Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-06-18


holding the first Glass Day exercises evel
held in Bennington, and spoke pleasant
ly of the part to be taken by each mem
ber of the class.
George Partridge then read the class
history which was really one of the mos
elegant and finished efforts of the day
1t was full of bright hits for each of his
classmates and it was read with excel
lent effect.
After more music by the band, Mr.
Hurlburt read the following poem which
speaks for itself:
Homer sang of ancient Ilium
And Achilles vengeful ire;
Rome, the mistress of the nations,
Was the lay of Vergils Tyre:
But have a theme that's grander,
For my heroes are alive;
'Tis in chanting loud the praises
OF the Class of Ninety-Five.
These old minstre1s begged the muses.
To assist them in their song;
So I'll ask them all to aid me,
Just to help the work along.
Since I've quit the Greek and Latin
Ponies doubtful, halting speed,
I'll invoke the heet-winged Pegasus,
The poets proper steed.
Lo! he comes, the noble Pegasus.
He's bearing me away
TO the realms Of inspiration,
Where the muses. hold their sway.
There | meet the sad Cassandra,
Who the future knows so WE'LL
But whose word is never trusted,
When the truth she tries to tell.
And she gazes up the vistas
OF our fated destiny,
And she whispers what each member
OF our class is going to be =
How the Misses Pierce and Miller,
Dodging Cupid's darts acute,
Hencetorth spend their time in teach
Young ideas how to shoot;
How the skillful Walter Sumner,
With an NJ. d. on his plate,
Will without the least discomfort
Saw your leg off while you wait
While the genial junior Partridge
With piece of poison lead
Will bedeck your dental worries
Till you'll wish that you were
dead
How the elder Partridge chicken,
With his compass, chains and
things,
Will survey the Shirkshire railroad,
Crooked as the Lebanon Springs;
How the reverend and respected
Mr.. Herbert Heminway
Will adorn some baCkwoods chapel,
There to speak and sing and pray,
While his colleague in the pulpit.
Muse, blush your words to hear
Occupies a city charge for
Fifty thousand every year,
And I'd tell YOU all about it,
And our futures now disclose,
But fear l should be treading
On our good class prophets toes.
So I'll keep discreetly silent,
That | may her wrath survive;
And instead I'll chant the praises
OF the Class of Ninety-Five.
Caesar tells of mighty combats
With the German, Celt and Gaul,
Days of toll and nights of danger,
But at last he conquered all.
So we, too, in daily conflict,
Striving thus our tasks to learn,
Every obstacle have conquered,
Even Caesar in his turn.
And as he his name emblazoned
In bright characters of fire,
So we write our mystic figures,
Only just a little higher:
For his fame with blood is tarnished,
And will some day surely cease;
While ours ever glows more brightly
With the victories Of peace.
But our work is not yet finished;
There is much before us still.
Let us bear in mind our motto
And obey it with a will.
1t will make each girl woman,
1t will make each boya man,
Just remembering that we can do
Whatsoe'er we think we can.
Then, when every task is finished,
When our latest toll is DER,
When we near the bounds of Orcus
And the nights Plutonic shore,
When the grim and grisly Charon
Guides US DER the gloomy flood,
May we know wemuCh accomplished, ,
Fen because we thought we could.
The class orator was then introduced d
md spoke in a polished and dignifled
manner of the Progress and Growth of
he United States" The Grafton was
veil written ana was admirably delivered.
This was followed by the address to '0G
~ Mr.. Carroll Partridge. 1t was in the
main complimentary and parental, was
veil written and well read. A part of
his address was the Last win and Test
lment'' of '0j which we here append:
We The class of '0j of the Bennington
High School of Bennington, in the cOun-
y of Bennington and State of Vermont,
'eing of sound and dIsposing mind and
memory, at the same time realizing the
'vanescence of school life. do hereby
make, publish and declare this to be our
asst will and testament.