Smyrna times., 1897-06-30
GRADUATES HONORED.
A Commencement Week RepIete with Excel
lent Exercises.

VOAS = IL CHuICu Ou Ouuudy nOrulnB
last and took their seats in the front
pews. This was the beginning of the
exercises which has been the talk in
school circles for more than a month
past. Fourteen graduates, young,
bright and vivaciOus were there to
hear the baccalaureate sermon of the
Rev. Geo. w. Dame. The church was
packed to the doors and many who
came late could not even gain admit
tance. There were no decorations
save few flowers which filled the
vases on the table. The choir rend-
cred choice music. After the morning
prayer was said in the usual form of
opening, Rev. George W. Dame an
nOunced his text from a portion of the
8th verse of the 8th chapter of Genesis:
"He sent forth a dove from him, :"
comparing with this the sending forth
of our graduating class from school
life into life's school, The sermon was
healthy, eloquent and full of thought
full and good advice for every graduate.
Throughout his whole discourse,
clothed in beautiful language his main
thought seemed to be an exhortation to
each member of the class to take ad-
vantage of the opportunities before
them in doing good to humanity and
in making the world all the better for
having lived in it.
The graduating class, includes the
Misses Clara May Cameron, Elizabeth
Parker Curry, Clara West HAZEL, Adah
Elizabeth farrell, Edith Walls Man
non, Mary Elizabeth Reynolds, Ger
trude Orem Smith, Edith Swinney,
Helen Emelyn Waters, Eba Cloak
Wilds; Reuben Eugene Denney, John
Allison Start, Charles Daniel Stocklv
and Charles Edwin Williams.
ORATOR BYRNE's ADDRESS.
Monday evening a splendid audiance
filled the Opera House to hear the ad-
dress of William Michael Byrne,
Esq, of Wilmington, to the grad
uates. The grafton was preceded
by vocal solo from Miss Lulu Beck
and a piano solo by Prof. C. Virgil
Gordon of Philadelphia both of which
received hearty applause from the audi
ance.
The address of Mr.. Byrne was one of
the most polished discourses ever
given before a Smyrna High School
class. He showed himself
an orator at the start and his subject
matter was replete with American
patriotism and the history of some of
Delaware's distinguished sons. After
reciting briefly the birth of the Ameri-
can government as fought out by the
herOs of the Revolution and the great
involved, he turned to little
Delaware, not great by its dimension,
but IN the valOr and patriotism of its
sons 1t stood second to none to anv of
the l3 original States. The qnery the
orator wished to inculcate in the minds
OF the young students of to-day was:
why go beyond the borders of Della
ware for types of American heroes?"
and with this thought uppermost in his
mind he gave three examples-one the
type of an American Scholar, the other.
an American Soldier and the other an
American Statesman, supplement-
ing with each, in his splendid oratori-
cal style, valuble information concern
ing their achievements.
For the first type, he took John
Dickinson, of Wilmington, a scholar
Of rare ability and one of the brightest
men of his time. His letters over the
name Farmer" were the best examples
Of his literary genies and excited much
interest throughout the colonies,
especially his letter to Quebec. I'm
for Dickinson, he stood bv
England too long and in refusing to
sign the Declaration of Independence
made the fatal mistake of his life. He
showed his patriotism by !
Joining the Continental Army and |
lighting for the principles of American
liberty, but in not taking the tide at |
its flood, he lost fame which might |
nave placed him alongside of Hamil-
ION, Jefferson and others for scholarly |
,ftainmants
His type of an American Soldier was |
Commodore Jacob Jones, who was |
born and raised in this vicinity, and |
has to-day a number of decendents |
n and around Smyrna. At the
lge of 80 Commodore Jones en-
lered the navy and in the war of 1912 |
le made his name famous as comman-
Ter of the "Wasp" which Overwhelm-
ng destroyed the British Frolic on the
High Seas. Mr.. Byrnes tribute to
Commodore Jones was that of q great
naval leader whose plans were we'll
aid out and executed. In speaking of
he profession from which he came,
hat of medicine, he paid a them glowing
ribute.
His last example and that of an
american Statesman, was John NJ.
Clayton who was without a superior in
lis day. A citizen of Kent County,
Delaware, he early took up the study
II law and was admitted to the bar at
Georgetown shortly afterwards re-
moving to Dover. 1t was soon seen
hat Clayton was man of rare ability.
lie was made Judge, afterwards was
ent to the United States Senate and
luring the Presidency of General
Taylor was made Secretary of State
nd while in this capacity made his
iame famous by the Clayton-Bulwer
reaty. After the death of Taylor he
eturned to his farm near New Castle.
having been severely censured by
feneral Cass in regard to the Clayton
'ulwer treaty, he had a great desire to
% returned to the Senate that he
night defend it in public debate.
through State sympathy sufficient
lumber of votes, disregarding party
mes, he was returned and made
igOrOus defence Mr.. Byrne saw in
his as well as Dickikson's Quebec
stters the pan-American idea,