The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1896-06-19
Commencement Exercises.

cOmpOs ing the high school class of '96, pre-
scented a handsome appearance as they
marched onto the rostrum of the Baptist
church Friday evening, accompanied by
their superintendent, j. w. Simmons, and
Donald ID. McLaurin, ID. D., of Detroit, the
orator of the evening. The church was
filed to its utmost capacity but there was
little of the discomfort usually attending
such exercises, as the crowd were seated by
ushers from the Junior class. A table
draped in crimson and white, the class col
ors, stood on the rostrum of the assembly
room and was laden with floral expressions
of congratulations, while two large emblems
representing the class pin were hung on the
walls and were suspended by crimson and
white ribbons.
Miss Helen Duff's rendering of Batiste's
Grand Offertory in G Minor, was excellent,
as was the rendition of j. G. d. Parker's
"Day- Break" by double quartette consist
ing of Messrs. Duff, Lohnes, Roy Knapp
andArthur Beebe, Mesdames Eta Hill Gould
and ID. M. Christian and the Misses Della
Jackson and Ora Shanafelt, accompanied
by Miss Nellie Goss.
The invocation by Rev. w. b. Matteson
was followed by Smart's vocal trio, ''Down
in the Dewy DELL" charmingly sung by
the Misses Helen Duff and Frances Jones
and Mrs. ID. M. Christian.
Supt. Simmons introduced DR.. McLaurin
who spoke on 'Otherism, or Right Concep-
TONS" There are two PHILOSOPHERS of life,
the Cainistic, or selfish philosophy, and the
''otheristic" or "wholeistic' view of life.
Darwin's law of the survival of the fittest
represents the Cainistic philosophy. Prof.
Drummond in his recent book "The Ascent
of Man." has discovered law of evolution
which he calls ''otherism." 1t means a
struggle for the life of the other. 1t is the
summary of Christ's teaching and is unal-
terably opposed to the Cainistic philosophy.
There has always been a struggle for the
life of the other, even in birth. Calnism is
the bane of life; otherism IS the blessing of
life.
life, as misconception of truth nullifes and
perverts it. For illustration let us look at
art and the artist A right conception of
art is that it is a teacher of the people CIV
ing them the sweetest and most beautiful of
lessons. With this conception the artist
paints his warriors and his saints, and like
son of God is he when he makes piece of
paper laugh or weep with the touch of his
pencil He may die, but his work lives
His function is almost divine. But under a
wrong conception the colors have become
be-deviled" and art has been made an in
strument to awaken the baser impulses of
human nature.
In business there is the Cainistic princi-
pie of everything for itself or the otheristic
principle of conducting business for the en-
larging, lettering and ennobling of man.
The end of mans activity is man; he is his
own shaper and molder. Trade is good If
it makes the tradesman better. Money is
only incidental, it will have to be left be-
hind at last. knowledge and virtue of soul
will be kept. Unless money makes us bet
ter 1t makes the world worse. Our past
thirty years has made it appear that the al
mighty dollar is the Americans god, and in
the mad rush for 1t the spiritual interests
of the church are being neglected.
This graduating class will have to strug-
gle, but they must draw their inspiration
from the fountain of ''Otherism," and
struggle for the life of the other. A new
social order must come and 1t will not sue
coed unless founded on the basis of "Other-
ISM" We view, with pride, the work of
these students and wish that they may take
the larger, nobler and most true view of
life.
After Parker's "Buge Song" was rem
dered by the double quartette, Hon. w. M.
Fitzpatrick, in few well chosen words, con-
graduated the graduates and presented |
them with their diplomas. Will Lovett |
and Miss Nellie Densmore, who have been |
doing past graduate work, completing all
the courses offered in the high school, were |
by Supt. Simmons, with diplomas |
for their additional work. Supt. Simmons
gave the class few encouraging and rem
nlscent remarks and announced Wilder's,
Those Evening Bells" which was sung by
Mesdames Gould and Christian and the
Misses Jackson, Shanafelt, Duff, Jones,
Minnie Sullivan and Gertrude Faxon.
After the benediction, pronounced by
Rev. J. NJ. Kerridge, many were the con-
,ratulations received by the new alumni
ind aumnae of the Owosso high school.
CAT .,,a ro,,kiod ,,;,i, that drood erI dioaaca |