The herald., 1896-07-02
THE STATE NORMAL SCHOOL
Interesting Commencement Exercises
Held Yesterday Morning
Assembly Hall Crowded With Relatives and
Friends-PrincipaI Pierce Presents
S;xty.one Diplomas

Perhaps of the many school exercises
and commandments that have been be-
fore the public in the past month, none
attracted larger crowd than commence
ment day at the state normal school.
The great assembly hall, the seating
capacity of which is 100, was taxed to
it's utmost yesterday morning with adj
miring friends and relatives of the class
of 90 Every seat was taken, many be-
ing obliged to stand.
To the strains of Volunteer March, from
Black Hussar, rendered by the school
orchestra, the graduating class, sixty
one in number, filed into the hall and took
their places on the PLATFORM which was
literally banked in front with floral Of
ferings, and in the rear of the wall were
crossed American flags Principal
Pierce, Professor Dozier, President POM
eroy and Rev. j. A. b. Wilson occupied
the stage Prayer by Rev. Wilson
opened the exercises, after which fol-
lowed music and essays, the latter show
ing much thought and care in their pre-
paration, and gave assured evidence Of
the high standard of intelligence of the
pupils, and that the graduates OF W Will
be competent instructors for the chill
dren who may fall to their care.
The first essay, The Aim of Modern
Education, was read by Miss Eva Nj.
Johnson. She drew very concisely the
lines between the old and new methods,
the present embodying all-the mental,
moral and physical.
Eleanor j. Stanley took for her text the
Value of Esthetic Training. Music and
art, the true avenues of culture being
the uplifting elements of ones nature,
should be cultured. The speaker urged
the developing of these arts.
Elmo w. Reavis chose for the title of
his essay The Duty of Happiness, set
ting forth the Importance of the teach
rt's influence over the child, and the jul
dicious training that should be eXer-
cised.
Natures Study in the Primary was
handled in a most intelligent and COM
prehensive manner by Mary j. Clarke.
She held to the Importance of the child
imbbing Intellectually through nature
the lessons that nature teaches. A close
knowledge of flowers, birds and all ami
mails was urged
Miss Sue Mathes spoke of the Edu-
cational Value of Imaginative Litera-
ture. showing how the child's mind was
imbued with fairy tales and classic lore
on to the practical training of the
schoolroom which was a strong factor
in developing the nature. Through lit
erature the NINA was DroaueHeu, SYM
pathies became deeper and life was
seen from all standpoints.
Henry A. Wiermille was heard to
good advantage on Child Study. The
education of the child should cover all
points of physical, moral and mental
training. and should be conducted with
view of touching all phases of life.
X Courtenay Johnston delivered the
class poem, Not for Self but for All.
There were several selections by the
orchestra and a duet, The Gypsies, by
Rose Johnson and Mary Gray that was
heartily encored. The music was under
the direction of Mrs. Rice.
After a brief address by Principal
Pierce both to the audience and class,
he presented the diplomas. The speak
err told graphically the course the school
had pursued in the past few years and
said that the Normal school meant