River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-06-24
THE NORMAL GRADUATES.
They Go Out To-day. Nine Seniors
and Twenty Elementaries get
their Diplomas and Certificates.
Programs of commencement and
Class Day.

Programs of Commencement and
Class Day.
This morning between the hours OF
ten and t=.slye the nine seniors in the
class Of 30 mounted the Chapel plat
form for perhaps the last time, and
fulfilled with due grace and serious
ness, the final charge imposed on them
by the River Falls Normal. This was
the delivery of the usual dissertation
on some topic intimately connected
with past studies or with the profess
sion of teaching. With two exceptions
the themes of this morning were all
under the latter head; and the ex-
ceptions-the addresses by Messrs.
Enright and Rogers-sprung natural
ly from the extended research made
by these young gentlemen in the
| recent debate with Platteville.
Altogether the addresses were emf
nently sensible, and singularly in
keeping with the aims of the school.
The Chapel was simply and taste
fully decorated in the class colors--
nile green and white-and the motto,
"Mehr LIGHT stood out prominently
in green against the white background
Of the platform wall. Flowers and
ferns hedged in the narrow stage and
gave the hall a grateful odor.
The program was opened at ten
o'clock by piano duet by Miss
Miriam Powell and Archie Shepard,
who played Brahms POGO Ale
gretto." The invocation was then
rendered by Rev. Cuthbert, and was
followed by Faning's splendid chorus,
! Song of the Vikings, by the Normal
chorus. William Albert Clark as
! spokesman of the class vas the first
to speak, and elucidatad the class
motto, "More Light, with APP
preciatiye enthusiasm.
"Causes and Remedies of Inat-
tention" was the theme discussed by
| Charles Albert Gilman. He gave a
careful study of the theme in general
and of particular examples that had
fallen under his personal observation.
A subject somewhat akin to his and
showing the same care for detail and
specialization was that of Enthusiasm
in Schools discussed by John Chester
Thompson. A double quartette
beautifully emphasized transition
in the program at this point by
rendering Harvey's "Home of my
Heart" to which Mrs. Thatcher sang
the obligato.
| Spontaneous Interest in Childhood
was the subject that engaged the
thoughtful attention Of Deni:
Lawrence Hennessey, who was follow
ed by Miss Margaret Isabella Deans
in her essay on the more scien tifiC
treatment of The Stupid Child in
School. Quite the most technical OF
all the addresses was that of Hugh
Gallagher who presented facts an6
figures on the Deficiencies in Hearing
and Seeing in the Model Grades
Again the chorus appeared with q
pleasing number--the Bridal choru:
Of Cowen.
John Joseph Enright in his Grafton
on The Influence of Greek Ideas on
Modern Thought touched a point in
oratorical finish and literary grace
that had scarcely been approached in
the more combining themes that had
preceded him. The Timid Pupil wa;
then very pathetically handled by
Miss Anna Gunella Saby, and should
he never fall into worse hands his lot
is likely to be easier than in the past
The similarity between the title oil
George Arthur Rogers oration-The
Influence of Greece on Modern Civiliz
ation-and that of Mr.. Enright,
might lead to the inference that the
program was confused or even redund
ant; but this was distinctly not the
case. A careful comparison of their
work while in course of composition
made the addresses of each altogether
separate and eminently. refreshing
In addition Mr.. Rogers style is very
pleasing.
After Misses Ethel White, Alpha
Chichester and Charity Snodgrass sang
Bargiel's trio, 'Dragonflies," with
their usual exquisite harmony and at
tention to technique, the diplomas
were formally presented by President
Parker and the program was dis
missed by the singing of Away to the
Fields by the chorus. Many flowers
and aim ost endless congratulations
| fell to the lot of the graduates, and
the large company that thronged the
Chapel seemed immensely pleased
with their entertain ment.
EXERCISES OF ELEMENTARIEs
| If to-day was exclusively Seniors
day, yesterdaywas distinctively the
season of the Elementaries. Their
program, given from two till four in
the chapel, was at the same time less
| formal and as a whole less serious,
than that of their more advanced
schoolmates. 1t was lively, however,
and interspersed with charming
music, with here and there a ripple
of merriment to set the hall in
momentary hutter. The motto,
"True to our Ideals" was hung at
the back of the platform, and light
blue, the class color, was prominent
In the decorations.
The program opened with Maci-
rone's Cavalry Song by the chorus;
and Miss Emma Lees began the
speaking with a pleasant and we'll
composed Salutatory. She was
followed by Francis Sheridan Sloniker
whose address on THE Northeast
Boundary of the United States''-a
knotty problem--was somewhat in
The nature of an illustrated lecture.
Miss Annie Dell Axtel discussed the
Cross Fertilization of flowers and
plants very appreciatively, and gave
the subject much color and spirit.
The ladies semi-chorus then sang
The Ferry (by Richards), and made |
delightful IA usic of its liquid cadences
and showery peals.
Educational Gymnastics was the |
theme that Miss Christene Adeline |