington.
ELEMENTARY COURSE.
Emma f. Arnold, Mankato; Fannie
P. Burgess, Mankato; Ellen M. Davies,
New Ulm; Lilly Davis, CORTLAND
sen, Springfield; Sarah II. Halvorsen,
Madelia; AIDA E: Hill, Medo; N.
Ethel Hurd, Mankato: Bertha NJ.
Knights, Litchtield; A. Jeanette Lat
ham, Waseca; Minnie A. Moon, Idle
wild. / NoSnn Dirnctnnn. y
Noble, Mankato; Stella A. Porter,
sofa; Mamie X. Smith, Sherburne;
Geo. W. Sugden, Alma City; Katie G..
Sweeney, Negaunee, Mich: j. w. True,
Westford; Fred. O. True, Westford;
Florence E. Turner, Good Thunder;
Etfie M. Warner, Garden City.
The scene presented when the cur
tain arose at few moments after
eight o'clock, was indeed enhancing.
The stage was open nearly to the rear,
and contained about $50 persons, the
forty members Of the graduating class
being in front and occupying several
rows, back of whom was chorus of
100 voices taken from among the stud
ents of the school. The white dresses
and VaricOlored cOrsage bouquets were
somewhat less attractive than the
happy faces, but were none the less
elegant. The stage was beautifully
and taStefully decorated with pOtted
and cut flowers, and the stand holding
the diplomas appeared to be made of
snow balls. The class motto, 1.-THE
Person, not the Deed" was to be seen
in silver letters above the stage. The
boxes were filed with banks of ferns.
In front andaat, the left of the stage
sat the members of the faculty, with
resident Director Clark, and Reys.
Hair and Bergstrom.
The overture, prince and Peasant"
by the Concordia orchestra, was the
first of several excellent selections
rendered by that organization during
the evening.
The exercises were opened by an
earnest invocation by Rev. j. Berg
strom, of the First Baptist church.
The great chorus, under the leader
ship of Miss Griffin, sang "The Heav-
ems are Telling" by Haydn, in a man
ner which left no doubt of the lady's
ability, and showed the large number
of good voices at the Normal.
Geo. w. Sugden then advanced and
delivered an grafton on 'Free Coinage
of Silver" His bearing was dignified
and delivery excellent. 1t has recent
ly been made certain, said he, that
silver is in the near future to be the
main metal in finances, gold taking a
subordinate position. The acts of
Congress do not fix values, but the
law of supply and demand. The eX-
perience of the past ten years shows
that silver is the safest medium with
which to expand the currency. For
the country to adopt the free coinage
of silver in this country, unless made
so the world over, would result in the
denomination of gold in this coun-
try, while it's silver would flow into
the United States treasury, and gold
would become a scarce commodity.
Gold would rise to large premium,
merchants would necessarily fail,
wholesale establishments and even
railroads would be wrecked, and the
greatest commercial disaster would
occur, causing widespread loss. He
closed by urging that bi-me ttaliSm be
adopted by the country.
Miss Gertrude G. Drake read an es-
say upon "Self Protection of Plants. p"
1t showed great deal of study on the
SuDJGCU ny UuC WIlUCI. Liz IOOU 10
the hardest working member of plants,
while leaves and stems do their
smaller work. The different forms of
upright, postrate and clinging plants
were referred to, and the different
manner in which the leaves are placed
upon the stems. The leaves differ &C
cording to climate. Some roots, when
severed, will send up shoots from each
part. Some plants send out runners.
Every tint and color of plant is for
the plants benefit, not for it's beauty
to the eye. Some require certain kinds
of pollen, others require certain COL
or to attract certain insects, for in
stance red clover attracts humble
bees. Sometimes plants are sur
rounded by huge husks for protection.
Different plants scatter their seeds in
various manners, some by water, some
by commerce, some by attaching to
people, like burrs,) some by flying
machines the boXelder, maple, dandy
lion, milkweed) Nature gives a re-
markable tension to life to plants,
which seem so frail.
Guy Livingston was the next speak
er, and took for his theme, progress
of Civilization. He spoke very
fuently and easily. That we have
advanced shows a preponderance of
good our evil, while any backward
steps shows a period of national slug
~;cbpocc Ha cOmparad tho nracant