The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-06-19

with voice and pen for freedom. John
Boyle O'Reilly was one OF the best-known
men wherever the English language was
spoken and the cause of Ireland under
stood, one who would have honored any
age and ennobled any cause.
ITO Recapitulate,' e was the subject Of a
carefully written and exceedingly well.
delivered essay by Miss Gertrude Leland.
She spoke of the differences of the feelings
OF q student regarding graduation and It's
reality. She reviewed in a vivacious man.
ner some OF the pleasant features Of the
course OF study through which the class of
'95 had passed. Although some of the little
things learned will be forgotten, the bene-
fits derived from school days will be more
and more appreciated as the days go by.
Our education thus far is only the founda-
ton for the building we are to erect In fu.
ture years. Graduation is the beginning OF
a new life that will be what we choose to
make it.
An Grafton that sparkled with patriotic
ideas, and that would rave lone credit to
any seminary or college platform, was then
delivered on THE Birthday of Our Flag"
by Ralph Putnam. Every star and stripe
of our flag that was born 118 years ago has a
tongue that tells OF victories won on land
and sea, and OF the principles those vic
tories represent. A description of the way
the national flag was adopted and of its
raising under the old elm at Cambridge was
given. 1t is the flag that shall fly In this
country so long as love Of liberty and free.
dom lives in the hearts of Americans. As
the years go by, new stars will be added.
Should it ever be assailed, Americans will
never be wanting to rally to its support,
Americans whose w~atchword will ever be
lone Country, One God, and One Flag"
1t is no easy place for any young lady to
be the last or a long list, especially II to her
lot falls the valedictory. Although the
youngest member Of her class, to Miss
Ellen Grout was awarded this distinction,
because Of the high rank she took during
the four years. Her essay on "a Heritage"
was a model Of conciseness and good sense,
written in choice language. She showed
that the experience of past nations is not lost
upon the nations of to day we profit by
the experience of the past. The laws under
which we live to-day are the outcome of
our forefathers' experiments. By the mis-.
takes of our ancestors, we may also profit
and take counsel of ok perience. In a voice
that was evidently hard to control, yet with
a perfect enumeration and a charming and
unaffected stage presence, she gracefully
babe adieu to the citizens of Montpelier,
the board Of school commissioners, Prin.
cipal Blanpied, the other teachers, and her
classmates. The almost perfe ct silence
that prevailed during the nearly fifteen
minutes of her delivery, the moist eyes that
were seen on @ very hand, and the round Of
applause that followed her to her seat,
could not but have been gratifying to Miss
Grout and her friends.
All the members of the class were the re.
cipients of profuse floral offerings which al
most literally buried them in a bower Of
blossoms before the exercises were over.
In a brief but earnest congratulatory ad-
dress, General j. III. Lucia, chairman of the
board Of school commissioners, presented
each member of the class with a diploma,
the tenediction was pronounced by DR..
Seaver, and the graduating exercises Of 1895
were a thing Of the past.