The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1895-07-03
Commencement Exercises of st
Francis Xavier's
Academy.
FINS CoHoNAT OPUS.

| 1910 S'poNAl VIZ
Large was the throng of expec
tant parents and friends that flock
ed into the spacious exhibition hal
of st. Francis Navie1's Academy,
Oh the evening of the 2Stl of June,
to witness the young ladies' dis.
play OF elocu,ioDary and musical
talent.
BY 8 O'clock every seat within
the hall was occupied. The eyes
OF the vast assembly were immedi.
ately turned to the walls tastetully
decorated with evergreens, incasetl
iii which were beautiful drawings,
the work of the scholars. The ar.
t'stlcalIy arranged stage, around
which clung the ever faithful ivy,
tailed not to attract the attention
OF all. Soon the silvery tones of
the curtain bell rang out on the
evening stiffness, greeting the
longing ears Of the eager audience.
The programme was opened by
stirring march entitled "Silver
Irumpets,' and the fair musicians,
Misses Katie and Eleanor Stat.
ford, Bette Maddox and Minnie
Bring hurst, by their rendering of
this beautiful quartette gained,
what is most DESTROYS at the be.
ginning OF al entertainment, the
attention and good will OF the
audience.
There ensued, when the last
sound of the deafening applause
had ceased, a vocal qnartette.
"Come Where the Lilies Bloom"
was the song. The chorus was
taken up by the entire GLASS;
Higher and higher rose the soft
sweet vsices Of the youthful sin
gers, and as the dulcet strains
f1oated aloft on the gentle breeze
OF night, the hearts Of the audience
were melted as was the hardened
soul of dread Proserpine by the
pathetic voice of Orpheus.
BY tar the most interesting and
also the most beautiful feature OF
the evening were the three drills.
They showed most excellent train
ing, for every movement was sym
metry and grace itself, and no flaw
could be detected. The first was
the parasol drill by the minim
class. 1t was indeed a very pleas
ing sight to witness this bevy OF
little girls, all clad in white, each
carrying a miniature parasol and
treading to the sounds of MAJ t;al
music.
Next came the lily drill, by the
intermediate class, and it was
beautiful beyond description, for it
was hard to decide which were tue
better emblems of purity-the
young ladies or the lilies.
1t would be quite impossible to
bestow sufficient praise on the
young ladies who took part in the
empire drill. There could be no
prettier sight than these graceful
forms gowned in empire robes.
BY no means was the faithful
Muse OF comedy sighted in the
entertainment, for in the drama
entitled "Choosing a Bride" she
was we'll represented by the splen.
did cast that rendered It.
The good Sisterscertainly spared
DO pains in preparing the musical
programme, for it was a grand
success. An instance of this was
shown in "The Dance of the De.
mons," which was rendered in per.
feet time by twelve hands on three
pianos. Mention would be made
OF each piece, but space will not
permit.
The closing feature of the pro-
gramme, entitled "The Tambou.
rine March," deserves special nell
ton.
The different classes were ar
ranged on the stage and each
young lady received from the
hands of Rev. Father Menard her
reward:
SENIOR DEPARTMENT.
Gold Medal for Good Conduct.
Miss Adelia RACIAL.
Gold Medal for Music, Miss Bet.
tie Maddox.
Gold Mccall for Excellence, Miss
Eleanor Stafford.
SUBS SENIOR DEPARTMENT.
Gold Medal, Miss Pattie Hun.
ter.
MINIM DEPARTMENT.
Gold Medal, Miss Rosa Gehr.
We beg to tender our congratu
lations to the young ladies who
gave such an evidence of unques
tionable talent. A feeling of just
pride mast, no doubt, have been
INDUCED in by all the parents, to
whose pleasure their children SC
successfully contributed. The wri
ter, as former pupil of st. Fran.
els Xavier's School, can bear test
mony to the worth, devotion and
untiring zeal of the Sisters of Di
vine Providence. One wish he
has to record is, that the happy
inmates of the Academy be ever