Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1894-06-15
Very Successful commencement Ex.
ercises at the Atheneum Last
Evening.
The Graduates Acquit Themselves
With Credit to Themselves
and the School.
The Alumni Have a Pleasant Ban
quet After the Graduation Is
Over.
Graduating Exercises.

@ SAt0S VI O1S I'D q % oAOAA WI
n~ection with the Bismarck High schools
is concerned, has become a thing of the
past, and it's passage occurred at the
commencement exercises at the Athen-
cum last evening. As usual, the hall
was crowded with the friends of the par
ticipants, and with those interested in
school work, and the number of both
was large. Upon the stage, artistic
decorations were everywhere evident.
At the rear, and facing down upon the
class, was the motto, in white letters
upon a black background-"Not Fin
ished But Begun" Floral decorations
were numerous, and contributed a full
share to a pleasing effect. At the right
Of the stage, and in front, we're ranged
the graduates. Back of them, we're a
number of their school comrades, who
were to participate in the singing of a
class farewell. At the left, and in front
were the principal of the schools, and
his corps of able observation-disclosures whose
efforts have contributed to the success
of last evenings graduation, and back Of
them again we're the members of the
school board, county superintendent,
and Rev. Durrie, whose opening prayer
for the guidance and blessing of the
class in future was heartfelt and earnest.
The class song wal a farewell to the
graduates, and was very sweetly rem
dered, its significance making it touch
ing as it protrayed the departure OF the
graduates from school life. Prof.
Wheaton introduced the several gradu-
ates, in appropriate words, and the first
was Mr.. Lynn Sperry, the class poet.
Mr.. Sperry's subject was the class motto,
and in appropriate measures of verse he
set forth the significance of the occasion,
and the extent of the field which stretch
ed forth from graduation, which was
merely the commencement, and he closed
with an earnest invocation that the life
work of the class might be as we'll fin
ished as begun.
Miss Grace Falkenstein followed with
the history and prophecy of the several
members of the class. Clearly, in nicely
modulated tones and without embarrass.
ment or difidence she detailed the lives
Of the graduates in turn, and the future
of each as it had been revealed to her.
The ideas of the prophecy were we'll
conceived and executed, and the hearty
applause she was accorded proved the
appreciation of the audience.
Miss Minnie Scott presented a very
creditable essay, BE Your Own
Diploma" She began with the signi-
fcance of the word diploma in a specific
sense-a certificate of ability in certain
lines, n which was necessary in the
professions, as proving the worth of the
holder. From this she drew, in a general
way, the application of this same diplo-
ma in life. How character and worth
were diplomas in themselves, emitting
the owner to an equal and even greater
degree of consideration than the printed
diploma and how great men had succeeded
with such diplomas of worth as these,
the very necessary ones to success.
MIR. John Staley gave a logical pre-
sentation of the Labor Question in a
we'll prepared Grafton. He set forth the
strained conditions which existed in
places between capital and labor, the two
distinct divisions Of humanity. How
necessary it was, in order to insure q
betterment of social conditions, that a
closer degree of confidence and friend
ship exist between the two classes, a con.
dition which could not be brought about
by legislation, alone, but must be accom-.
plished by reaching the moral sensibil.
tiles Of the individuals, that they all
unite in ~endeavoring to bring about an
improvement. MI. Staley's Grafton was
we'll presented, and equally creditable
was the closing number upon the
program, an Grafton upon "Hero Wor-
ship" by Miss Aldyth Ward. She be-
gan with an explanation of worship,
as the respect and admiration univers-
ally feft for those SUPERIOR the qualities
which tend to elevate and improve. Hero
worship is beneficial. for it tends to
create q desire to emulate and follow out
the examples set by those whose lives
have made the world batter. She cited
the examples Of Washington and Napo-
lean-one 2 great man, a hero, in every
sense of the term, the other equally
great in one way, but the two, different.
She showed the different results which
might have followed, hadthe conditions,
positions and opportunities Of the two
been inter-changed. These men were
worshipped by different peoples, as
heroes, and i these earthly heroes are
worshipped, how much did He deserve
worship who was the ruler Of all things,
and the embodiment of all the qualities
which went to make q hero.
The several members Of the class
acquitted themselves creditably, and the
class of '94, which was launched upon
life's voyage last night, is q credit and
4 @L EA ~