St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-06-29
COMMENCEMENT.
Graduating Exercises-Class Day Ex-
ercises - Alumni Meeting Class
Reunions.

A large audience gathered in Music
Hall on Friday forenoon to listen to the
closing exercises of the class of '9s. The
platform was beautifully decorated with
green, palms forming the principal part.
The teachers and trustees of the Acad-
emy, accompanied by Congressman
Grout, occupied seats on the stage. Ex-
cellent music, furnished by the orchestra,
the occasion. The essays and
orations by the 13 young ladies and two
young men were given in a manner which
great credit upon both pupil
and teacher. The exercises opened with
prayer by Rev. G. c. Waterman.
The salutatory was given by Miss An
geline Fulington of johnson, who
greeted pleasantly all present, teachers,
trustees, classmates and citizens, express
ing appreciation of the help and friend
ship given in the past years Of study.
New England Character" was the
subject of an essay by Miss Cornelia
Bemis Of East Burke, who spoke of the
hardships and trials through which the
Phritans passed and their unswerving
faith in God which established the fixed
ness of purpose common to all New Eng
landers. She paid a glowing tribute to
the New England mother and summed
up by saying that the New Englanders
are people of mental and moral muscle.
Miss Edna Miner of St. Johnsbury dis
cussed Mature as Revealed by Poets,"
referring to the lessons to be learned by
those few, divinely blessed, who can
understand the voice of nature, and pay
ing tribute to the poets who have
fulfilled the task Of Interpreting nature.
National Shortsightedness" was the
subject of Miss Ninan Lockwood's essay.
She spoke Of our present war with Spain,
showing the results to nations in the
past which have fought wars OF con-
quest, and closed by saying, LET not
grasping ambition take the place of
Christian chivalry, lest we learn to our
sorrow that wars waged for spoils and
dominion are in the end more ruinous, if
possible, to the conqueror than the con-
quered."
Miss Maud Caldbeck spoke on "The
Island Of Sorrows" showing the sterling
possess and their loyalty to religion and
country.
"The Limits of independence" by Miss
Emma Pearson of Coventry, showed
how much we must be dependent upon
each other for all things. She defined
true independence as wishing and being
glad to do what we may"
Grace Montgomery's essay was on
"The Story Told by an Egyptian
Mummy" which gave the history of
Rameses II. and the finding of the babe
Moses.
Miss Nettie Park treated of Chivalry,"
referring to several prominent types. and
showed that knighthood was found in
the most unsuspected places, even in
student life.
waiting for Wings" by Miss Helen
Douglas, showed in striking manner
the end to which one comes, when he sits
and waits for golden opportunities to
come, and argued that the way to all
good things Of life is through toll and
earnest effort.
In an grafton on "The Crank in His
tory" Robert H. Smith emphasized the
fact that all leaders in any reform were
called cranks and fanatics, because they
were in advance of their age, and showed
the worlds indebtedness to the pro-
gressive crank.
In Miss Mary Hyde's essay "The Angel
of Memory" was discussed. She said we
are not less dependent than the humble
creatures, for without memory we could
do absolutely nothing. 1t teaches us to
walk, to talk, to employ all our senses,
to avoid dangers. 1t teaches US to profit
by experience and to appreciate pleasures.
Miss Helen Somers of Irasburg gave an
essay on caste, Social and National"
in which she showed the caste distinctions
of other lands and also the caste of
wealth in America and that the develop
ment mental and spiritual of its advo-
Gates was stunted.
unknown Heroines" were discussed
by Miss Grace Williams of Coventry.
She said that real heroes existed in every
day life and each OF us may do things in
our daily life which may well give us the
name of hero.
Miss Annie Bean of Coventry dealt
with "Grati6ed Ambition and Success"
giving as examples the lives of great men
like William E. Gladstone. Thus the man
whose aspiration is divine aspiration
will never attain his goal but sees before
him boundless fields rich with opportu-
nifty.
To Downer H. Newell OF st. Johnsbury
was assigned the honor Of the valedictory
addresses. These were couched in terms
appreciative OF what the class had re-
ceived from the Academy and towns
people, and in terms Of regard and fellow
ship among the members of the class of
'9S.
Prof Comstock presented the diplomas
and gave few parting words in which
he urged their allegiance to the Academy
and expressed the hope that at the end
they might all be able to say II have
fought a good fight, / have finished my
COURSE"
The audience was dismissed by Rev. M.
H. Mill.
Class Day Exercises.
Fortunately the sky was clear Thurs
day afternoon and the class day exer-
cises OF 1898 were attended by large
crowd ofinterested spectators. Downer
Newell as class president presided and
introduced the speakers. Miss Marion
Fairbanks gave the class essay, her sub
ject being "The Genius of Hard Work."
The idea that true greatness was not
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