Middletown transcript., 1895-06-22
Public School commencement.

Public School Commencement.
The Commencement exercises of tn
Middletown Public Schools were held il
the Opera House on Friday evening of las
week. There was large attendance, thu
auditorium, aisles and balcony being filled
with interested friends of education. The
stage was ornamented with growing plant'
and bouquets, a bank of daisies across
the front of the platform made an un
usally pleasing effect behind the foot
lights; the figures "95" woven in green
were plainly visible, while flags and drap-
cries and other stage furnishing made a
pretty background for the picture that was
presented when the girl graduates took
their places; as they appeared upon the
the platform there was an involuntary
burst Of applause from the audience. Be-
sides the class of '95. the following oCcu-
pied seats on the platform: Prof. W. B E.
Tharp, Principal, Rev. F. H. Moore, DIR.
| l. L. Wood, the members of the Board of
| Education, H. G. Conrad Esq. and others
who participated in the exercises, and rep
resentatives from former graduating classes.
The essays were excellent, well written
and well read. Miss Mary Maxwells New
Woman" was up to date in every sense.
Taking the ground that woman is one of
the two great problems of the day, the fair
essayist was true to her theme. She spoke
especially of the moderation with which
| women have acted in their entrance upon
public and political life, and gave an illus
tration by way of comparison. She said
You could not hire some men to walk two
squares to church on a rainy Sunday, yet
the same men will willingly walk through
mud and slush for ten miles, and stand
under campaign torches and listen to po
litical speeches. Do you think women
would carry their favorite on their should
ers, amid noisy crowd or pull their car
riage through the streets?" Concluding,
she said that woman is now and will con-
tinue to be a greater force in the moral
and philanthropic infunces of the world
than everbefore"
Miss Sarah ,Jolls' "Retrospection"
was on the weaving of life's mys-
tic web, with its mingled threads of
varied coloring and quoted that beautiful
thought of Mrs. Cady Stanton "The
stronger we are the more strain upon our
fibre the finer we are, the more threads to
our destiny" In closing she said, very
appropriately, 1.-The threads for our life's
weaving are before us. Let us choose
them with the greatest care, SO that when
the thread is all spent, and the shuttle
flashes for the last time, when the wheels
of our life make their last revolution, and
the Master shall say 1T is Finished let
there be no broken threads. no discolored
spots, but let it be spread out and look as
pure and spotless as the snowy linen.''
Miss Esther Barnard, the "Valedictorian,
had THE Love of Fame" for her theme,
and her essay was full of thoughtful re-
Election on the opportunities and possibili- |
ties of life. 'The same qualities she said |
(which enable one to do little things we'll |
are the ones that are essential in doing |
great things" To seek fame and glory |
merely to crafty a selfish ambition, she
considered an unworthy motive. for "things |
are truly great only when done from
worthy motives" In her Valedictory ad-
dress, she paid a just tribute to the Prin-
cipal, whose aim has been solely to pro-
mote the highest good of his pupils.
The program was varied by beautiful
music by the orchestra, and several vocal
selections, A tenor Solo. "The Holy City,"
by Mr.. ]. B. Maxwell, a baritone solo by
Mr.. William Brady and a duett, "The
Pilot Brave" by Messrs. J, B. Maxwell and
Harry Budd.
Mr.Henry C.Conrad delivered the annual
address, complimenting the graduates, the
and the School. His plea for
common school education, and his tribute
to men and women of worth and merit in
contrast to those of wealth and position
Mr.. Conrad's hearers were well pleased and
he will never lack an audience in Middle
town should he again favor the people.
Prof. w. B. Tharp, on presenting the
diplomas expressed pleasure at having sent
out so many bright, intelligent young peo-
pie during his seven years here, and was
very complimentary of this years class.
The graduates were overwhelmed with
gifts, flowers and jewels and various dainty
presents.
Miss Sallie Jolls received check of two
hundred dollars from her father in ad-
dition to all her other gifts.