Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-04-07
GRADUATING EXERCISES.
Diplomas Conferred Upon Twenty-Six
 High School Pupils Last Evening.

The dlgh SchOOl class or J0 COmpleCeQ it's school days, it's troubles, trials, last right, and started out as indivi- duals to face life's work in the future.
 The hall was hung with flags and bunting. The motto of the class, "Per aspera ad astra" was shown on hand some silk banner of lavender and gold, suspended at the rear of the stage. At the right of the stage the board of edu- cation and the district committee occu- pied seats.
 The Bartlett quartette began the evenings exercises with the selection Soldiers Joy," and at intervals be- tween the members rendered several songs and glees. Principal Tracy an nounced the program. Miss Harriet Kirk, the salutatorian, extended the welcome of the class in the regular manner in bright language and ideas. She called attention to the fact that by the wise prohibition of the flowers, "but as dame nature has en- dowed our class with great personal beauty we more than make up for the lack of this in previous classes and we have been equipped with an education which will be of great benefit to us in the battle of life.'
 Miss Mary Phelan announced her sub ject "The Pension Laws" as one which | was causing considerable discussion the surface much curious and interest ing information and concluded by say ing: 'Let this glorious nation confer every honor on its brave soldiers, but let the greatest care be taken that the country be not duped by fortune hunters and scheming robbers" The Misses Adonia Eva Archambault and Margaret Rose Fitzpatrick discussed s'The Annexation of Canada" Miss Ar chambault favored annexation, giving reasons why she considered it of the ut most importance that the United States should do it's best to effect the merging of both countries, and pointing out the | dangers in case of a war with Great Britain while Canada remains separate country. She closed with the declar- ation that the Canadian people as a whole had little attachment for the British crown. Miss Fitzpatrick denied that annexation was favored by the | Canadians; pictured out some of the dis advantages of annexlng country oG1 hay, \ ing a public debt of $500, ,000, ,OOO, and reasoned that the peace which the United States now enjoys with all the world must be bI oken, and the country plunged into a bloody war with Eng land.
 Michael Henry Scully spoke on Ancient Timepieces." The efforts of the ancients to measure time accurately were taken up chronologically and com mented upon with much skill. The sun dial, the clepsyera, the hour glass, the first clock, all were explained, and the fact that time is even now measured most accurately by the position of cer- tain stars.
 After the selection "Little Darling, Dream of Me-" by the Bartlett quar- tette, Mary Louise Kelley began the Isutject, Enumeration of Hawaiian Islands" The youthful essayist not only proved by her arguments that she had familiarized herself with the his but that she had followed carefully the statements of the press since the de-
 throning of the late queen. She urged
 that the islands be annexed, that Ameri- can interests in the Pacific might be
 protected.
 William Francis Ryan treated the audience to an interesting and amusing history of the class. The petty incl dents of school life were described with
 much enjoyed.
 Margaret Felicia Stevens made an
 eloquent plea for the Education of the
 Indians," and the preparing of them to
 assume the duties and responsibilities of
 citizenship.
 Charles Hyde Warren delivered an
 oration on the subject, "From Magic to
 Chemistry" The practice of magic by
 the Egyptians, Chinese and Hindoo peo'
 and outgrowth of the great natural
 science of chemistry was taken up and
 explained in a very masterly manner.
 Clarissa Ackley Cowan spoke of the
 "Education of American Girls" be- speaking a share of the benefits o1 education and the rights of women tC
 make a name and living in the pro fessions.
 Again the Bartlett quartette rendered
 selection, "Robin Adair," and gained
 recall. Then Minnie Agnes Moore talked "Our City Water Question
 straight at the audience in the popular
 style, strongly favoripg the Branch
 and asking for that abundant supply o
 pure and clear water as provided by { beneficent creator.
 Agnes Inglis Walker told the story o , "Thread" in a bright, attractive man
 ner, surprising her hearers to think sh'
 could put the simple article to so many fuses.
 Eleanor Eunice Beckwith had as th' subject of her essay "Heroism." Thi quality she claimed does not belong ex , clusively to man, but contains many striking examples in the other sex "What IS life," said the essayist, ''bu 1, one round of duty, and duty faithful! performed is heroism." :--.----;.: - -. =
 Stella Katherine Hahn, the clas
 prophet, made much laughter with he
 imaginative forecast of the lives of tn r classmates.
 Lena Carolina Marggraff spoke ol "Good Humor." She read extract from notable humorous writers, ant . declared that if any one can enjoy al the humor that is written, he must in r deed be a happy 4mortai. The clas ipoem by yZenas Potter Candee was re
 ceived with merited applause.
 %,Bessie Clarinda Tyler told brigh
 story about advertisements" 9Th benefits of advertising are well knowl to business men; many of them spen' - large sums. The business naanh t does not Advertise in this age of prd&4s t finds himself away behind the times."k Miss Selma Kaiser had as her subject