The herald., 1893-06-23
ST. v|NCENT'S COLLEGE MEN,
The Exercises of the Gradual
ing Glass Last Eyening.
Three Bright Young Students Appear
Before Their Friends.
The Residing OF Essays and Comforting
of Dsgrees-w. III. Workman, Jr.,
X. j. Dillon and j. A. McGarry
the Graduates.

=
evening with an appreciative and fash
ionable audience, the occasion being the
twenty-fourth annual commencement OF
st. Vincent's college. Early in the
evening the people began filing into the
auditorium, and by 5 o'clock there re-
mained but few vacant chairs.
In the audience were the relatives OF
the graduates and those upon the roll OF
honor OF the college, other members OF
the school, together with friends. being
also present.
The members OF the college faculty
and some of the Catholic clergy OF the
city occupied seats in the boxes, while
among the rest OF the audience we're
many prominent business men OF the
community.
TIE GRADUATING CLASS.
The graduating class consisted of ].
A. McGarry, cum laude (who graduated
with honor, w. II. Workman, jr., and
r. j. Dillon. The class Grafton and val
edictory were delivered by Master Nc
Garry, while orations were also deliv-
cred by the two remaining young gen.
tlemen. The subjects we're the States
man, the Inventor, and the Stage. They
represent a wide and fertile field for
bright ideas to travel, and the speakers
last evening made the most OF their
opportunities, and treated their subjects
very ably and with great credit to their
preceptors and to themselves. The
orations showed care and preparation.
being we'll worded and clearly expressed.
All of the points were we'll received by
the audience, which rendered the proper
encouragement to the young speakers
when occasion called for it. The three
young graduates were warmly received.
A feature OF the degrees conferred is
that they are the degree of Bachelor OF
Arts, st. Vincent college being one OF
the only two institutions in Southern
California comforting this honor. The
orchestra rendered selections between
each Of the oratione.
w. II. WORKMAN, JR.
The first oration was by w. H. Work
man, jr., a son OF ex-Mayor Workman.
1t was upon the Inventor. He opened
by saying that society has always placed
we'll defined distinction between the
life OF the professional man and the
life of the tradesman or mechanic. To
the former che had given her highest
preferments, while che has manifested
no such partiality to men in
other walks of life. The brakeman or
mechanic, in the performance of his
daily task, has received no praise and
but little encouragement from her. And
seldom has any but q local reputation
been attached to his name. He has
had no higher object than the gaining
of livelihood or the amassment of
wealth. Deluded by q strange judgment
OF comparative merit, society has always
assigned the inventor to the latter
clsee, while the statesman has been re-
| Qarded by the world with feeling al
most akin to awe.
The speaker claimed for the inventor
place in society as exalted az that OF
the society man. Society in this age
has at last begun to recognize this
claim.
The requiHites for invention are pro-
found observation and the concentra-
ton of thought upon one object. To
these two attributes the inventor also
has his lesser faculties constantly alert
to note any function of nature to turn
to account the elightest deviation from
known lave. His imagination must
also be of the keene5t.
The object OF his profession is to con-
trive new instruments and machines by
which labor may be lessened. His good
influence also extends to the intellectual
and moral, for by appealing to the
minds OF the masses it causes CORES
ponding advance upon their part.
From the beginning invention WAS
practiced by man only as far as necessi-
tated by his physical wants. Necessity
was the mother of invention. When
man found that he muet perish or till
the soil for his sustenance, his mind
suggested the construction of some rude
implements, and when it became neces-
sary for him to slaughter his fellowmen
he contrived the proper arms.
We are able in this present age to COM
municate with friends miles away,
while the voices of our great men are
wrapped about cylinders by which we
may hear them at pleasure. The streets
of our cities and our dwellings are rem.
dered at midnight as light as day
by means of electricity. Our street
cars and other conveniences are alec
controlled by this strange force.
The inventor has made these innova-
tions and made these transformations,
of this wonderful age.
MIR. r. j. DILLON.
After the Concert Waltz of Vauci had
been rendered by the orchestra, Mr.. r
j. Dillon then stepped forth to deliver
bis oration upon the stage. The stage
he said, truly speaks to the soul, arousel
the Imagination. and perfects the intel
lect than any other in all the brilliant
catalogue of this age.
The popular drama bursts upon tht
armament of modern literature, anC
with one supreme explosion shatter
itself into thousand fragments anC
disappears into oblivion. 1t leads pre-
carious existence for a few years, pleas
ing the senses for time and attract
ing attention by the intricacie
of its composition, but finally
hastened to death by the fie.y
dart of the merciless criti,
and at length ortrssized. 1t depends
upon frail piller of thought that il
made to support mass OF coarse wit
for ite adornment.
The truly classical drama supported
by more than harmony OF words and en-
dowed with more than the inanity of
meodramatic plot; survives the bite
buffet of countless ages and goes dowI
: intact to futurity. 1t possesses fla o
that ever delights the taste innate b,
nature and cultivated by education OF
modulated by good judgment.
The histrionic talent Is a gilt not pur