Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1899-05-03
THE CLASS OF go.
mot .Finis,' Blu, the End of Vol. L"


or the Medicine Lodge High School was
held at the opera house last Thursday,
April 81, 1899. The opera house was
tastefully decorated and the abundance
of flowers added fragrance to beauty
and conf )rt. Above the stage. in beau
tiful gilt letters, was inscribed the class
motto, mot 'FInis,' But the End of
Vol. I,'' while still higher were the
words in artistic evergreen, "Class of
49," The stage was adorned with the
class colors, yellow and purple. which
with the many pretty flowers elaborate
ly beautified the surroundings of the
graduates. On the walls on either side
OF the hall were portraits of distin-
gulsled statesmen and authors inter-
laced by evergreen, and the American
flag dotted the house here and there.
The decorations were all that could be
expected from human hands and their
beauty was only exceeded by the lndi-
vidual members of the class itself.
The exercises began by a selection
from the orchestra, followed by an in
vocation by Rev. Irwin. Miss Maud
Currle rendered vocal solo much to
the appreciation and qualification of
the audience which filled the house.
The first Grafton of the evening was
delivered by George Roy Arterburn,
salutato-lan. In few brief remarks
OF we'll chosen words he extended sim
cere thanks in behalf of the class, to
teachers, School Board and patrons for
their untiring efforts in their behalf,
and then stepped 10 the front OF the
stage and delivered his Grafton proper:
The Bay is Crossed, The Ocean Lies
Before U.s." He adhered very closely
to the theme and his illustrations were
vivid. The crossing of the Bay is
the work of the beginner; it is here
where the ship is tested for the greater
work before it, so in individuals. Once
having crossed the first waters we are
better equipped for the great journey
before US, but the tour has not yet been
made. He demonstrated by illustra-
tiOns how young man or woman, hay
ing succeeded in this first voyage, may
be shipwrecked later by reason of his
own faults, like the careless sailor in
the far away waters. Mr.. Arterburn's
Grafton was masterpiece.
Bessie Arminda Mccoy, in picturing
the life and example of Joan of Arc"
was fully conversant with her subject.
She showed how force Of character,
res olution and self sacrifice will win
glories beyond, though torture and ILL
advised public sentiment and arbitrary
powers may subdue for season. Miss
McCoy's delivery was apparently with
out great effort and every word was
carefully uttered and plainly under
stood.
Prof. E. A. Shepardson and Miss
Blanche Young punctuated the exercis-
es here with lalIghable duet, GUAR
rel and Reconciliation" which it IS
needless to say took the audience by
storm. To married folks it was re-
hinder of frequent dialogues in actual
life and to the unmarried it should
serve as a lesson, so that while it Great
ed mirth for awhile, we can see the
moral.
The next rendition was, progress of
Civilization, Past, Present and Flu
ture," by Leon Lewis Osborn. AS the
subject matter suggests, he began by
painting picture of ancient times and
followed closely the adYancements
through the different ages; illustrated
the improvements society now enjoys
in all departments of life, and proved
from this that still greater achieve
ments, and what are now seemingly
impossibilities, will be inevitable as fu-
ture generations are reared and educat-
ed. Public sentiment sometimes is a
formidable barrier but history teach
es US that great inventors and great
teachers oYercame it then, and it is but
natural that history should repeat it.
self. Mr.. Osborn had his grafton well
in hand.
Great Achievements, From Little
Things, Grow" Miss LYDIA Armilda
Watkins proved the proposition laid
down in this brief sentence. She showed
how Columbus with few small instru.
ments reached an unknown land beyond
which public opinion believed to be an
unnavigable deep; how little virtu es
grow into great good, and how small
evil grows to awful vice. No phase of
life Is exempt. All great things start
from small beginning, whether 1t be in
public or private matters. The little
things need a guardian that subsequent
events may commend the man or the
woman. Miss Watkins succeeded in
painting picture which could confuse
or mlslead nobody.
The orchestra here rendered another
selection, and Cecile Claire Osborn, val
edictorian, followed. Her subject wa
"SymphonJ." She showed how music
in its full construction, had an import
ant part In the affairs of life. The in
strument, In the hands of an artist, i
capable of enhancing the air itself. tn,
human voice is more effective, the voic
es of nature are grander, and the har
mony Of the spheres is sublime. Mis-
Osborn was in touch with her nearer,
and it was pleasure to follow he
through vale to hill thence to clouds an,
onward and upward, listening ever an