Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-07-05

The great educational event of the
year, the commencement exercises of
the Wilmington High School took place
at the Opera House last night week.
An immense gathering of citizens was
present. The arrangements for their
reception We're somewhat better than
last year. Still it would be difficult to
place 4,0U0 or 5000 people where there
is room for less than half that number.
That was the trouble Wednesday, for
very large crowd of visitors to the
Opera House had to leave, as there was
not the slightest likelihood OF their find.
ing seats.
Several electric fans were distributed
around the building. These aided very
much in keeping people cool and in
good humor. The stage looked prettler
than ever before. During the evening
all the stronger electric lights were kept
upon the stage. Everything else around
the theatre was subdued. The effect
was extremely pretty. There were
SO graduates seated upon the stage.
They were about evenly divided as to
sex. To the right sat the young ladies
looking very pretty and dainty in their
white graduating costumes. Their big,
effect, falling back and forth in gentle
movement like wheat field as the wind
moves across it. The boys, in their black
coats and white chokers, looked quite
dignitied and, as far as boys dare, at
tractive. They were good to look at
with their pretty boutonnieres giving
just the bit Of color necessary to re-
lieve the uniform black of their attire.
AItnnpthnr ~ nc in al ~
pearance as it was in numbers, and one
that did credit not only to the High
School and to the educational system of
the city, but to Wilmington itself.
The speakers of the evening, the
leading educational officials and others
= occupied the front chairs on the stage
AT the rear was the gallery on which
Ware seated the graduates.
The stage was very prettily decorated
Along the proscenium and extending
on around the whole of the balconies of
the theatre were the High School colors,
scarlet and white. Above the stage was
large green pendant monogram, SO"
indicating the graduating class. Palms
and greenery covered either side of the
front of the platform. Upon it, also,
were two or three of the beautifully
made centre-tables from the High School
manual training rooms. There were
lamps upon them, also specimens of the
admirable work of the boys.
Among those on the stage were Mayor
Shortlidge, President Baird of the Board
of Education, Principal Berlin Of the
High School, the Rev. 5. b. Meeser of
the Second Baptist Church, the Rev.
Martin B. Dunlap of Old Swedes, DR..
James H. Morgan, Principal Isaac I.
johnson of Friends School, City Super
intendent d. w. Harlan, Professor Ii.
S. Goldey of Wilmington Commercial
College, Professor Clawson 5. Hammitt,
State Auditor Dulaney, Jesse X. Rayiis,
S. F. Belts, David Coyle and others.
President Baird opened the exercises
of the evening in introducing the Rev.
Martin B. Dunlap, who offered prayer.
The High School Orchestra then gave
the overture "liome Circle" from
Schlepegrell The Instrumentation OF
the evening was rendered altogether by
the High School boys whose efforts
gained them frequent and well-deseryed
applause.
Miss Laura C. Scott was then intro
duced and gave an essay entitled "per
Aspera ad Astra." Unfortunately there
was very noisy, although otherwise
useful electric fan on the stage which
made such loud buzzing that it almost
entirely eclipscd the voice of the speak.
ers. During the address that followed
upon the topic "Mau's Power Over
Nature" the essay, which was doubtless
an excellent one was lost to the audience
on account OF the noisy electric fan
referred to. The duet that followed,
Beautiful Moonlight was heartily
applauded.
The High School class Of '93 presented
So gold pieces to Elsie r. steele and
Paul Talley during the class day excr.
cises held in the assembly room on
Thursday. The prize is for excellence
in Latin.
Next came the distribution of prizes.
DR.. James Ii. Morggns address was in
audible to half the audience aud tB
many on the stage for the reason of the
intrusive noise of the electric fans The
recipients of the prizes were Roy j.
Field and Miss Ella 5. Cornell. George
W. Roberts presented tile M0rhiug NG,s,
prizes to Miss Elsie Il. Steele and Harry
=. Bonham. Edmund 5. Heliings va.
pia recipient OF the Alumni prize, which
we tG'rcsented by DIR. Swithin Chandler
of -Jythis time an employee Of the theatre
a-was induced to remove the obnoxious
Electric fan and thereby the people OIL
the stage We're enabled 10 hear with
some comfort what the speakers were
Z saying. Miss Elizabeth Carlisle pre-,
= sented the Alumnte prize for rhetoric t.
Miss Virginia Dunohoe.
4 The prize Of the class Of 'y2 was pre-.
sented with many complimentary wore.
from Principal Berlin to Charles lly!aul
TheprizG was for sound Scholarship.
Miss Sue h. Jackson then gave Il very
interesting essay on Historic Rivers,
recounting the most famous streams OF
ancient and modern history ana closing
in most patriotic terms with orr owl
Brandywine.
The next rendition, "SlIver Bells, by
the High School Orchestra was given III
good harmony and earned Load up.
plause.
j. Paul Blore then delivered an ora.
ton entitled development" 1t was
excellent both IN manner and matter
His Evolutionary effort showed remarka
bly, fine natural powers, ana in many
respects excelling anything Of the KIM
heard at recent commencement coca
siOns. Ete was warmly CheeIcd and il
fact was called for second time.
A very well sung quartet cntiLat
"Come With Me" was rendered by
Misses Pritchett, Caldwell, Banks anc
Kearney.
Chairman Baird then introduced thu
Rev. Spencer B. Meescr, pastor Of tht
Second Baptist Church, Who delyero.
the address to the graduates, As Mr.
Meeser arose he was greeted by 4 Wei
come of hand clappinl.
He expressed his appreciation ot The
honor done him by the officials Of ta-