Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1892-07-18
rFAIR, rYoUNe5 PIONEERS STHEsgy
New York, Normal College Turns Out Its
First Girl Bachelor of Arts. ,.,,

,r4 W, ''n,sr Or rr7---T-r-7- -7--u02 5rao-~ VI
New York, Normal College Turns Out Its
First Girl. Bachelors of Arts. ra
& The big hall of the, normal college of
the city of New York at Sixty-eighth
street and Park avenue was filled with an
audience of 1000 people Thursday morn
ing who had come to see the. ,273 gradu-
ates of this years class, in the Closing
exercises of the school, These ,,273 are
now fully qualified, as their diplomas
attest, to teach in, New York's public
schools. Noticeable among the. gradu-
ates was a group of fifty who wore col
ors of orange and white fastened with
pins bearing the motto, t""Tentanda via
est, concerning which one of the wear
ers confidently informed friend that it
meant '..'get out of our way ,,,a., ~.
'+ This group was composed Of, the, aca-
demic part of the class, "a. G. 9TH" in
school parlance, and they are the first
girls who have ever, received the degree
Of bachelor of arts from any publicly
supported Institution in this country.
This caused no marked difference in
their appearance, however, from that of
their. less fortunate sisters, except in the
colors and pins they wore. There. was
discernible in, their countepances, how
ever, a subdued consciousness of their
importance in being the first class, ever
graduated from the Institution to attain
the lofty general scholarship. indicated
by a class average of over 90 per cent. =.
=. Around the bachelor band were seated
the normal graduates, 223 strong, wear
ing lavender and, white colors and pins
ornamented with their class motto In
the seats back of the white mass of
graduates and in the overhanging gal
leries the audience was closely packed,
while in the front was the, platform
where sat the dignitaiies of the day. p
A large number of policemen were
scattered about the hall, as if fears were
entertained that the bachelors, in cele-
bration of their newly acquired mascu-
Unity might institute d college rush
or do something, equally subversiye Of
normal school decoruni. The, exercises
passed off without any such disturb
ance, however, from the salutatory of
Harriet M. Raschen to the vaIedictory
delivered by Lima Hall. The programme
was agreeably diversified by some very.
good singing by the normal college glee
club, who reflected great credit on their
training, both in the selection and rem
dition Of their songs. ~" 'n' ,''l-" =.
vi After the essays and distribution of
the regular. prizes, School Commissioner
Clara M. Williams, who is herself
graduate of the normal school, awarded
four prizes, one to the girl Of each class
having the highest standing, and then
announced that two prizes, one Of twen-
ty dollars, the other Of ten dollars, were
to be awarded for the best essays on
General Grant, the Grant monument
committee having offered the prizes.
One Of these was offered to the College
of the City of New York, but the stu
dents of that enterprising Institution
complained that 1t was too near exam
nation time to work ON essays, 80 the
prize intended for them was added to
the one offered to their more indnstri-
GUS sisters The prizes were won by
Ethel Stebbins and Estelle Forsch-
heifner. 0g,a IttW yn6I .s1niaff9aa' q,
I'D When, the exercises were over the
fifty bachelors led the way out, carry
ing their diplomas bearing the new col
lege seal Of Minerva sitting in a circle
of ivy, the college plant; clasped to their
manly bosoms.---New York Sun, ailHl