Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1898-06-17
nth ANNUAL COMMENCEMENT.
Combined from pd0e -

voice Is Il dramatic soprano, ana shows
great feXibility and training. There Is
a breadth and warmth and sweetness
about il that l. certainly very pleasing,
She won the hearts of the audience, and
they greeted her with enthusiastic ell
cores. If any If her selections Were
worthy of 50, cial mcH'ion, II was the
Ave Maria (.WiUd), which was sung
with thrilling Sweetness.
The management very fortunate IL
securing Mr.. Edgar, who has recently
returned from Italy whore he studied
with the best masters. Mr.. Edgar has
a tenor voice of wonderful range, and
| his high notes are remarkably clear.
The rendition of the number For all
Eternity" (NaSchcoaO, is especially
worthy of mention. The audience
evinced their appreciation by recalling
him again and again.
Mr.. w Force is one of the foremost
violinists in Grand Rapids. He is perhaps
the best ever heard in Alma excluding
Remenyi.
The Chorus sang Break, Break
Break (lLFMrel) aud "By Babylon :
Wave" (Gomoi) with good expression.
Miss Getty, amused and charmed the
audience with a reading, 1.-The En-
tangled Senator.
The graduates from the Music Depart
ment this year are Miss Amaret Frank
lin. of Thompsonville, Mich, and Miss
Mary Caldwell, Of Alma. They executed
very creditably some difficult music
from Wagner, who is acknowledged the
greatest of musical artists, having even
greater prestige than Beethoven, List
or Chopin He has been called the
Socrates of Music, and the breadth and
depth of his music demands close study
for appreciation, as does Shakespeare i'll
literature.
The following is the evening program
Overture. $500. storm King ....... 80. Beebe
orchestra
Chorus .. Break. Break Break =. McFarI en-
Vocal solo one Morning, oh. SO Early Thomas
Miss Pucher
Due ..-- Ia nina Overture ..... Wagner
Misses Franklin and Caldwell
Vocal solo ... For all Eternity Mascheroni
Mr. Edgar
Piano Solo ....... spinning song ......... Wagner
Qrom the fly ing buchanan
Miss Amatet Franklin
chorus ...... BY BaDylon's Wave eco, Gounod
Miss Pu!cher
Reading 90. The Entangled senator. .---
Miss Getty
Piano solo .Rhap'odie iiungeroise No T. List
Miss Mary Caldwell
Nj Edgar
Duet. -. lions lie ;;;.,...... CAM
Misses Caldwell and Franklin
Overture .......... The Ram ........, Hoist
(from Al Black Snoep
orchestra.
WEDNESDAY MORNING.
The graduating exercises of the AGA
DENY Department opened Wednesday
morning with selection from the orches-
ira Prayer by Rev NJ ID. Carrel, ID. d.,
after which Mrs. D. ii. Stevenson sang
Il solo.
Robert |. Mckee, III his Grafton DE
foresting III the United States, said ::
The devastating hand of the mercenary
minded IS nowhere more apparent than
in the devaSt ltiOn OF our forests. The
interests of postcrity are lmperlled III Il
reckless disregard OF any interests but
those OF this present time. Its prevention
should become national consideration.
Mr.. Mckee's delivery was excellent.
"Nobleman and Peasant-Two Poets"
was the subject OF Miss Rose Meggln-
sons Grafton. Literature, she SAID Is
assuming an increasing Importance in
the curriculum of our schools. The
virtues 10 be CLEANED from its study are
more recognized. Byron and Burns,
types of noblemen and peasant poets,
are worthy of careful perusal, not only
because of the elegance of their diction,
but because they reveal so truly the
emotions of the universal human heart.
Their lives, with their temptations
triumphs and pathetic failures are
lessons of deep and impressive slgniti-
canoe.
Misses Franklin and Williams played
duet, after which John N Booth de-
livered his excellent and thoughtful
Il I
the earliest point of civilization man
kind has been seeking means of facili-
tating transportation. Modern improve
ments have UNNECESSARILY furthered
this, but the railroads, with all their
benefits have not been an unmiXed
blessing. They have abused the adj
vantages of their position Of Importance,
and manifested an utter disregard of
fair dealing and fair play. Discomfort
and agitation result They cannot be
moved by argument or entreaty. Upon
the public deyolves the privilege and
duty TO harmonic the situation into
justice to capitalist and public Rev
w f. Jones concluded the program
with a benediction.
WEDNESDAY EVENING.
The address before the Christian AS
sociations was delivered by Rev. DR..
Sydney Smith, of Bay City, on the sub
ject of Successful Lives. 1t is a noxi-
Gus sentiment that success comes by
magic. The laws of human advance
ment are as well defined and memorable
as those of nature. Opportunity for at.
tainment of success and demand for skill
are in excess of the supply. Success does
not come TO those who lOiter by the road
side of endeavor, but TO those who en-
ploy themselves arduously. Whenever
the latent possibilities of your soul awake
TO consciousness, and you realize that
yours is an individual career, and that
you are TO be the architect of its fortune,
crystalline the divine hopes of your
heart into action. Culture for its own
sake is weak and sinful thing. Only
as il ministers to good ends is it worthy.
Count not your life among the failures
because it battles in cause where
victory is not 20 the righteous, See
through memory's clouds of unfulfilled
desires, and neutrality-suspicious., the God
who will interpret the shattered frag-
ments. Believe in tho infinite adjust
ment of things. Esteem work as worthy,