The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1896-06-25
THEY SAID GOODBYE.
Commencement Exercises at the
o. A. c. Close of a Pros
porous School Year.

porous School Year.
The goddess of silence holds high cou:t in
the halls of the Oregon Agricultural College.
The young men and women who have been
drinking knowledge at this fountain SO gem
erously provided by the national government,
are now scparated-the blue uniforms quick
ly scattering all over Oregon ut the com
mand ''break ranks
This has been a grand year for the insti
tuition on college hill. The increase i'll at
tendance has been remarkable, and put the
o. A. &. in the lead over all other schools
in the state in this regard. The college work
has been put upon better basis and the ef-
ficiency Of the school noticeably increased.
There has been gratifying freedom from
discord and clashings-harmony seems to
have been the watchword Of the year. Not
only have methods been improved, but there
have been important additions of apparatus
| and buildings. And beyond and beside the
the tangible evidences Of growth, there is the
feeling that the respect of the outer world
has been secured, and that the college has
gained influence and standing never before
possessed.
CLASS EXERCISES
Commencement week was herIldel by the
freshman class, with literary and musical
program, Friday night. The class of '99 has
$50 mena bers, 90 boys and go girls, and they
more than filed the spacious patforna Vt the
collegechapel. The program was well rend-
cred and the freshmen surpassed the other
classes in class songs and class yells. The
orations were praisworLhy.
Saturday evening the sophmores held
their exercises at the opera house, which was
crowded to the doors. There are over so in
this class, the household economy class be-
ing well represented. A program of ora
tions, music, poems and tableaux was the
farwell exercises of this class to sophmore
heners. The music was the feature of the
evening. The Grafton of Mr.. Gilstrap was
thoughtful and expressed in good language.
The other original numbers showed clever
ness.
BACcALAUREATE SUNDAY.
DR.. Hill Of the lst Presbyterian church, /,
Portland, preached the baccalaurcate SER
mon at the chapel, Sunday morning. 1t was
grand address, clear cut, and powerful.
The speaker impressed upon the students the
necessity of becoming truth seekers. Proper
education means simsly the discovery of
truth. Gods truth is everywhere and we need
only to open our eyes to discover it. The
great men OF science and art had no larger
field than their fellow men, but they saw
great truths when the vast majority saw but
commonaities. The bible is we'll Of truth;
its historical accuracy has been signaly veri-
fed by secular historians of ancient days
whose writings have but lately been dscov-
cred or translated. The sermon closed with
a strong exhortation to find the truths of
christian religion. Prof. Berchtold had
Charge of the music of the Sunday exercises
and it was Of a high order.
MONDAYS GATHERING.
A large crowd witnessed the battalian drill
Monday afternoon. As the o. A. c. boys
marched onto the grounds, to the strain. of
martial music from the cadet band, one
could not but be impressed with their manly
appearance The careful and abe instruc-
tions of Lieut.. Dentler and The intelligent in
t,rest of the boys, have resulted in finely
drilled battalian, and the movements on
Monday were splendidly executed.
Monday night the juniors took possession
of the opera house and entertained crowd
limited only by the capacity Of the building.
Owing to changes in the courses, there are
but 2l members in this class, and 10 of them
are young men, The exercises opened with
a band selection, entitled ''juniors 1885,"
written by Junior Victor Moses. The @. A.
G. band under the leadership of the talented
an enyiable reputation for both concert and
parade music, but its second selection Mon
dny evening was a delightful surprise to
those even who have been familiar with its
playing. Its execution was mastery and it
was received with vociferous and prolonged
applause and the boys had to respond with
another gem. The other exercises of the
program were well received the Grafton of FL.
j. Elliot being an especially commendablc
number. The drill by 12juniors was admir-
able and highly entertaining. Miss Berthe
Invite on behalf of the departing seniors
p esented the mantle in a graceful speech
and Mr.. Harrison in receiving it, made fit-
ting response. A unique tableau illustrating
the class yell closed the program.
FLAG PRESENTATION.
Tuesdays event in the closing exercises
was the presentation of handsome flag by
Ellsworth Post, g. A. R., Women's Relief
Corps. and Sons of Veterans, to the college.
After dress parade on the drill grounds
the cadets marched to the college building,
in front of which large throng of citizens
had gathered. On the steps were members
of the board Of regents, President Bloss,
Congressman Ellis, Rev. E. j. Thompson,
members of the G. A. R.. Women's Relief
Corps, and Sons of Veterans. President
Bloss introduced DR.. Thompson, .,ade