The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-06-24
qFIFTY=SEVEN.rRI
Closing Exercises Of the Practice
Department. obi
Characteristics of the Nations
Exemplified by School Chill
dren at the Normal.

The closing exercises of the practice
department of the Normal school
were held in the assembly hall com
mencing at shortly after ten O'Clock
Tuesday, and tfty-seven OF the
pupils graduated from the depart
ment and are entitled to admission
to the Normal department. The hall
was crowded to it's full capacity by
nearly 1000 people, who utilized all of
the standing room. The rostrum was
backed with mass of fern leaves,
making a sylvan background for the
interesting exercises.
The program consisted of repre-
sentation of the nations, participated
in by the grammar grade under Miss
Robbins, the intermediate grade un-
der Miss Darrah, and the primary
grade under Mrs. Johnson. The
scholars appeared in costume, the
little Indians having feathered caps,
the japanese pretty dresses and false
eyebrows and Redeemed cheeks, and
the Greeks their costume worn by
some of the young ladies. 49,
The Greeks first occupied the stage,
they being the grammar department:
The Niobe group was represented
by Agnes Mccarthy, Pearle Osgood,
Blanche Pettis, Enga Olsen, Mabel
Chamberlain, Grace Wildes, Myrtle
Hart, and Lulu Hodson.
The story, written by Blanche
Pettis, was read by Guy Bohan.
Katherine Dougherty, Mabel
Chamberlain and Jennie Wilkinson
were the Three Fates. The myth,
written by Christina Ness, was read
by George Tidland.
The Dance of the Muses. was repre-
sented by Katherine Dougherty,
Anna Lloyd, Esther Roberts, Lille
Murphy, Ida Koeppen, Victoria
Glotzbach, Lulu Hodson, Albertine
Andrews and Anna Mulligan. The
introduction, written by Pearle Os-
good, and followed by Longfellow's
Descent of the Muses., was recited by
Roy Ashworth.
All who took part were members of
the finishing class. The stories were
the usual class work, and none of the
pupils knew when writing them, that
they were to be used in this way.
The mighty tribes of the West
assembled next and chanted the
sacred message given them by Gitche
Mantle in the beginning Of time,
-Four of Hiawatha's friends told of
his childhood. The Indian braves
then recounted in songs the joys of
hunting. Three Indians told of the
wonderful conflict between Hiawatha
and Mudjekiewis, the West Wind.
The Indian maidens sung of their
beautiful home in the wild woods and
longed for their freedom. Some of
Hiawatha's admirers told Of his great
sacrifice for his people, and how he
was rewarded by the Great Spirit
with food for the nations. The tribes
then assembled and expressed their
JOY in an ancient war dance, after
which they smoked the peace pipe
and sang the resting song.
The geography work of the Inter
mediate Department has dealt largely
with Asia, and much interest has
been aroused in the gentle and grace
full children of Japan, who appeared
in the fantasies" of their leisure
hours. The "Mikado' lent sanction
to the fan.drill. They entered to the
chorus of THE Flowers that Bloom
in the Spring." "Tit-Willow" sang
his plaintiYe strains, and a happy
ending came with "He's going to
marry Yum YUM"
The Greek posing in the
dance of the MUSES., the fan
drill of the Asiatics and the
war dance of the Indians were highly
interesting features. The primary
children were the Indians, and their
ideas of the costumes were original
and were acquired from their study
of Hiawatha stories during the past
year. Several songs were introduced
during this part of the program.
Everything was very well prepared
and reflected great credit
Following the story of the nations,
chorus from the Grammar depart.
ment sang The Spring Songs and The
Posy. The songs deserved the ap-
plause that followed.
DR.. S. H. Rowe conferred the di.
plomas with some appropriate re.
marks. The following is list of the
graduating class: MO Y wa.
EIGHTH GRADE.
Albertine Anderson Cornela j. Mansfield
Roy Ashworth Agnes May Mccarthy
Albertine NJ Andrews Margaret McTie
Emily Anderson Anna Mulligan p ny
Willie Anderson Lille Murphy
Clara Bartel ChrIstena Ness ~ a
GUY T. Bohan Enga Pauline Olsen
Mabel Chamberlain Nettie Pearle Osgood
katherine Dougherty Blanche Pettis
Oscar Fritz Erdahl Sophia Peterson
Royal John Foster Walter Emil Polzn
Mertie Foster Esther Roberts
Arthur HarveyF Fletcher Jennie Roberts U7Gag