The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-06-10
"GRADATIM"
The High School Turns Out A Prom
Using Class of Twelve.
The Graduating Exercises Pass Off In
A Highly Successful Manner.

AS usual, the opera house was crowd
edThursday evening by half past seven
O'Clock. The graduating exercises
passed off very successfully and were
fully up to the standard Of past years.
The curtain rolled up at precisely at
eight O'Clock and precented lovely
scene to the view Of the audience,
Amid a carnival of flowers sat the
graduating class of twelve, the ladies
arrayed in attractive gowns and the
gentleman in their sombre colored
suits. Each wore boquet of gener.
Gus proportions. On the opposite side
sat the school board, High school in.
Structors and several invited guests
The rear of the stage was occupied by
large chorus.
The graduating class is unusually
large and is as follows:
Classical courSe-Frederick r. Bech
dolt, Ella S.Durkee and James G. Nor.
riSon.
Latin course-Luella M. Davis. E.
May Fletcher and Fred Sheppard.
English course-Minne b. Blake
BERTHE McMurtrie, Sadie, McMurtrie
Alice A. Thomas, Jay r. Wysong and
Arthur E. Young.
The various speakers were presented
with some beautiful bouquets and bias.
kets Of flowers.
The exercises were opened by an in.
vocation by Rev. David Husband.
The large chorus OF young voices
than advanced and sang "O'er the
Waters" in manner that showed the
excellent training which they have
received under the careful Leadership
of. Miss Florence E. Soule, teacher OF
music in the public schools.
Miss e. May Fletcher was the first
speaker and took for the subject OF
her Grafton The Songs of Nations.
She said these songs contain the in
most feelings Of the people. The
songs OF Ireland are simple and patheU
&c. a conquered nation, ner songs
are the used-tO-be. This touching
pathOs is not found in German song,
which are warlike in character, sucn
as Die Wacht AIN Rhein." In France
the thrilling commanding Marseliaise
is sung, written a century ago by d
young poet in a moment Of divine III
SpiratiOn. The ballads of Scotland
are most attractive. Their simple
melodies are strangely different from
the songs across the border, where The
English sing ''Brittania Rules the
Wave" To all these songs Of nations
belongs charm. But dearer to Us
are our own grand songs. Discovered
four centuries ago, our country now
stands foremost among the powers O1
the earth, and her history has left its
impress upon the songs. The Star
Spangled Banner" and Yankee Doc.
die" won the battle for the union
Patriotic song, like d golden cord
winding in and out, strengthens a
nation. Miss Fletcher is very at.
tractive speaker and held the closest
attention Of her hearers.
James c. Morrison gave an Grafton
upon The Power of the Press " He
said that the people are just awaken
ing to the powerof the press, though
Milton first realized it. The speaker
traced the growth OF printing from
the invention by Guttenburg To the
great journals Of today. The pres,
has affected many changes in the
course of the worlds events. The
newspaper is the helper Of everything
that is god and affects the veal OF
the country. Newspapers depend for
support upon public favor, and must
be parallel with public morality. Ii
is that high, but cannot be perma-
nently higher; it takes The lead in re.
forms ana brings public sentiment up
to its position. Books preserve the
purest essence Of intellectual efforts
of all ages. Should the press ever
pander To the lower instincts of man
then our liberty would fall, for we
would have no agency to lead us high
er. The matter showed that the
speaker had given the subject much
intelligent thought.
'The Young GrayHead" was recited
by Miss Luella M. Davis in clear,
forcible, and effective manner.
Miss Florence E. Soule rendered an
instrumental solO-"Kemmenoi Os-
trow" in charming and artistic man
ner.
R. Wysong the delivered an Or
Grafton upon the subject Of The
National Guard" He spoke Of The
obsolete laws regarding the militia,
and referred in detail of the Pennsyl :
vania and New York militia, which
are the best in the country. The
efforts of all the national guards
should be to combine these two sys-
TENS. The guards are necessary and
thould be kept in readiness for ser.
vice. The speaker was at home in
military matters.
Miss Alice A. Thomas read an essay
upon the subject of "a Day in New
York" From high outlook she
pointed out the various points of in.
terest in different parts of the city
She hen showed her hearers hlSI