The record-union., 1893-07-28
GRADUATING EXERCISES.
High School Pupils Bid Farewell to
to the SchooIroom.
Interesting Essays and Orarions by the
Senior Class-A Stirring Address
by Hon. John p. Irish.


School took place at the Metropolitan
Theater last night, and the building was
literally packed from pit TO dome by the
friends and relatives of the pupils and
those interested in the cause Of ed ucation.
The orchestra and stage front were
beautifully and tastefully decorated with
Ivy, cut flowers and potted plants, palms,
etc., while the stage itself was arranged
as bower of palms, while over the heads of
the gradutinG class was a crescent and star,
bearing the motto OF the class in Greek
text, 'Kairon Gnothi'-Know thy op-
portunity-done in flowers.
Mem bers of the Board of Education
and the orator of the evening occupied
seats on the stage.
The exercises opened with song by
the class. after which Miss Lottie Neu-
bourg delivered the salutatory, welcom-
ing the friends of education to the exer-
clses OF the class, She spoke of the rise
and progress of education from the days
oi Charlemange to the present, and Of
the thorns which harass the paths OF
those striving for higher education.
we should, she said, know our oppor-
tunlty, and when 1t arrives lay hold on
IT. striving to meet and merit the success
0--N' 'AAA~AA 49, VA Aiis9 W us
SCHOOL LIFE.
In a retrospect Miss Emma Woods
spoke of the small proportion of those
who enter the Grammar School who con-
tlnue their course until they graduate
from the High School, and pictured the
growing familiarity of the pupil with
the ilngual, scientific and mathematical
studies OF the course. the Vistas OF knowl-
edge OF things hitherto unknown to them
that were unrolled before their view.
Then followed a description of the
pIeasurable Incidents of the school life
with illusions to the humorous side of
their experiences. Their studies in
chemistry, in literature and the rest of
the course was passed in review. the
changes in their lives from the junior
stage through the middle and their entry
into the senior class were all described and
the time which had now come when thew
were to leave the schoolroom and mingle
with the world to find the practical worth
of what they had hitherto been enoaoed
III learning and apply the touchsione OF
knowledge to unlock the door OF success
in future life.
RESULTS OF FREEDOM.
Miss Alma Dufours talk on THE Re-
suits of Freedom" followed. She said
that the triumphs of sculpture. of art. Of
oratory among the Athenians were the
results Of education and of freedom.
They were better qualified by it than any
other nation of their time to fill political
positions and direct the course of events.
which made them so prominent, and left
their impress not only on their times but
those that cane after. The republic of
Rome followed, sending out the influence
of its civilization through the whole
world.
The discoveries of Columbus not only
opened the ports Of new world 10 the
avenues of commerce, and served as a
stimulus to navigation and further dis
covery, but they changed the political
aspect OF the whole world. The Amer
lean revolution sent its intluencs through
all nations. They saw the ennobling ef-
fects OF freedom; they saw the prosperity
attending il.
She spoke of the Reformation awaken
ing all Europe, severing the northern
nations from the influence OF the Pope.
and giving them the impetus which free
dom gives: For ordinary purposes, the
spread OF intelligence and its diffusion
among the common people is far better
Tor people than its concentration in the
hands OF small class. With US, the op-
portunlty Is open to everyone. Anyone
may seize upon it and raise himself from
the common level to the highest position.
We have not the colleges that Europe
has, but we have what is better, the best
schools that the world has ever known;
general education within the reach of
every one.
The instrumental trio was finely rem
dered, and called forth an enthusiastic
encore, which custom forbade a response
TO, and 1t was followed by fine recita-
tion of The High Tide" by Miss Sem
pronia Polhemus.
INVENTIONS AND LABOR.
Miss Florence Barber, in discussing
the question "Do Inventions Benefit the
Laborers," pictured the incredulity of
those who lived century ago, if they
had been told that the commonest of the
inventions of this period would be in
daily use among the people. and who
could not have been easily convinced Of
the work of the moving machine, the
sewing machine, the locomotive and
other inventions. She spoke OF the in
ventions of Morse, Fulton, Howe, Good
year, Bell, Edison and a host OF others
who have by their inventions made so
many things possible in our day. The
change from horse power 10 steam and
electricity has been benefit to the labor
ing man. 1t has elevated him and made
his work easier. When machinery was
first introduced in England it produced
distress and riots, 1t was predicted that
1t would ruin the laborer, but it soon
opened up new avenues of occupation to
them, and with better effects.
For every one in the past who labored.
poorly housed and poorly fed, there are
to-day hundred better paid and labor
ing one-third the number of hours. with
more comforts and better Oft in every
way. Before the invention OF the cotton
gin it did not pay to raise cotton, and its
culture was about to be abandoned when
Whitney invented it. To-day India.
which does not use machinery, stands
still where it did in his day, while Amer
lea has developed her cotton industry
The manufacture of good farm imple-
ments in our country opens up occupa-
tion TO thousands. The laborers of to-day
would not think it possible to endure the
hardships that our grandtathers did. We
have gained much and lost nothing by
the invention of machinery.
woMAN's INFLUENCE.
Lillian Ebert next discoursed on
''Wonan's influence" and gave an in
teresung description OF its effect on the
world. She spoke of Ruth and others
whose influence had been to benefit and
raise up mankind, and as a contrast re-
ferred 10 Cleopatra, Madame De Main
tenon and others, whose baleful influence
brought war and desolatiou to the nations
" hom they belonged to.
she spoke of Florence Nightingale and
her fearless devotion to the relief of those
who needed her aid. She depicted the in
tiuence she eXerted over the rough SOL
diers and the elevation her presence
brought TO them.
THE DEAD ALIVE"
Was the subject OF Carey Van Fleets ex-
cellent Grafton. He referred to the ma
tions OF antiquity and eminent characters
among them. The two Caesars were dis
similar in character and achievements
but both great. The glory of old Rome
clustered about them. They were insep-
arablv connected Julius was great in