The Press., 1892-06-23
AT sroRRs SCHOOL.

the Storrs School exercises last Friday could doubt that the school has warm place in the hearts of the people, that It's past and present is but shadow of what it's future is to be. This last idea was in- troduced in the neat little addle ess made the graduates their diplomas, one of the most pat little addresses of the kind we ever heard. He spoke of the early days when the exercises were held in the grove and the present fine buildings were visi- ble only to the eye of faith. "That was the day of small things" it seemed now, but to the graduates of years hence the present would seem as diminutive in the light of the then greater present. He had faith in the future of the school. Con- necticut, the pioneer in so many great things, never took a backward step. He charged upon the young men before him to go forth into the world as knight er- rants for Storrs School. Upon the men it sent out as its representatives depended much of the future, and he urged these to consider the responsibility that rested up- on them.
 The early part of the day was full of busy scenes. The alumni were present in force, and time was found for the an- nual base ball match between the students and alumni, the former winning their first victory by 9 to 5 in five innings. Next came test in practical agriculture. The alumni for this purpose had made up prizes of $10 and $5 for the contest. The embryo farmers are put through all man. ner of tests-yoking and unyoking oxen, driving up and stalling the COWS, milking, raking by hand, hoeing, attach ing pair of oxen to a cart and backing The judges were Dr. Andrew Hyde, 'S4, Norwich, J. H. Atkins, 'S6, Middletown, and John Gardiner, '86, Taftville. Their decision, as announced by Secretary T. s. Gold during the afternoon exercises in the chapel, gave 1st prize to H. E. French of Hartford, and 2d to Walter Holden of Norwich.
 At noon the large dining hall in the new friends, trustees, officers of the school, and as many others as could be accom- modated, and substantial lunch was served. Next all gathered in the pretty chapel at the north end of the main school building, where the graduating exercises were held. The room was made even prettier than as designed and perfected by architect and builder, by tasteful ar rangement of flowers and ferns. Upon the platform were the officers of the school, Prof. Atwater of Middletown, Prof. Johnson of New Haven, Trustees Hyde, Gold, Simonds, Hubbard and Mills, Postmasters Daniels of Willimantic, and Randall of Hartford, G. Hall and A, Korper of South Willington. ex-Senator and ex- Trustee Spraghe of Andover, and several other ladies and gentlemen, beside the graduating class. In the audience, which filled the chapel and also the halls open ing into it, were representatives of many towns, including friends of the graduates, with many bright young faces, the an- ticipation of whose presence had doubt- less inspired the students fin preparation for the occasion.
 The eight student graduates and their topics were:
 Charles c. Allyn, Hebron, ''Horticul- ture in Connecticut"
 s. H. Buell., Plymouth, "The Farmer as Citizen" { JAW. Fenn, Plymouth, .tPublic Roa,
 H. E. French, Hartford, "Peach C4 ture."
 Geo H. Hall, Jr., Manchester, "Edu- cational Needs of the Farmer"
 Walter Holden, Norwich, "CommerciaI Fertilizers"
 W. F. Schults, Hartford, "Soils and their Formation"
 H. K. Warner, East Haven, "FOdder Crops for Dairy Animals"
 The subjects were practical ones, and treated in practical way. Of course in a school like this literary merit is less to be regarded than evidence of thought and application of ideas upon the one topic of agriculture. Perhaps the two papers which best held the attention of the audi ence were those on peach culture by French, and on public roads by Fenn. Saying this is not belittling others by comparison, but these two had chosen subjects that were easily. made interest ing, and were happily presented in their best phases. MT. Fenn's paper related to good roads first, better grades next. Students and others, Prof. Peebles being conspicuous in the work, have recently made a survey for better road from Ea- gleville station to the school, as prac- tical object lesson. It is found that road can be made with no increase of dis tance, the easy grade of which will save to the school alone hundreds of dollars yearly in transportation between the school and station, to say nothing of it's benefit to residents of the town. The town of Mansfield might we'll afford to do as much for the school as to build such 8 road, as a pioneer work in the road re- form which inevitably must sweep over New England in the near future. Those who visited Storrs by carriage last Friday, even those who only rode from Eagleville and Willimantic stations, were more than ready to endorse any, Ncondemnation of the public roads of New England.
 A feature of the day was the fine sing ing of the students, led by the rich voices of Prof. Peebles and wife. Gov. Hyde made shoft comprehensive report of the buildings, never formally dedicated, there- fore most fittingly now consecrated to the great work of agricultural education. He also introduced Hon. Wm. E. Simonds, U. s. commissioner of patents, and trus- tee of the school who had snatched time from his arduous public duties to respond to an invitation to make public address at the tenth graduation day of an institu- tion whose welfare has for years been