The Wichita daily eagle., 1896-06-11

IaVOra Die surroundings, anu SHOHCN
how his craftsmanship and noble char
| acter gradually won him the confidence
of his countrynen. Comparing aim with
others of our great men, she showed
| how he, best of all was entitled TO be
called our ideal American.
The parts were interspersed with fire.
ouent musical selections. This portion
| of the program was arranged entirely
by Professor A. W Sickner, the musical
| firect.r IF the college. The opening Sc
/ lection was a piano duet by Miss Eva
| Hall ar5 Miss Adah wilson These
young ladies PLAYED witS their uGual
skill. and their performance was ap-
| preciative7y received 10y the audience.
! Piano solos were played by Miss Ina 3.
| Torrey. who rendered Sherwood :
| Footsteps ir Snow" and Mrs. r. B.
| Wallace, who gave Gottschalls' striking
March de Mutt" Both were perform
ances of unusual merit. Mrs. Hcwarth
| beaumont sank one of her sweet and
| charming solos, an italian Waltz
Song" and the popular Violincelio solo
| fsi, played a garrotte. One Of the most
| interesting musical features was the
| two trios by the Mandolin and Guitar
club, under the direction of Professor
Babize. The selections were we'll per-
| formed. and received with pleasure by
the audience.
After the conclusion Of the musical
| and literary exercises. Professor Roulet
presented the eight graduates with their
diplomas. He prefaced the presenta-
| ton by brief remarks. commencing the
ex.rci.es a nd the general works Of the
graduates, and making a hopeful
prophecy Of their future. He expressed
| the hope that at the end Of four years
more they might all be found graduat-
irr again. from he college depart tnent.
He also publicly thanked Professor
! sickner for his many services TO the col
| iege.
Professor Roulet, .n the ebsence of
! President Morrison, in addressing the
| gradual ting class, complimented them
on their pleasing appearance on the
platform Young ladies in white,
young men in black. in number equal
with the quality Of delivery slightly IN
fsAor Of the former. and prophesied that
| f6~ years hence when the same class
should appear again as graduates Of the
college. in a finished auditorium, the
young gentlemen would then turn the
scale on their side.
He alluded 10 this commencement as
! =
history of their education for there Is
no such a thing as finishing an educa-
ton. the true student is always a
learner, and the effect of acquiring
knowledge is to reveal the vast amount
still TO be known. We only occupy a
point and as we enlarge the radius a
little the orb Of the unknown Is the
more clearly revealed.
The class was strongly urged by the
speaker to continue in the work Of the
student only Just begun by them To
be courageous, and persevering, and
especially TO have a strong and abiding
faith in that Great Power which IS the
source Of all knowledge and euccess
| would surely crown their efforts.
The benedfction was pronounced by
Rev. Morrison Weimer.
At the conclusion OF the exercises,
the graduates were surrounded by their
friends and visitors. who overwhelmed
them with congratulations.
| Fatrnount now closes for the sum-
nner vacat ton, to open early in Septem-
Der. Four new professors in addition TO
the present corps, have already been
secured for next year. Other rooms Of
the college building will probably be
| finished and other improvements made.
The successful record of the present
| years work at the college will be made
only the stepping stone to further pro-
| gress. Confident in the loyalty of heI
| students and the intrrese Of Wichita
citizens, the young college on the Hill
goes forward to her goal Of advancing
| prosperity end usefulness.
ARE WE DEGENERATING?
As an example Of college opinion the
| following was the best essay read yes
terday, all the students seen by a re-
porter for the Eagle saying so. 1t will
| be interesting TO analyZe the paper in
order to get at what students are think
| ing about The students of today will
| be among the thinkers and makers OF
history in the future. The paper was
read by Miss Cora 3. Bailey.
Standing at the threshold of a new
century it is we'll and proper that we
glance at our surroundings and as
certain whether we are advancing in
the scale Of human progress. The cas-
ual observer as he beholds the wonder
| full progress we have been making In
the past half century, as he contemplat-
es the wonderful inventions OF our gen.
isises, the application of these to the
! production of wealth, as he sees the i'm
mense wealth that has sprung into ex-
9stence by their magical touch. he is
! bewildered. SO great has been our ad-
| vancement In the production Of wealth
that in the last quarter of a century we
have produced more than any other
nation ever produced in hundred
years. AS we see these things and be-
hold TIE grand cities being built on ev-
cry hand, colleges. libraries. and
| churches springing up throughout the
land How the great railroad system
is extending its arteries into every nook
and crook. followed by the telegraph
and electric car. Again contemplating
our great authors, philosophers, and
| thinkers; the thought that we ar. de-
generating has been fartherest from
our cOnsidera ton. But If we look
! deeper into the environments by which
We are surrounded we are startled by
the revelatiN- which follows. He
would have been q rash man who would
| have said Rome was entering her de-
cline when Augustus was changing the
| Rome of brick 10 the Rome of marble
| when wealth. was increasing: wher
manners We're becoming more refined
literature rising 10 a higher splendor
Yet such was the case And whOSoevel
will look may see that though our civ.
1lization IS apparently advancing with
greater r0pidiCy than ever. the same
cause which turned Roman progress
into retrogreSsion IS operating now.
There are certain immuIiabla law:
whics govern and control government.
ana ~ociety; and TO discover these. and
compare our conditions with them. W.
can readily ascertain whether We ars
still advancing, or have reached oul
zer-+th and are now on the downward
course. There is no question but tha,
government and organized society. Tx,
/ rln.A Individual have rhnir ra-:, l. =.