The herald., 1896-06-05
COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES
Those Yesterday of the Univer-
sity Very Successful
GRAFTON, LIFE AND LABOR,
By Harry Lee Martin a Splendldly Con-
ceived Effort
A Large Audience to Witness the cerem on:e ;.
Diplomas Presented, With Appropri-
ate Remarks-The Banquet

ate Remarks-The Banquet
The day Of all days in the university
| world to the senior is commencement
| day-when he receives his parchment
| and proudly steps off to the tune of
Paddle Your Own Canoe, and calls him
| self man" Yesterday forenoon was
| the annual commencement time in the
| University of Southern California. The
| exercises opened with an overture by
| Prof w. F. Skeele on the grand organ.
entitled Offertoire de ST. Cecilia, follow
ed by prayer by Rev. r. c. Miller of
Pasadena. Prof Skeele gave another
organ number, entitled Home Sweet
| Home. transcription by Buck, after
which the first Grafton by Clarence 7.
wilson was announced upon the sub
ject The Dignity of Man. Mr.. Wilson
has a good delivery and is very easy
before an audience. Mr.. c. E. Mort was
the next speaker His subject was Span
ish Misrule in Cuba. This proved to be
| the most popular subject of the program
and was handled in a thoroughly an
alytical manner Miss Edith Wicks
| next gave her graduating number upon
the piano, she being one of the music
graduates. Her selections, a, LIGHTER
tanz. by Rubenstein; b, Norwegian
Bridal Procession, by Grieg, played
wholly from memory, showed highest
skill and ability. Miss Wicks will con-
| t1nue in past graduate course next
year, looking towards a degree The
next oration was upon the subject The
Things That Are Caesars, by Miss
Edna Marsh. The composition of this
production was smooth and the thought
strong. Mr. j. r. Ross took for his
/ subject, The Freedom of Armenia. He
handled the subject masterfully and de-
yeloped considerable eloquence Mr..
Ross is preparing for the ministry and
will attend Drew Theological seminary
next year.
| A vocal solo by Miss Lila D. Peale fol-
lowed. The lady amply sustained her
| reputation as soloist. Miss Peale will
return to her home in Connecticut soon.
| Mr.. Lincoln H. Caswell spoke for twen-
| ty-three minutes upon The Ethics of
Adversely. His paper was excellent in
| thought and composition and his deliv-
cry good, though hardly up to what he
is capable of doing. Mr.. Caswell will
attend Drew Theological seminary next
year. Miss Anna o. Henderson was
| next on the program with an grafton en-
| titled Art for America. Her work upon
the platform waymost pleasing and her
composition probably the smoothest of
i all. Her patriotic sentiments concern
| ing American art were heartily applaud
ed. The second piano graduate, Miss
Cornelia Keep, followed Miss Hender-
son. with Beethoven's Sonata, op. 26,
| First Movement. and Air de Ballet No.
l, from Chamnade She will take post
! graduate work in the music department
next year The Philosophy of Political
| Parties, by John A. Gray, was the next
production. He developed considerable
philosophy from the chaos of politics
and was roundly applauded. His pro-
| ductfon abounded in considerable wit.
Mr.. Homer X. Pitmans grafton was a
disappointment to his friends. His sub
1ect,. Christian Citizenship, tended too
much towards the Fourth of July spread
eagle style. However. there was con-
/ siderable food for reflection in his pro-
duction. Mr.; Pitman will study for the
ministry. Miss Lulu Pieper sang pleas
ingly Busch's Song of Spring, with flute
| obligato by w. II. Meade, after which
came the crowning event of the pro-
| gram.
Mr.. Harry Lee Martin, who had been
| appointed valedictorian because of his
excellence in scholarship, having re-
ceived first rank in everything since he
| entered the college four years ago,
seemed to be inspired. His grafton on
Life and Labor was befitting close to
Martin said in part:
Work" is the law Of our being; the
living principle that carries men and ma
| t1ons onward. All true happiness, all
that is worthy Of the name, lies in a har-
| mony between the spirit of our life and
| the duties of our place in life. This life
the things around us and neglect our
selves; it is the training place of our
| spiritual nature, the vestibule of eter-
| nifty The things we cultivate here will
r1pen and the fruit, whether good or bad,
| we must eat hereafter. This vast GRE,
| alton with it's complicated systems and
| profound wonders, is but the temporary
| tenement of pure being; one day the en-.
closure shall be burst and cast aside
a forgotten garment-and when the
bold, bright stars are dark as death
dust" the soul shall have forgotten its
useful existence"
But If the soul is great in it's powers.
it is no less so in it's far-reaching in
huences. AS the movement of one plan
ct in its course Is felt through all the
celestial spheres. so each note in the
great chord of moral sympathy never
ceases to vibrate.
Mr.. Martins friends expected much of
him in an oratorical way, but his grand
effort far surpassed their most sanguine
hopes. Mr.: Martins was assuredly the
best effort in both oratory and thought
| that was upon the program. He will
study law soon, but has been offered a
deputyship in one Of the county offices
| for the coming year.
Mr.. Mordecai s.. MCGEE did not de-
liver his thesis, the subject of which
was Religion, Study, the time having
| been taken up by the others. He has
been appointed an assistant professor
in the university academy for next year
| and will enter the Maclay college Of the
| ology.
Prof. A. W. Baumister, the secretary
| of the faculty, in his presentation of the
| class for comforting the degrees institut-
| ed the custom of wearing hood and
| gown. The custom is a beautiful one, fol-
| lowed by many of the best institutions of
| the east and would find responsive
chord in many minds In u. S. c.
The following degrees were conferred
| by President George w. White:
Bachelor Of arts-Harry Lee Martin.
cum laude, Mordecai S. MCGEE, Edna
Marsh. John A. Gray. Homer K. Pitman
Bachelor Of philosophy-Lincoln H.
| Caswell, Clarence T. Wilson, James r.
Ross.
| Bachelor of science-Clyde E. Mort.
Bachelor of literature-Anna O. Hem
| derson.
Master Of arts-Charles H. winsor,
A. B.
Master Of science-Franklin N. Lap
ham, B. S., Robert T. Hall, B. S.
Dean F. A. Bacon presented the class
| in music, consisting of Misses Edith
| Wicks and Cornelia Keep for gradua-
| ton from the music course and the d.
plomas were accordingly conferred.