Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-06-18
STATE NORMAL CLOSES.
Commencement Exercises at West Lib
erty Yesterday Morning.
Eleven Graduates This Year A
Very Prosperous Year at the
School-The Plans Of the Board
of Regents-New Building to be
Erected - Annual Contest and
Middle Glass Performance.

The banner year at the State Normal
School at West Liberty was brought TO
close with the commencement exercises
Yesterday morning. Notwithstanding the
disastrous fire. which destroyed the new
school building. the enrolment was larger
than ever before, and the year was in
every respect the most successful in the
history Of the institution. The old build
ing has been remodeled and rearranged for
school purposes. but has been found mad
equate, and many classes were heard in
rooms secured temporarily in different
parts of town That the year was success
full under such discouraging circumstances
is the best evidence of the interest which
is manifested in the school by the people
of the upper Panhandle.
The Board Of Regents appreciates this
disposition toward the institution, and
will do all that is possible to assist It,
financially and otherwise. 1t is the first
Board of Regents which has personally at
tended commencement exercises as a
Board. and the members are compelled to
pay their own expenses. no appropriation
having been made for that purpose. The
entire Board was present yesterday, in
GLIDING Regents r. S. Carr. of Kanawha:
State Superintendent Virgil y. Lewis, of
Charleston; Johnson. of Martinsburg;
Harmar. of Clarksburg. and Waitman T.
Barbe. of Parkersburg. The Board met
in the morning and had the contemplated
new building under consideration. The
Board has about 81, 00C to expend for new
building. including sll,5s7 insurance paid
on the old structure. \ resolution was
adopted yesterday providing for the ap-
pcintment of a committee of three 10 Sc
cure plans for the building, and TO report
at meeting to be held in Charleston July
9Th. 1t is the intention of the Board to
push the construction of the building as
rapidly as possible.
The rear room partitions on the first floor
of the old building were removed. convert
ing that floor into a large assembly hall.
which will continue to be used for COM
mencements and meetings of the societies.
The rooms i'm the second floor will be con-
verted into dormitories.
THE COMMENCEMENT.
The closing exercises yesterday morning
attracted the largest throng which has yet
assembled in the little town on commence
ment day. In spite of the increased seat
ing capacity of Academy Hall. every avail
able foot of standing room was occupied,
and many were unable to squeeze into the
hall. The music for the occasion was fur
r!shed by Meister's band and orchestra.
of this city. and was of high order of
merit. Many CT the orchestral selections
were applauded as generously as the other
numbers upon the programme.
There were eleven graduates. The first
n speak after the preliminary exercises
was Miss Elite May Bonar, of West Lib
ertv who discussed Success and Failure"
This is an old theme. but she presented
many original and ingenious thoughts, all
clothed in chaste diCtlon and admirably
delivered.
..WiN o. the Wisps" was the subject of
an Grafton by Miss Cora NJ. Chapman. of
Donlev. Pa. 1t was practical talk. treat
ing of false hopes and popular decisions.
and the tendency to pursue those things
which are impossible. or which are of little
value when secured.
The value of the so-caMed trifies in life,
which when looked after carefully, enable
one to attain great things. was impressed
upon the audience in very effective man
nar by Miss Frances Bazella Wells, of
wells5urg. in her grafton on Stepping
Stones"
Mr.. Edward Virtue Blsck. Of Lee, W.
Va. made a logical and earnest plea for
Cuban independence. his Grafton giving
evidence of that study Independent of text
hooks. which enables one TO keep abreast
oe the times. His remarks were enthusi-
aStically applauded-a merited compliment
10 the speaker, as well as mark of SYM
patty with the cause he so ably espoused.
The theme selected by Miss Sarah Moore
head, of West Alexander, Pa, was Let
Is Live" She defined her conception of
ufe-ideal life-and discussed the prospect
i've qualities which are factors in success
and failure.
The Future Of America" was an admir-
able grafton, in which Miss Mary Wallace
Hall, OF this city, expressed her decidedly