St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1895-06-28
ACADEMY COMMENCEMENT


and white.robcd sweet girl graduates,
and townspeope and visitors were to be
seen going towards Music hail. where
this important event was to be held
The hall was tastetully decorated with
the class colors, red and white, and the
front OF the stage was embowered in
Green from the woods and fields, the
effect of the whole being very cool and
airy.
Music was furnished by the st. Johns
bury orchestra, which played number OF
Good selections at intervals throughout
the programme.
As usual the trustees and the teaching
staff ofthe Academy occupied seats upon
the platform, and the graduating class
filed several rows of chairs in the mid
die front of the hall, gentlemen on one
side, ladies on the other.
The opening prayer was offered by the
president, Rev, Henry Fairbanks after
which the essays and orations of the day
were given.
Miss Julia French Owen spoke the Latin
salutatory in clear voice saying that
they who are about to contend, like the
Roman gladiators, in this expectant
hush between the training and the test
ing. offer their salutaton, addressing the
familiar scenes and institutions the dear
home friends, respected citizens, hon
ored trustees of the Academy, beloved
principal and teachers, worthy alumni
and dear school mates, concluding with
a personal salutation to her classmates,
and urging all to take into lies contest
the same zeal with which i'll their studies
they have sought light and truth.
Miss Mabel L. Brock Of Barnet, de-
livered a Jealous essay on the domestic
problem, and in her elucidation OF the
question, what constitutes a happy
home - upheld the dignity Of labor, and
advocated schools tor the training Of
female domcstics. She said we must
endeavor to rid yourselves of the false idea
Of service and think of it as something to
be dignifed by the character and skill Of
the servant
The Signs of the Times, an Grafton by
John H, Marriott, OF Springfield, Mass,
was well delivered and pertinent. The
great social waste going on in industrial
economy, the labor complications, caus-
ing the loss of millions of dollars, the
general discomfort among the working
classes, were cited as pointing to great
social revolution during the next CEN
fury.
Miss Clara L. Buswells essay on Spec
tacles was one of the best on the pro-
gramme, showing a vein of originality
and thought, which will doubtless be
worked more deeply in the future
She accounts for every individual
differing from every other indi
vdual by the fact that at his birth he is
fitted by Mother Nature with pair OF
spectaces which he wears through life,
and the difference in thesele lenses produces
the variety of people.
Sidewalk Education, by Miss Jennie l..
Gibson, was also an admirable effort.
The evils of the influence of street life on
children were pointed out, the most seri.
Gus being the effect on the home, where
the standard of truth and purity is low
cred, thus checking civilzation for no
nation can be progressive and cultured
whose home lie is feeble and whose per.
sonal character is weak.
Henry O'Maley, of St. Johnsburv gave
a strongly American grafton, criticizine
in scathing terms the foreign policy OF
the administration in the cases oil
Samoa, Hawaii, China and Japan.
Ideals OF Friendship was Mss Lila F.
Morse's subject, and she quoted the
ideas OF Bacon and Emerson on what
friendship is, and dissenting somewhat
from both, turned to Shakespeare (ol
the highest ideals, which are illustrative
OF the thought, 1T is more blessed tc
give than to receive
The aIl-absorbing currency question
was the subject OF the Grafton of VIM
H. Rood OF Brookhed, He came Out
solid tor gold, and shuddered to think o
the bareaced robbery which would b,
perpetrated against those holding obi
cations calling for dollars in the future
II the free coinage OF silver should become
law.
Miss Addie NJ, Ranney honorary essa,
on Buried Cities was interesting ant
poetcal. She drew from the recovery O
the treasures OF POmpeii aud the Acropo
lis the lesson that though material struc
lures may be ruined, true worth canno
be efiaCed.
The Disadvantages of Party Govern
ment were well set forth by Charles W
Johnson, of st, lohnsbury, and the ad
yantages of the same by Herbert W
Hoveg, also OF this town. Both gent,
men made good arguments.
Miss Fannie J. Stevens, OF Jouesvillt
by illustrations from the poets Whittier
Longtellow and Lowell, showed wha
ideal OF woman is cherished by America
poets. The composite of these, said til
essaylst, is an earnest, sympathetic fac,
revealing simple, natural truthfunes
wise sincerity and a gentle dignity
character which truly elevates an
enobles mankind.
The honorary essay, "For God an
Home and Native Land" by Nellie
Stevens, was the strongest and mo-
impressive paper, or rather CRATIC
which was delivered during the exercise
Miss Stevens sees in the Woman's Chri