River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1899-06-29
GRADUATING EXERCISES.
Twenty-Five Elementary and Eight
Senior Graduates Receive
Diplomas.
Normal Commencement.

diplomas.
Normal Commencement.
Eight seniors and twenty-five ele-
mentaries made up the shining har-
vest that the Normal School gave to
the world at its graduating exercises
of last Thursday morning in the Con-
gregational church. The day was
ideal for Commandments soft June
morning and only mildly warm BY
nine o'clock the church began to fill,
and by ten-the hour appointed for
the program-it was seated TO its
doors. Except for single bank Of
flowers and ferns that ran from the
floor to the easement OF the left
north window and few cut roses on
stands, no attempt had been made at
decorations The church, however,
was quite in harmony with the oc-
casion; for the ceremonies, through
out, were simple, informa! and re-
lresnlnBly easy
A chorus Of trained voices, directed
by Mrs. Thatcher, started the pro-
gram with the resounding piece
Now the Music Soundeth." This,
together with five other vocal selec-
tions agreeably interspersed through
the program, made charming set
ting for the seven dissertations that
were delivered by mem bers Of the
senior class. The music was thus
furnished entirely by the school, and
| it was spoken Of at the close of the
exercises as quite the choicest ever
given at the Normal Commence
ments The chorus May Day" and
De Koven's arrangement for Kip
lings sublime "Recessional" were
| perhaps the two that aroused the
most cordial enthusiasm. Altogether,
the music was very beautiful and very
beautifully sung.
In the absence of Rev. Snodgrass,
Rev. Evans of Prescott pronounced
the Invocation. Following him, dis
sertations were given by the seniors
as follows: calm of American Edu-
cation" Charles Wentz; 1.-THE Educa-
tion of Women" Nina Lowater;
''The States Gift To The Cause of
Education" Edwin Scott; Teaching
Morals in the Public Schools Oline
Krogstad; "Children's Interests"
Alta Horth; Specialization" Charles
Purves; "As Thou Art So Shalt Thy
influence Be-" Louise Coggeshall.
Walter Leonard who was to speak on
Educational Progress, was excused
from delivering his part.
II this account were an adequa tie
| criticism instead of merely a news
| comment, 1t would be agreeable to
| mention the individual excellences of
| each of these speakers. They were all
| good, all full of suggestion and charm
| but three in particular seem to have
aroused some special praise and APP
plause-the bright, reserved and mild
| ly humoro speech on "Specializa-
! tion" by Charles PurYes; the tenderly
appreciative piece on "Children's In
| teres ts' by Alta Horth and the sym
pathetic and somewhat idyllic plea for
sincerity in dealing with children by
Louise Coggeshall.
1t had been announced, and the
point was emphasized during the exer-
cises, that no detailed criticism or GEN.
| sorship was exercised over the young
people who composed and delivered
these parts. The aim was, of course, to
| allow greater scope for individual ex-
| preston and to make the speeches an
| index to the students mind and the
students work, rather than Of the
faculty's views or policy. The success
of the experiment was unquestioned
| The genuineness Of the experiment
was no less unquestioned than its sue
| cess. For every now and then
| throughout the exercises little points
were brought into prominence, little
repetitions were made-points and
repetitions incident to class work and
class reading-that would surely have
been modified by any common critic
of the whole. Though these points
did not in any measure impair the
symmetry of the speeches in them
selves, they were noticeable in the
program as a complete and finite
| thing
Pres. Brier, in careful and appropri-
ate phrases, addressed the audience
and the two classes, and presented
the two kinds of diplomas to the sue
| cessful candidates. He thus grace
fully and worthily concluded his first
years presidency of the River Falls
Normal to the honor of the school
and the pleasure of the people Of this
community.
The Grades and Kindergarten had
their exercises Wednesday. These
were attended by interested audiences
who were Interestingly entertained.
The graduation Of the elementary
class in the afternoon was associated
with some peculiar features which
gave especial satisfaction from their
originality, humor and merit.
---------
Headquarters for fireworks at THE
FAIR.
The people Of Mountain View,
Oklahoma, stole the posto6ice bulld-
ing of a neighboring town one night
last week and took it home.
Seventy-five tons of clover hay
wanted at M. G. Johnson's sheep feed
ing pens, River Falls.
Mem bers of the River Falls Nor
NAL Alumni Association to the num-
Der OF ITO participated 10 banquet