The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-06-17


Isnuy Carried Out-ThS Details.
The twenty-seventh annual COM
mencement OF the West Liberty normal
school yesterday was attended by the
largest crowd ever gathered within the
walls " old Academy hall. Early in the
morning the roads leading to the little
village on the hill were black with car
riages. and at 10 o'clock there was not
standing room in the hall
The hall has been Increased In size con-
Siderably. and the new gallery accom-
modated a very large crowd, but despite
all that there was not room for all the
people who came. The day bordered on
the ideal. The sun shone only a; inter
walls behind big clouds. and the hill-top
location OF the school admitted of all the
breeze obtalnablc.
The exercises were OF a high order OF
/ merit, and were cut down so that the
audience ran no risks Of being bored.
| The great turn out OF people. and the eH-
cellent graduating performances. were
| subjects OF congratulation 10 Principal
]. n. Deahl and his able corps OF assist
ants, and S ate Superintendent OF Schools
]. Il. Trotter. paid tle institution high
| praise
The interior Of Academy hail was
beautifully decorated. Above the ros-
trtim In dropping folds were tasteful ar
| rangementS OF blue Gnd white the oolors
| OF the Bryant and Irving literary socie-
ties. The tall columns were entwlned
| in ornnge and black. the school colors.
| The stage was fringed with fresh roses
| and Wild flowers.
Il was a very pretty picture when to a
| stirring march, played ny the or"heS =,
| tn. graduates took their pOSitiono on
tho stage. behind which was a back
ground Of a wall covered with paintings
and flowers.
The EIsTciseS.
The exercises opened with the lnvoca-
tion by Rev. ]. c. Carver. OF the West
Liberty Presbyterian church. Mr. Gar
yer asked blessings for the school. its
faculty. the graduates and the alumni.
| A selection by the orchestra preceded
| the first grafton. |; was delivered by
| ing. her subject being, Our Middle
| Class" Miss McCoiloch possesses clear
| enunciati0n, and her EFFORT was much
| appreciated She .auded the middle
| class, but sounded warning lest the
| middle class become toO UNeTbedrtng on
| the poorer Glasses.
American Patriotism" was the theme
| OF Miss Mary whitham's Grafton. and
/ her smooth sounding sentences contain
| cd practical patriotic sentiment. Miss
! Whitman IL a young lady Of Elm Grove.
| and as an elocutlonis; Is success.
Miss Sara Alexander Wood, Of Wash
/ lnEton. Pa. had an eloquent GRAFTON in
THE Meaning OF the -Four Centuries
| She traced the progress OF America dur
| Ing the last 400 years. and prophesled
| that greater civilization and culture will
| follow In the century. now dhwninE.
Without disparaEement 10 other enjoy
able orations was that delivered by Miss
| Cordelia Orr. uf Roney's Point. Miss orr
had practical Grafton. free from the al
| most worn out paths Though her
| theme Education and Crime" Is NOT
new, Miss orr discussed II in new
light. She dealt with the social and
economic questions, and argued that
| prosperity in a financial sense would not
| prevent crime but nothing could 90
| strike nj the root OF crime as education.
Miss Bertha Mae Fette, OF Wheeling, a
| bright young lady Of pleasing PERSONAL.
| Is, charmlnEly delivered eulosy OF
| Lady Jane Grey. Her theme was The
I "
| Jane Grey was glorlhcd In the choicest
! dlction. Miss Fcitc's Grafton was very
| Instructive. as well rs entertaining.
| A very good performance was the ora
| tlon OF SIR. Omar l. McColloch, OF
! Wheeling. Elements OF Growth and
| Decay in Civilization" He had loEi-
| cal Grafton. tending 20 prove that the
\ world Is not so new after all He stated
| that glass IL not recent discovery. and
| that glass was found in the ruins OF
| Pompeh. Mr.. McColiuch gave reasons
| 10 show that many OF the elements Of
| growth In civilization, become elements
Of decay unless the world sheds liz
scales 20 the step Of progress.
| The concluding Grafton was given ny
| Miss Wayne Ferec Butcher, Of George
| town, Pa. Miss Butcher Us one Of the
| most popular graduates that ever step
| ped forth from old West Liberty. Her
| sweet voice and charming presence com
| blned 10 make her Grafton treat Her
theme ION Both Sides of the Sea- She
| compared America with the old coun-
| tries, and while placing in contrast the
| characteristics OF the American and
| European people. she pleaded for high
| er ideals among Americans, Miss Buch-
er's Grafton was delightfully."- brief and 10
tho point
The remainder Of the graduates were
| excused from their performances, OWlhE
10 their active participation In the con-.
tests. or some OF the literary exercises
that made up the programme OF COM
mencement week.
Supt. Trousr's AddrH.
State Superintendent Trottcr presented
the diplomas. Previous 10 this ceremony
he made a few happy remarks, in which
he congratulated the people OF the Pan
Handle upon having such an institution
He had attended four commandments
this year. but he had lever venturcd TO
ofIer congratulations until he reached
West Liberty.
Superintendent Trottcr doubted II all
the people appreciated the advantages
of such school Incidentally. Mr..
Trotter put in a good word for the state
normal schools and he urged that the
youth OF the state accept every chance %
education that was offered to them.
Turning to the graduates he told them
that they would stumble often when they
20 out into the world as teachers. and
he gave them many sound words OF ad-
vice. He said that West Virginia was
rapidly coming TO the cront Is state
where culture Is desired. and the money
set aside by the state for free schools
auEurs well for West Virginia becoming
great state.
he spoke at some length and his ad-
dress win doubtless serve the graduates
a5 an inspiration TO their advancement,