The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1894-06-22
COMMENCEMENT.
A Fine Class of Sixteen Received Diplomas
at the M. E. Church last Night.

Fine Class OF Sixteen Received Doplomas
at the M. E. Church last Night.
So long as there are young people in this
land of ours who shall have desire to learn
and prepare themselves for usefulness and
so long as our fair land shall be blessed
with schools such as we now have, or better,
just so long Commencement day and its at
tendant exercises will have a strong hold
upon our people. And after all it is fitting
that this day should be observed in special
way; that 1t may leave bright memory in
the minds of those who have finished their
course and feeling of pride and pleasure
on the part of their friends. And while the
simple fact of having graduated is of little
consequence IL that be the only aim in view,
yet as symbol of the completion of certain
courses of study, as guarantee of years of
honest and persistent study, it does mean
much more. Again while to some it simply
may mean step in their education
which leads to higher institution, to the
most 1t means an end of students life and
the entering upon the real life work.
Therefore any pains and care taken for the
success and pleasure OF such occasions is
far from being in vain. The citizens of
OwOsso in times past had reason to be proud
of the product of her schools, and one who
paid close attention to last evenings exer-
cises could not but be convinced that she
will have abundent reason to be proud of
the jolly class of '94.
The class is worthy of special mention for
several reasons. 1t is equally divided,
eight boys and eight girls. 1t has not only
a class yell and vigorous one but class
song. 1t has developed such good fellow
ship among its members that they have en-
joyed more than the ordinary number of
various forms of amusement together in
Guiding class day with exercises. Then
last, but far from least it contains the only
colored student who has ever graduated
fiom the OwossO schools, and who has been
one of its brightest members. and an credit
to the class in its work-William ID. Lucas.
The church was prettily trimmed with
being draped from the chandelier to the four
corners of the room and along the fronts of
the galleries. The seating of the audience
was we'll attended to by the juniors, al
though their position was trying one to
fill, there being so many people who could
not be seated at all.
The program was commenced by an over
ture upon the organ by w. f. Zimmerman,
which was soon followed by march, to
which Supt. Simmons and the class marched
down the northwest aisle between double
row of the Juniors who formed continuous
archway by holding their fans together over
the heads of the moving class. Upon the
class taking the position upon the platform
the Juniors withdrew from the aisle. q This
entrance was very neatly planned and was
carried out with nice effect. The divine
blessing was invoked by Rev. Bancroft,
after which the Ladies' Chorus sang STIR
ring song and the seniors part of the exer-
cises commenced.
The exercises of the class were divided in
different way than usual, two symposiums
of four and six numbers each being a part
of it. The first symposium was upon the
subject Of ''Oratory and Orators" and was
considered from the Grecian, Roman, Brit
ish and American standpoints. The subject
of the Grecian oratory was we'll handled by
Carl H. Stein who spoke in very distinct
voice and loud enough to be easily heard in
any part of the house. The different kinds
of oratOry were defined and the various
qualities of the orator carefully noted. The
Greeks were very exacting In their oratOry
and the youth who ever hoped to make
name politically knew it must come largely
through his oratorial powers. The Athenian
audience looked upon oratory as the decisive
test of the character and qualities of the
man. Rhetoricians and professors s2rang
up and fourished. Worthy tributes were
paid to the famous orators of Greece and to
the work they accomplished. The Greek
states had been united by the work of one
of these, the battle of Marathon had been
made possible by the voice of another.
Oratory had been their most deadly weapon
and it had been most carefully studied.
Roman oratory was discussed by Burton
B. johnson. He took the ground that ora
tory had brilliant rise In Greece but 1t
only reached the zenith In Rome and had
ever since been on the decline, and that its
setting time had already come never to see
1t rise again. The great Roman orators
were considered from Cato who pronounced
over one hundred fifty finished orations, to
the time of Cicero, Caesar and Mark An
tony. Since the time Of these. oratory has
seen no more than their reflection. He
alluded to the statement of Vending that
the orators of the present day could be
counted ON the fingers of one hand and said
the art of printing was responsible for its
decline. Few could hear an grafton, few
thoughts could be expounded in one. Thous-
ands could read a book: the author could
impart the same spirit to each and the sub
ject could be exhausted.
X. Howard Daniels spoke OF British ora
tory. After the fall of the Roman Empire,
night had settled upon oil oratory. At the
time of the reformation the gloom beg an
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