Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-06-08
NINET6 ZEN GRADUATES.
Exercises Witnessed by a Large
Audience in Reeds Opera
House, June End.

Commencement day dawncd brigh
and fair for The Lancaster high schoo
hast Friday morning in becoming har
mOnY with the brilliant prospects o
the bright and fair young men anC
women, who, having honorably com
pleted high school course on tha
day made commencement OF a per.
iod Of life that should be larger in in
iluence, fuller Of independent. self-re-
liant labor, richer in worthy purpose
and high thinking,
The graduating exercises were held
in Reeds opera house There being
no reserved seats this year those who
came earliest secured the best places
and long before the hour of beginning
the hall began to fill with interested
friends and relatives Of the graduates.
The scene that greeted the eyes OF
the observer as he entered the hall
was one Of rare beauty. The stage
and front OF the room were elaborate
~ decorated with plants and flowers
the work of The junior class whose
talents in many directions give prom
ise of great things from them next
year
The stage setting was a picturesque
wood scene with hlgh mountains
showing in the distance. The orchcs-
ira pit was filled with an immense
bank of ferns, while at either side and
on the stage were handsome group
lngs of palms and blooming potted
plants, the walls were frightened
with gracefully hung icstooning OF
green; over the stage the class motto
Honor Lies in Honest Labor" was
shown in large plain letters, at the
right side was the date '9Y and at the
left the letters, H. II. 5. deity inter
twincd and all in green; in the rear on
he wall below the gallery was the
classpin device Of crescent and mono
gram combined handsomely done in
crimson and white. The most sirik-
ing adoTnment, however, was 4 ladder
The ladder Of fame trimmed with
snowballs with tasty sprinkling Of
green, and leading, seemingly, from
the stage floor to high mountain
peaks above the clouds.
At l010 o'clock q m. Principal
Clarke and Rev T. j Brown took
seats on the stage, and soon after the
exercises were begun by Mr.. Clarke's
announcing prayer by Rev Brown.
Then followed the other parts of the
program in order without announce
ment
After an entertaining mandolin solo
BY Il. d. Walker, Earl lyey accom-
pauing at the piano, the first essayist
on the program. Miss Linda llenkel,
made her appearance She was
dressed in white ms We're all Of the
other young ladies who graduated and
carried pink carnations. She made
pleasing appearance and her essay
showed thorough painstaking prepar-
alton Her theme was The influence
ot War on Literature "
George Bchncke followed with an
Grafton on lntcr-Occanic Canals
He dealt briefly with the history Of
some famous canals already construct
ga and then discussed more in detail
the difficulties surroundings and
benefits to be derived from building
the Nicaragua canal to connect the
Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Mr.
Behncke's mNncr became more ami
mated and his enthusiasm increased
rs he proceeded with his speech, The
close of his address was argumcnta-
tive and was in thought and delivery
strong plea for the early construc-
ton of the splendid Nicaragua canal
enterprise
Miss Daisy Burris spoke ol"Ihe Ris-
ing Generation" She carried white
carnations; her appearance was good
and her manners easy The new and
peculiar conditions surrounding the
rising generation the duty owed 20
them by the passing generation and
consideration of some Of the great
questions To be met and solved by the
rising generation were the principal
divisions of the subject rs presented.
The essay was thoughtful, carefully
written and commendable production
Minnie Wright next appeared She
carried bunch of handsome red
roses Her subject was The Work
of one Woman" aud that woman the
noble and uniyorsallv-lovc Frances
f. willard Miss Wrights appear
ance was pleasing illustration OF
some of the manners aud traits which
helped to make Miss Willard IN ideal
type Of pure womanhood. Her voice
was soft and gentle but well modulat-
ed and her pronunciation clear and
distinct. Her essay was lifting and
beautiful tribute TO the worth aud
work of the woman so worthy of high
est praise.
Between the reading OF this essay.
and the next Mr. John Orton enter
tanned the audience with captivating
love song For This, Mr. lyey piano
aceompanist.
Miss Nellie Howell. theme was
Growth of American Liberty" and
RIGHT we'll did she handle her subject
She has rich cOntralto voice which
carried with distinetneSs every word
10 the farthest corners OF the room.
Mss Howell is the embodiment of the
vim and dash that have given Ameri-
can girls the reputation of being the
most charmingly independent and
sslf-reliant IN the world One needed
to hear but few OF her well worded,
thought-ladcn. ringing sentences to
understand why so many times, plb-
lished school reporls3ave shown Mel
lie Howell the recipient Of the high
est honor card. Her essay was his
torical and patriotic in character.
Mr.. Burne Pollock was the next
speaker. His Grafton was on ''Publie
Ownership Of Public Utilities" The
young man has a confident aggressive
manner and delivered his speech in
good voice. His Grafton was contro-
ycrsial in character and contained the
usual arguments and claims for pub
ic ownership urged by the pingree-