The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-06-19
GORHAMS GRADUATES.
Diplomas and Certificates To Be Is.
sued to Class of %.

Interesting Exercises This Week at the
Normal School-The Members of the
Glass.
The commencement season at Gorham
Normal school began yesterday with the
public examination of the classes. 1t was
a beautiful day and the Gorham people
showed their appreciation of the school
by az ending in large numbers the day S.
exercises. There were also present of the
board of trustees Mr.. J. A. Hinkley of
Gorham, Mr.. J. W. Fairbanks of Far
mington, Professor Chapman of Bowdoin
college, Mr.. G. A Robertson of Augusta,
and Mr.. W. G. Sargent of Castine. State
Superintendent of Schools Stetson was
among those present and participated in
the days exercises Another visitor who
was warmly greeted was Charles B..
Wilson, ESQ.,, former teacher and now.
of the Johns Hopkins University.
This graduating class is large one and
indicates that the school is maintaining
steady growth in the number of it's
pupils These are the 2S young people
to whom diplomas and certificates will
be issued: Myron J. Abbey, Alice e.
Ballantyne, Alice M. Burleigh Clara A.
Call, Margaret Crosby, William H. Dow,
Effie M. Foss, lisa M. James, Clara H.
Meserve, Eleanor e. Perkins, Edith NJ.
Kicker, Alice G. Russell, Carrie M.
Sawyer, Bertha E. Watts, Ina M. Allen,
Maude 1. Bergman, Esther W. Buzzell,
Elizabeth NJ. Collins, Winnie M. Dennis
Mary G.. Durant, Ethel NJ Hobbs, Mary
McCayitt, Lena r. Nash, Helen j. Rey-e
nolds, Lillian A. Ridley, Bertha A.
Sanborn, Ethelyn c. Soule, Lillian B.
Witham.
In yesterdays examinations they ac-,
quilted themselves SO creditably that
many praises were showered upon them
Particularly interesting and pleasing
were the calisthenics. In the large
assembly room on the second floor of the
building where the windows were wide,
open to admit the June sunlight and.
breezes, the class formed on and around
the platform, and the music of the piano
executed many graceful movements with
wands and dumb bells. These exercises
followed several of the recitation hours
and whenever the piano was heard the
visitors focked to the hall from all parts
of the building to see the pretty sight
In tune with the music moved 20 pairs
of arms and the % pupils gracefully
swayed back and forth and from side to
side, with the precision of well drilled
soldiers but without the machine like
movements of the military drill Miss
Jennie Colby, the instructor, has done
her work well and has evidently had apt
pupils.
The examination of the graduating
class by Superintendent Stetson was an
other event of the day of more than usual
interest. The future teachers were ex-
amined as to how they propose to train
the young idea when they have schools of
their own. This was more briefly de-
scribed on the programme as an examina-
ton in pedagogics. The pupils had
looked forward with dread to the hour
when they should gather on the platform
and face the head of the state system of
schools. But Mr. Stetson asked his
questions in so reasoning a manner and
the answers were SO appropriate that he
hour soon. became source of as much
enjoyment to the graduates as to the
visitors. One young lady told about the
parsing class of which she was mem
Der, and how they plodded through Gray's
elegy and other English classics. She did
,N+ Il
mar as of value in modern school. At
least she thought it had been of little use
to her. The graduates recommended well
known poems of Longfellow and Whittier
as good reading exercises in connection
with the text books. They were asked
many questions as to methods of school
management and how the teacher should
use his influence for the upbuilding of
character as well as the training of his
pupils in the three "R S. The answers
showed that in connection with the other
studies of the course, this subject had re-
ceived thoughtful attention. One young
lady caused considerable amusement
when asked if she could recommend some
method of instruction with which she
was familiar by replying, Yes, sir;
Principal Corthell's method At the
close of the exercises Mr.. Stetson warmly
congratulated the class.
Today, the graduation exercises proper
take place in the forenoon. At noon there
is meeting of the alumni association,
and at two O'Clock the association will
have dinner at the vestry of the
Methodist church, the dinner being fur
nished by the ladies. This society is a
valuable aid to the work of the school,
and at this dinner there will be some
entertaining speeches on educational and
kindred topics. Mr.. E. W. Guptill will
preside and about one hundred and
twenty are expected to sit about the
tables. Superintendent Stetson will tell
about the educational policy of the state;
Mr. r Hinlrlav will deScriha tho