Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1894-07-04
THE ALUMNI MEETING.
The Annual Social Gathering of the High
School Graduates-New Officers


Once again has the yearly socia
event in the history of the Waite rtowr
high school come and gone, and once
again have the graduates of many
years ago joined together with the
younger element of more recent years
in celebrating an occasion always
fraught with numerous pleasures anc
fond recollections.
Last Saturday evening occurred the
annual alumni reunion and reception
of the Watertown high school. It was
clearly manifested on this occasion
that the graduates of our high school
had lost no interest in their beloved
alma mater, but on the contrary dis
played such zeal and good feeling
which clearly demonstrated their high
regard and love for their old school
and instructors.
The first portion of the evening was
pleasantly passed IN renewing old
acquaintances and recounting the
scenes of school life. After an hour or
SO of these informal pleasantries, the
programme arranged for the evening
was begun by the presentation of the
one-act farce, BETSY Baker, or Too
Attentive by Half, the following talent
being engaged for the cast:
Mr.. Marmaduke er....................
...... ........Mr. Richard Mansfield
Mr.. Crummy ................. - Mr.. Keene
NJ rs. Mouser. ................. Nine. MOdieska
Betsy Baker. Miss Julia Marlowe
1t is perhaps not necessary for us to
dilate upon the amusing situations and
absurd predicaments which befell the
characters of this creation; nor is it
necessary to tell of the great capabili-
ties of such we'll known tragedian as
Mr.. Keene, or such renowned trage
diennes as Nine. Modjeska and Miss
Marlowe, as presenters of the very
crudest''o of farcel Suffice it to say that
in the hands of the real impersonators
Of the cast-John W. Schempf, Max
Rohr, Miss Selma Schempf and Miss
Zayda Gardner-the absurdities and
comicalities were delineated in such
an apt and efficient manner that re-
flected nothing but the greatest credit
and general encom1ums of all present
upon our young Thesplan friends.
Their work was not disparaged by mis-
Interpretation and shyness SO notice
able in the average amateur, but was
marked by brightness and zest truly
refreshing and entertaining. AT the
conclusion of the farce these numbers
were given:
Recitation. Miss Arabella Hirsch
Vocal Solo. Edw. l.. Schempf
Recitation. ........... Miss Mary Shinnick
Vocal Duet ....,......- -; A j; Whtlng
...... William Sproesser
The recitations of the Misses Hirsch
and Shinnick were very we'll done and
met with popular approval. Mr..
Schempf, in his number, "The Sea
Hath Its Pearls" by Bischoff, fairly
outdid himself and added another to
his many triumphs; it was the general
verdict that his pure tenor voice had
never been heard to better advan-
tage. He responded to an encore with
Rubenstein's "Thou'rt Like unto a
Flower" The duet, "Barcarole," by
Kucken, was sung by Messrs. Whiting
and Sproesser in their well-known ar
tistic manner, and they both added
fresh laurels to their already enviable
regulations as singers. In response to
hearty encore they rendered "Ah,
Could [ Teach the Nightingale" by
Keller. John w. Schempf and Miss
Jennie Sproesser were the accompan-
lists.
After this literary and musical enter
talnment the company repaired TO the
banquet board in the lower hall, where
ample justice was done the abundance
of good things. The ''feast of reason
and the flow of soul' then began with
the Introductory remarks of a general
nature spoken by the toast-master,
Edward G. Broenniman, who presided
in his customary happy manner. Mr..
Broenniman said that inasmuch as the
banquet would not be complete with
out some intellectual food a list of
toasts had been prepared, and called
upon Miss Susie McCabe for response
to "Our Alma Mater" the first on the
programme. Quite an elaborate paper,
beautifully worded and abounding in
elevating and good thoughts. was the
result of Miss McCabe's effort; her
theme was the school-teacher's art,
and her descriptions were of fine
and interesting nature. William g..
Pritzlaff was down for the next
toast, but being unavoidably absent
Prof. A. j. Whiting was called upon
for an extemporaneous reply to 1.-THE
Land We Live In," which was very
good and ELECTED much laughter. The
great point that Mr.. Whiting made was
that "the land we live in" was, to come
to the bottom of it, WatertoaOa. Our
thoughts do not wander oftentimes far
away from Watertown; therefore "the
land we live in'' might with propriety
be called Watertown. "Our Bachelors"
responded to hv Albert M Rellack