Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1895-06-22
THE FIRST YEAR.

FIRST ANNUAL COMMENCEMENT OF the
BAXTER SPRINGS NORMAL AND
BUSINESS COLLEGE.
President. Faculty and Graduates Cover
Themselves with Glory.
A Large Audience Present and an interesting
Program Rendered.
On the 10Th day of April, 1894, an
agreement was entered into be-
tween the city of Baxter Springs
and Profs. c. S. Bowman and ]. H..
Browning whereby the latter gen.
tlemen were given lense for ninety .
nine years free of charge on thecity
hall building and grounds for the
purpose of establishing normal
and business college. The build
ing was overhauled, renovated and
remodeled,. new aud improved fur
niture was put In and the doors OF
the Baxter Springs Normal and
Business College were opened for
the admission of students on the
10Th of September. The city coun-
Gil made no mistake in giving a
lease on the property for the pur-
poses above stated. During the
college year just closed there has
been an average daily attendance OF
from 20 to 20 students and Baxter
Springs has already become noted
for having one of the best institu-
tons of learning in the West. a
few months ago Prof. Bowman
bought his partners interest and
has since had entire control.
The first college year closed last
night and the graduating class OF
1895 held its commencement exer-
cises in the new Baldwin opera
house before one of the largest and
most intelligent audiences that ever
attended similar entertainment in
this country. BY s o'clock the opera
house was comfortably filled with
admiring friends of the graduates
and by half-past s o'clock il was
damned full of people.
The stage was beautifully set and
arranged, the entrances To the
wings on either side being draped
with heavy lace curtains. On each
side of the stage in front were dec
orations of oak leaves and flowers,
and above the stage in front was
the class motto, Work and VIM"
At $50 o'clock the curtain was
raised and President Bowman i'll
troduced as members of the class OF
'O5 Misses Zela Hodgkins. Madge
Lyman and Ora Wadsworth of the
normal department and Misses Ra-
chel Beltzhoover and Mary Nc
Gregor and Messrs. b. +. Gibbons
and ID. L. Smith of the business dc.
partment.
President Bowman then an
nounced that il there were any
flowers in the audience for the
graduates they would be gathered
up and given to them ut the close
of the exercises.
Rev. J. A. Young of the NJ. +.
church invoked divine blessing,
after which Miss Burress and Mrs.
Kean rendered a piano Duet.
Miss Rachel Beltzhoover was then
introduced to the audience. Her
Grafton was entitled THE Woman
i'm Business" Miss Beltzhooverhas
clear, forceful delivery and her
Grafton was well received. She
spoke of woman in the past, woman
Mt present and woman in the fu-
ture; of how, years ago, it was not
considered necessary to educate
the women. She spoke of the con-
dition OF women in China and told
how they carry heavy loads while
their husbands sit in the shade.
She said that women are increasing
in intelligence and that two'thirds
of the school teachers in the United
States are women. She predicted
that in few years women would be
as far advanced in the professions
as men, and said that if woman
wanted TO go into politics shewould
do so, and when she did, some
things in politics would go out.
B.F, Gibbons was nextintroduccd
and delivered an GRAFTON, his sub
ject being "What Constitutes
Wealth." Mr.. Gibbons delivered
himself in a clear, distinct tone of
voice and told of how most people
considered money as the only
wealth needed. He said that the
greedy struggle for money made
criminals and murderers, and that
good things put to bad use were
hurtfui to all concerned. He said
that thorough education devoted
to good uses is the right kind of
wealth, and cited Clay, Websterand
others as men who had wealth that
could not be destroyed.
Miss Ora Wadsworth came next
on the program with an Grafton,
taking for her subject sympathy
the Golden Link" Miss Wadsworth
is a pleasing speaker and made a
good impression on her hearers.