Smyrna times., 1895-07-03
High School Graduates.
INTERESTING COMMENCEMENT EXER
CIsEs HELD IN THE OPERA HOUSE.

COMMENCEMENT EXER-
CIsEs HELD IN THE OPERA HOUSE.
Another Commencement has rolled
around and one more class of High
School graduates have stepped over
the threshold of their institution into
a practical life. 1t was a successful |
Commencement, being the Eleventh |
Annual Exercise held in the Smyrna |
Opera House. AS cOmmencements are |
always an attractive feature, the peO-
pie began to go early on Wednesday !
evening last to select their seats and be |
in readiness for the exercises.
The stage was beautifully decorated
with palms and flowers, so arranged as
to make an attractive back ground to
the stage. Suspended from the drop
curtain over the top of the stage was
the class motto: "Row, Not Drift, 49,"
This was made in large letters of ever
green. On the stage sat, President,
John H. Hoffecker, Secretary, E. NJ.
Fowler, the honorable speaker of the
evening and the members of the grad
uating class: Miss Hilda Wells, and
Messrs. William Gibbeny Anthony and
Gilbert Startling Jones.
Prayer was offered by Rev. Adam
Stengle, after which, the GRAFTON, Our
Government" with salutatory, was ex-
cellently given by Gilbert 5. Jones.
His manner Of speaking, infection of
voice and easy gestures were becoming
those of a young orator and he held his
audience with creditable success.
An attractive feature of the evenings
exercises was the vocal music rendered.
The very fact that Miss Elizabeth
Counselman was going to sing was
drawing card. Her selections were
highly entertaining. One was entitled
For All Eternity" and the other, a
closing song Goodnight, Sweet
Dreams
The awarding of diplomas was next
in order: the president briefly intro
duced the subject, the awards being
made by the principal.
Prof. A. Duncan Yocum, who has
been the efficient principal for the past
five years, made few well-chOsen re
marks on the condition Of the public
schools and the record of the gradual
inc class. He referred to the pleasant
relationship with the people of smyrna
and the school and regretted leaving
Delaware in which he had become To
he an interested citizen. He leaves
this fall for Milville. n j., where he
| has accepted the position as Supervisor
of Public Schools, at a salary of $1,000
year.
A duett, entitled "Larboard Watch,
| Ahoy," was sung by Messrs. l.. w.
Counselman and l.. NJ. Price with
marked success aud so well pleased the
people that they were given an encore.
The honOrs of the graduating class
| Of 1895 were bestowed upon William
G. Anthln who, in excellent style,
delivered the Valedictory. His sub.
iect was "Invention.'
The speaker of the evening
was Rev. Joseph Brown Turner, OF
| Dover
THE IDEAL AMERICAN CITIZEN"
was the text from which the reverend
gentleman spoke for over forty min
utes strongly, as was his duty from his
position and standpoint to enlarge on
the ideal" in the formation Of the best
class of citizenship. Before launching
out on hi5 subject, however, he took
occasion to compliment the closing
exercises OF the Smyrna Public Schools
presented saiutatOran, the vale
dctorian. the principal and the compo
sition of the school, if he might take
the female representation on the stage
as IA sample of its makeup. He highly
approved of the custom of giving i'm
portance TO the school in its graduating
exercises, bringing the people and The
children together and magnifying thu
annual closing exercises. He would
have Civics form an important part il
the studies of the higher classes, be
come informed ON the rights, dute
and privileges pertaining to republican
institutions.
This brought him to his suhjec
proper, "The Ideal American Citizen,
the fundamental prInOiple in the exer
, else of whose privileges being name'
the ballot. This was dilated upon a
length as a prime necessity in main
tanning republican form of govern
ment, aud preserving it from the cor
,, , ruptions of designing men. He define
citizen as 'one who enjoyed the free
dom and privileges Of a city as distin
guished from one not entitled to il
l. franchises. On this point he sal
there were too many voters: the priv
ilege was exercised by number VIII
. disregarded its sGGredaeSs, though tn
Z people were better th2n many me
! who sought to use them to obtain plaC
! and position. The newspaper could b
a large factor for good in ppppsjn
schemes of debauchery aud cOntendin
for higher political virtues, rather tina
being simple party machines.
Politicians often developed into a
u oligarchy for plunder; and, the peopl
!, instead Of being the salt to save tt
e community. were themselves ofte
I, salted. He instanced the case
d Cleveland, where the better citizeI
y wanted to elect son of the Martyre
d President Garfield an Alderman fC
r, the better execution of lag 10 that Cit
l. and were defeated by the saloon el
u ment, VINO choose a man who wOu
g the better serve their purpose.
q Christian men should stand by ii
q higher principles that enter into GOO
N citizenship aud good government. TT
le man who blindly follows party witho
d iDauiring whittier it leads, is fit to
= OF men who fatten at the public cri
duI WIZ QSA nfLA az ilSVl ullCi4O
4 obtain his public plunder, 1t was Il
n independent--th thinking man-wl
1t could step aside from his party wit
d the good of the commonwealth d
OF manded it: such were the" "Mugwumps
le who acted with the freedom they ft
e. good citizenship required of them.
is This brought hitl to tbs point
as money and its use in pOiitil
al There were men, he said, with
IL claims of virtue, as politics gOesi VI
c. have not even reached the dignity
e, leaders in a party, who assume to rea
ID by money the highest Offices in the &
of the people, and would undermi
ut the political and social fabric if ne
ld be, to obtain it. Such person, he sa
I'd was Mr., Addicks, who aspired by t
ld corruption of . State to reach the hi
us position of Senator. The use OF mop
I'd in the purchase of votes was degradi
ak to the intelligence of the people. ant
virtual abdication of the claim On /
parties thus engaged of being law.lC
ing and law-abiding people. t
people, through ignorance, weakn'
g. or cupidity, were made victims of {
signing men, and the ballot of I
NV yirtuous citizen rendered of HOn efe
IN He dweIt at some length on the bu'yi
Va. aud selling Of votes as the one thing
Delaware that had corrupted the pub
lg morals. delied the voice of the DeOl