Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-06-13

quite q secondary affair. To the aver
age schoolgirl commencement is stu
pendous-an awful occasion 1t is
the Mecca toward which her eyes
are ever steadfastly turned. The bril-
liant. ambitious girl regards il as an
apotheosis-an hour when her gifts aud
talents shah receive their due apprecia-
tion; the faithful. plodding girl looks
forward TO IL as possibility, an oppor-
tunity, . reward, and the frivolous girl
anticipates It's chances as q show for
good clothes.
And . word about that graduating
gown What hours OF delicious thought
il fills; what maiden meditations are
given 70 il. What fertility of design is
employed in its construction. and with
what rapture is 1t worn. Even the we'd
ding gown can scarcely compete with it
On the hne Of pleasurable sensations.
Tell me. madam. you who graduated
years ago. do you remember those nights
after the last bell had rung and you
were supposed to be fast asleep in your
little bed. how you stole forth. wrapped
In blanket, and sped down the desert
cd corridoss to Molly's or Peggy's or
Sues room. there to huddle in the moon
hight while you munched caramels and
diseased and planned the graduating
gowus2
And then do you remember the day
when thAgreat pasteboard box was de-
hvered 1t your room and . cry was sent
along the hall to this and that chums
door. Come in, girls. it has come" and
when the last one had arrived and stood
In bresstiless expectancy how you lifted
IL from N folds Of silver paper and held
1t reverenely in your arms, in all its
crisp muslin and fluffy lace and futter-
ing ribbons? Do you fancy you viii
ever foryet one detail Of that gownl
Commencement day and class day are
neighbon. though they represent quite
different phases Of college life. Class
day IL The studsnfs' own hour Of fun,
frolic and txsvesty. On this day they
may speak spd act according to their
own fancy. Risthe joyous farewell to
. happy four years-a bit Of well bred
Bohemisnjsm- But day
h quite another ssrt. II is Of the strictly
decpso1s and ceremonial type. 1t is in
vested With dignity and haloed with
majesty. HclsAs day is Bohemian, COM
msncsznsn4 p Ne embodiment Of col
legs oauvsueat.lity.
So. ehs1 whW1h6Dsupxemeda dawns.
theseis<D svegvcdllege gentle ripple
Of M rUyu1GDsd excitement, tinged
WITH .uin naeancAoly. A hush falls
Ike ssosuedicelbn over the halls and
coRsjanB. Tho hour of parting is not
far ss~y, and tho groups Of shining
sysd. rosy chesAed and white gowned
gfissnidsn11 assume . more serious air
md bamsh the saysty with which they
p>aussd the trceos the ivy on class day.
Thsn comes the hour when proud IA
theirs. happy mothers. sisters, cousins
and &nnfs, with . plentiful besprinkling
q otner gixlS brothers crowd the
chapel Tbsn that never to be forgotten
wnh up-ehe aisle to the platform. while
tho organs tones swell through the win
dows<out over the campus, where the
gnb-vfH never walk again ~ happy.
eareless students.
The saiutstry-ahl who can do jus
tice b that stately figure who rolls the
unctsous Laein from her rosy lips, Her
relatives listen in amazement. Can it
be thst<his profound young woman. who
IL wrestling with dead language, pun
ishing It's vswels and putting its con-
sonsnts. 10 fight, is their Eliza?
But v<hsn the sensation caused by this
maStien has died away it Is followed by
. Succession Of orstorical earthquakes,