Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-06-02

QOE1 he ALUMNI.
The thirtieth annual commencement
of the Martins Ferry High school was
held last evening in the Opera House
at that place. Larger audiences have
attended on former occasions, the OPP
pressive heat and unfavorable weather
keeping many away. Is
The curtain went up at half-past
eight o'clock and the graduates, ten in
number, marched in five from either
side of the stage, and took their seats
They were: Misses Sadie Sedgwick,
Retta Cochran, Minnie Chapman, Vera
Thompson. Alice McCleary, Lenora
Bessie morgan, and Messrs Ross
and Roy heaton. Shreve Clark and
Charles Barr. The stage was TASTEFUL
ly decorated with the class colors, yell
low and black, together with flowers
and potted plants.
After an overture by the Wheeling
Opera House orchestra, Rev. j. T. Nor
ton, pastor of the First Methodist
church, delivered fervent invocation.
The new order of exercises which are
being introduced throughout the State,
of having an address delivered instead
of the efforts of the graduates, was
tried, and proved very satisfactory
Charles Barr gave short historical
sketch of the class, which proved very
entertaining. Miss Leonora Bessie
Morgan delivered the valedictory in
an excellent manner. DR.. Jerome Ray
,mond, President of the University of
West Virginia, made the address of
the evening
This theme was -"The Mission of
The Twentieth Century" In touching
on the panoramas of the past the
speaker told of the world in the early
ages, and coming down nearer to the
present spoke of public benefactors,
those who have enriched the human
store of knowledge, or added to the
glory of the race. Looking forward,
he said the child of the new century
will be tainted with the evil of the
Old and also with the nobility. What
manner of land do you want this land
to be? Before the old century is gone
and the new has taken it's place, let
us, who have bewailed the past, take
it upon ourselves to make the new cen
fury model one, by lifting the masses
to higher plane. If the money spent
In Furnishing the crimes done through
ignorance were spent in educating
those growing up, how much better
would it be. We would have less need
of poor houses, jails and penitentiaries.
The criminal habits of the present
could thus be done away with by the
end Of the twentieth century.
The twentieth century should teach
humanitarianism. More humane soci-
cites are needed. 1t must be taught in
Industrial relations Men will not con
sent to become machines. The Whole
trend of history has been toward that
democracy in which there will be no
master and man, but all will be broth
erS.
The men who shall be the statesmen
of the twentieth century shall be men
of unfiinching character who are not
afraid of doing the right. The two new
elements in the coming century will be
the American scholar, the educated
man who shall play his part; and wo-
man, self-reliant and energetic, perfect
ly capable of managing her own affairs.
In his closing remarks the speaker
urged the necessity of struggling on,
never going backward. Following an
overture by the orchestra George Raj
ston, president of the board of educa-
ton, presented the graduates with their
diplomas, when Rev. S. ]. Boyle deliv-
cred the benediction. The class then
retired to the Masonic hall, where they
were banquetted by the Alumni Soci-
ety of the High school