The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1897-06-30
NJ ENCEMENT.
CLOSING CEREMONIES OF THE PAW
PAW PUBLIC sCAOOLs.
Commencement at the Rink-rhe Largest
Glass Ever Graduated - Successful Pro-
gram by the Grammar schooi-Elegant
Alumni Reception and banquet.
~ - The commencement sea-
son of 1897 has come and
gone, but around it will
u cluster many bright and

gone, but around it will
cluster many bright and
pleasant memories, for years to come,
went out as graduates of the Paw Paw
high school, and of all those patrons as
well who feel an active interest in the
educational institution that is the pride
of our village.
The rink, as is usual with Paw Paw
commencements, was filled long before
the time set for the exercises, the NOM
inal charge of 10 cents for admission
not seeming TO deter any from attend
ing.
The decorations of the stage were
elaborate and appropriate. In the
center of the stage was background
of blue and yellow bunting-the class
colors, Just above which were the fig
ures '97 in gold, studded with incan-
descent lights, the whole being sur
mounted by broad arch bearing the
motto, "Keep true to the dreams or thy
youth" Lace curtains were hung at
both sides, and broad white steps led
up to the front of the platform, which
was fringed with profusion of ferns
and potted plants. Over the whole
was thrown brilliant electric illumina-
ton, pretty scene indeed being pre-
sented when the class, faculty, board
of education and musicians had taken
their seats.
The entire music of the evening, ex-
cept the piano selection OF Miss Snow,
was furnished by the Dowagiac orches-
ira, and it is needless to say that this
portion of the program was faultleSs.
Rev H. w. Harvey offered the invo-
cation, and Rev Ross Matthews pro-
nounced the benediction at the close.
1t is not our intention TO give or at
tempt to give resume of the various
essays or orations, as our space pro-
hibitS its being done SO extensively as
to be ineligible or interesting. We
will therefore only mention some OF the
excellencies of each of the participants.
The class numbering 10 members, it
was impracticable for all to take part
in the public exercises, and so +. Philip
Seabury, Agnes b. Morrison, Edgar M.
Snow, Jr., Earl d. Gidden, Agnes +.
Wiley, Myrtle l.. O'Dell, Leigh Stevens
and Edmund Harrison were excused.
We are informed by the faculty that
the productions they presented for in
spection were meritorious indeed, and
fully up to the high standard expected
; graduates.
The first Grafton presented was that
of Mabelle Clair Mcleod, The Power
of the Press" 1t was well written and
. as well delivered and showed keen
appreciation by the young lady OF the
almost unlimited power of the press;
. the vast advantages to be gained by
having the press arrayed on the side OF
right The dangers of corrupt and
venal press were portrayed, and the
important part played by the press ia
the progress of the world and the
history of nations was not overlooked.
The Educative Value of Pictures"
was the subject of Agnes W. Dillon,
and showed a keen appreciation of the
beauties both of nature and art. The
value of pictures, as livening up mere
word descriptions was presented nicely,
as were also the modes in which the
minds of the young can be impressed
with truths through illustrations that it
: would be difficult for them otherwise
e to acquire Miss Dillon, by her pro-
duction, added to the esteem that the
+, public has heretofore had for her as a
4 more than usually bright young lady.
' "Our Past" was the way the class
e historian, Samuel L. Jordan, character
: lied his account of the more or less
= eventful lives of himself and his class
!. mates. Adapting George Eliot's idea
that the nation that has no trouble
has no history, to the class of 81, was a
E clever idea. He characterized the class
I as being the largest in numbers, tallest
) -aggregating 104 feet, averaging 10
I I years of age-the youngest being II the
= oldest 81, and evidently wanted to say
o the best class in the history of the
: ILzI o.,I 10 ha xynnld
o have been inclined to dispute. A
= neat bit of humor was worked in
. when, encroaching somewhat on the
ground of the prophecies, he said
several of the class had already chosen
o vocations; three would follow teaching;
I two medicine, one law, one music and
one matrimony. Mr.. Jordan's delivery
was excellent.
o Cleo Stevens essay, Shakespeare s
Women" showed an acquaintance with
10 the works of the immortal bard that is
p indeed creditable to her. If all the
10 class of '97 have been rs persistent
students of the great English master
e pieces as has she, they have laid a
5. broad and sound foundation of literary
X knowledge. Desdemona, Lady Mac
beth, Ophelia, Portia and Cordelia,
with the fine shades of differences in
tnelc CnaTaCIeIS, WtIc ploScutSV auu
II discussed in a creditable manner.
,r l.. Viola Salisbury, prophecies, is a
% master dreamer, and the ludricrous
4 way in which her active imagination
presented the destinIes of the class ol
'97 was very pleasing TO her auditors
/. The spheres to which she assigned hel
o. fellows varied from botanist and lectur
II er on womens rights to champion lady
N bareback rider and impecunious "but
termilk man" OF course Miss Sails
bury's elocution was good-as it wa
n confidently anticipated it would be.
70 Harriet Beecher Stowe" was chosel
A. by Mary A. Morrison as an essay topic
le The essayist wisely considered Mrs
Il. Stowe as among the very greatest o
,e women and her work, both from
10 literary standpoint and from the infu
< ence exerted by it on the affairs OF th'
,e world, as perhaps the greatest amont
continued on Fourth Page.I