Middletown transcript., 1896-06-13
vALEDICroRIEs ARE DOOMED:

The fiat has already gone forth that
along with other time-henored customs
''the sweet girl graduate'' must 60, at
least so far as gaily illuminated halls,
brilliant audiences, trailing garments,
showers of bouquets and learned treat
ises on the problems of the ages by i'm
mature maidens of Is are concerned.
Even the class history, poem and vale
dictory are tottering Cd the brink of
dissolution. Nothing, indeed, of the
old order retains its pristine glory, ex.
cept the white muslin gown, which
continues to hold its own triumphant
against, boomers, short skirts and
other innovations.
A trip to every fashionable school in
New York reveals the fact that the
chief aim of teachers in all high.grade
schools is TO reduce to the simplest pos
sible form the exercises of graduating
classes. At swell school on Fifth
avenue, was told that they are elimi-
mating as rapidly as possible every es-
pecial feature of the occasion; but they
Lave found it impossible to make a
sudden drop from all the oldtime pa.
rade and display to nothing but staid
address, their Western contingency in
particular desiring something more
elaborate. -
I'VE still allow them the salutatory,
poem and valedictory," said the pre-
ceptress, s'but we shall ultimately do
away with that, and we can be only
too thankful that The days have gone
by when young maidens are expected
to hold forth on subjects thai they don't
kncw any more about than rabbit
knows about war horse.'
AT this school the seniors will have
in the morning an hours exercise, con-
sisting of history, class song and
and giving the joke prizes
such as a potat masher to the CO.
4uette, a gun to the young woman who
q fleets the military, a bottle of tonic to |
the "agreeably buxomn girl, etc. At
these exercises will be present only the
pupils of the school, and no one is !ex-
pected to wear anything more elaborate
than tae simple shirt waists and skirts
Of every day. /
Il
From 8 to 8 in the evening will be
held in the house the regular gradua-
Ting exercises beginning with saluta-
.ory, followed by class poem and val
'dictory, after which comes brief ad-
1ress by SOME prominent educator, and
he presentations of diplomas.
The feeling seems to be very general
among teachersthat while there were
10 doubt sweet and stimulating feat
Tres in the old way, it was not with
,ut certain pernicious elements.
With some it wasa question in ethics
IS to just how far ''the sweet girl grad
tie" had right to bore long suffer-
ng public with that same little essay
led In its iuttering blue ribbons.
Then, too, this inofensive production
\ as often dire distress to its fair per-
'etrator and only achieved by the
nightiest throes; at season of the
ear. too, when she was already tired {
gith her years work. As one teacher {
aid to me, the general work of the {
Whole spring term was more or less t
lcrifced to these elaborate prepara-
ons for the closing week. Now reg. b
lar rotations 60 on In, the usual man
er up to the very last day. 4
The moral influence, also, was b
fought to be not only altogether of b
le highest. There was an increasing 6
ndency to display, not only in the o
after of gowns and decoration, but
the equally dangerous tendency to v
low self-seeking in the desire to shine q
tellectually. FL
1t will not do to forget, however, n
'at it was under stimulating in 4
fences such asthese that Thanatop- a
and many another important work II
. been given to the world. o,