River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1898-06-23
Normal school commencement.

AA4Ao A4fAHt aILllQuG ApADNs ONNAi li4t
most trying to all persons intimately
associated with the actual school
work. Since the last day Of Noyem
Der when school-time came without
sound Of the old familiar bell or place
in which to assem- bic, when the ruins,
frowning grimly upon a disconsolate
school and a respondent community,
gave an ominous object lesson of the
instability of earthly things, the
school has struggled against difficult
les which to be known must be ex-
perienced
But if there were any of the large
audience which assem- Died in the Con-
gregational church this morning who
feared inferior exercises to those in
the past, owing to the unfayorable
conditions under which school work
has been prosecuted, such persons
must have soon learned that their
fears were unfounded.
The church was tastefully decorated
with flowers, flags and bunting, red
white and blue, the Senior Glass
Colors.
In substance and delivery the pro-
auctions Of the nine Seniors were
fully up to the high grade Of those Of
previous years, the orations, as will be
seen by reference to the accompany
ing program, being in the main peda-
gogical in their character as is fitting
in a school for teachers.
Not only were the graduates heard
to advantage but they were seen to
advantage, their bright, intelligent
faces. cheerful demeanor, easy behay-
ior and appropriate dress giving to
them attractive personalities which
cannot fail to aid them in the work Of
teaching for which they are now fit
ted
The orations were interspersed with
music of high character appropriately
rendered by the Normal Chorus, and,
as the closing part Of the exercises,
President Parker presented the Di-
plomas, accompanying the prescnta-
ton with appropriate remarks.
The Certificates were presented to
the Elementary Glass, thirty in num-
Der, the largest class that has received
Certificates.
During the Exercises the Elemen-
tary class furnished a number not
down on the program 1.-The presenta-
tion by the class president, of piece
of Statuary, Victory" presented to
the school in commemoration Of the
victories the school has won since the
fire.
Miss Shultes responded for the
school in a graceful and feeling man
| ncr
The Elementary Glass, which calls
itself the Phenix Glass Typical Of
Immortality, yesterday afternoon
gave Barmecide feast to which were
invited the Seniors, Regent and Mrs.
Lord. the members of the faculty and
Mesdames Parker, Brier, Ewing,
Clark and Sims,
The occasion was not serious in its
character but quite the reverse, the
exercises being opened by a humorous
address Of welcome by Miss McNally,
who began by saying Some are born
| to greatness, some achieve greatness
while others have greatness thrust
upon them"
ttFThN1n hnp,1 II,
sented by the faculty, (the faculty
looked appreciatiye), those who
achieve greatness or have it thrust
upon them are the Seniors, (the
Seniors looked dignilied) and those
who arc noithor born TO it nor achieve
it are the Elementaries (the Element
aries looked pensiye)," Miss McNally
continued by rehearsing the social
functions the PheniX Glass has enjoyed
only in their imaginations and
intimated that by way of reciprocity
the class had invited its friends to
this sumptuous repast. The address
of welcome was appropriately respond
cd to by Mr.. Sims for the faculty and
Mr.. Saby for the Seniors.
Plates loaded with appetizing
Menu, substantially printed we're
passed around to the eXpecIant
guests, whose mouths fairly watered
at the "sugary suppositions" of PURGE
Of Chicken, Jussienne; Fillets of
Salmon, a Il Matador; Young Turkey
stuffed with chestnuts; Frappe;Straw-
berries and Ice-cream and many other
toothsome things (printed)
The hero, III Tennyson's Princess,
occasionally comes under a strange
cnchantment in which all substantial
things Of earth pass away and he
seems to be living the unrealitics OF a |
dream. Ia like manner, hypnotic con-
dltions seemed to fall upon the guests
of the Fire Phenixes and the viands |
came and went, served by demure |
maidens, exactly according to the |
Menu, only the guests sat as in |
dream, differentiating Professors and |
discriminating Seniors having quite |
lost their five or more senses and with |
them the ability to note the sensa-
tions or the resultant percepts by |
which to distinguish Haunch Of Veal,
la St. Hubart (Herbart?) from |
cracker calves, or Iced Tea from
Aqua Pura.
But at the close of this phantas-
magorical feast, the Sweet Girl
Graduate Phenixes' were themselves
surprised to find that some Of their
mothers had appeared upon the scene
provided with viands which we're
well, all they claimed to be. The
shock Of reality brought the guests
out of their trance aud they ate REAL
ice-cream with relish
In strict conformity with the gauzy |
nature of the Phenix repast all heads
were adorned with tissue paper caps
of various shapes and colors. This
decoration caused much merriment,
and to see a dignitied Head surmount-
ed with a pink but kingly crown and
blowing penny whistle would have
convinced any but the most skeptlcal
that, truly, kings may sometimes
unbend."