Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1897-06-15
TWELVE GRADUATE.

TWELVE GRADUATE.
Commencement exercises were held
at the Seminary Monday evening, the
7th inst. The day was ideal, and an
immense throng gathered and filed
the large chapel to overtlowing. The
chapel was beautifully decorated for
the occasion with sprays of howers,- I
oak leaves AID bunting. On the wall
in front OF the audience was displayed,
in white letters on blue background,
the motto of the class: "Know, Feel,
Viii - On the stage were seated the
graduates, twelve in number, together
with the teachers of the school. The
names of the graduates are as follows:
Teachers COurse-Hilda J. Erick-
son, E. Jonette Thorpe and Marie
Teigen.
Academic Course-Anna r. Enest-.
vedt.
Commercial Course-C. A. Bystrom,
Oscar Collin, Ben Ferring, s. o. Sor-
enson, Peter Hong, M. b. Shelldahl
and G. M. Tjosvold.
The exercises opened with the sing
ing of the hymn, "GOd's Word; 1t Is
Our Heritage" to Luther's old inn
pressive melody. After the principal,
III: S. Hilleboe, in short prayer, had
invoked Divine blessing, Miss Mary
Teigen delivered her Grafton. Her
subject was ''Words and Deeds" the
central thought of which was that we
should live, not for ourselves alone,
but for others, so that the world might
be happier and better for our having
lived in it.
After a song by the male sextette,
Miss Hilda J. Erickson spoke on the
subject, "Aim in Life" She spoke of
the necessity of having a definite aim
in life and compared the man who had
no purpose'to ship without a rudder.
This was followed by n selection of
music by the choir, whereupon Miss
E. Jonetta Thorpe delivered her ora
tion. Her subject was ''Punctuality. :"
She emphasized the need and value
of punctuality in every vocation in
life, and showed that it was a virtue
which could not he overdone.
Miss Emma Dahlheim and Mrs. A.
L. Wells then rendered vocal duet,
which was we'll received.
Miss Anna Enestvedt next spoke on
the subject, 'The Dress >is:4 Not. the
Man. She showed that appearances
ares metimes deceptive and thai in
forming our judgments as to- the mer-
it's Of our fellowmen we should cOnsid-
er their character and not their exter-
nal appearance, for the dress is not
| the man.
Miss Bessie Jenness next rendered
a selection on the piano, whereupon
the Principal said in part:
The Seminary had now been in operation
nearly half a generation. 1t had from the
| first occupied a field that could not be COW
cred by the present splendid common school
system. Minnesota ranked foremost among
| the states OF the Union in the line of educa-
cognized as q distinct and leading system
Still! during the pioneer days of the early
M hSd the
or women wanted some education they
| would not be satisfied with being placed
among the small children in the grades,
institution as the Seminary. Then there
were foreigners who needed special aid in
order to become good American citizens,
who would and could prepare for college or
for life in less time than could be done
through tn the regular common school system
tween this school and the common school
system since each occupied a distinct and
seperate field.
The institution aimed at building up true
! Christian character and not merely give in
lellectual training. The many embezzle-
ments and frauds of various kinds were
| character was of greater account in the bus
| iness world than mere knowledge of book
| keeping or dexterity in the handling of fig
The school had been attended by over
1900 students from various parts of this and
ad Joining states, who had spent from few
! A large part Of these would never have
come to this village except for the school,
ony schdd s5c is
principles and positive views of life there
is apt to be some friction and the efforts OF
the school may OFTEN be misunderstood and
misjudged, but 1T is human experience that
all conflicts as to principles will be ad justed
Of only %e viii
any person connected with it. The Semina-
has now reached crisis s., and it vii be
support of the public. viii there fifty wears
from now, when these buildings have gone
work, be other buildings, a larger faculty
and a larger school, or will some historian
pc 20
its aim was high, and in its day it achieved
great success, 50 much so that utstripped
its It's competitors: tt but it was allowed to die
| Which will it be, friends? -.
| a crisis has come in the affairs of this In
stit%tion ST Ws belieye in the great future
the state. Our population is rapidly in
ereasing: There Is and for long time will
Se nGea 1or }%sG @ snch % an instltution as the
Ter part Of the financial burden are unable Ia
do so any. longer It Will now. be- tested
as be b the
the public or If this work must be abnnd0n-
ed after pioneer days are over. <s.z=.z {: :.