The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1899-06-03

W. M. A.
. COMMENCEMENT


| COMMENCEMENT. Z
a
Thursday morning at ten O'Clock at the
opera house, Wentworth Military r.
Academy held Its -ommencemen exer- c
cises. Long before the curtain wen. up
the house was crowded, even down to the I,
'front.' row, not a seat being vacant. 1t was !
a bright, cheerful audience, composed
mostly OF ladies', but with a liberal
sprinkle Of our thinking fellow citizens. :
II was an audience to inspire the per- I
formers to their best efforts.
The first thing on the programme was {
an instrumental piece, entitled "The {
Presidents Flag p by the Cadet Orchestra.
This orchestra consisted Of three %violins,
piano, flute, cOrnet and trombone. The
selection was an excellent one, and was
well rendered, the horns being toned
down to harmonic with the other iusrru-
ments. 1t was a very fine beginning of a
hne entertainment.
Elder +. J. Fenstermacher offered
prayer, the packed audience remained
seated.
Prof. Sellers made a short speech, say
Ing that the academy was just closing a
very successful year, Notwithstanding the
Tact that last year was a very hard one on
military schools on account OF the Span
lsh war. The teachers quit their posts to
enlist, and the army officer, who was
stationed here was ordered to Join his
command. In spite of all this w. NJ. A.
has made a very successful year. The
recent legislature has made the academy
q post OF the National Guard, aud pro-
vided for annual inspection. Officers and
graduates Of the school hereafter hold
ra1k ln the guard. He thought the out
look for the future was very bright, and
babe welcome to all who had come 20
show their good will by their presence.
Next cam a piano duet, "stradella." by
} Melnotte, beautifully given by Cadets
; Heath and Sellers. We have heretofore
8 heard Cadet Sellers on the piano, and
' knew that he could play we'll, but Cadet
t Heath was a new one so far as we knew.
g. He plays as though he had never done
a anything else, and elected the warmest
praise from the best musicians. The duet
was a splendid surprise to the audience.
Glass Grafton, Mystery" by Cadet b.
l.. Williams, was a production Of which
he may we'll feel proud. There was good
thought and fine choice Of language. He
has a good, pleasant, distinct voice, and
% was easily understood by the large
audience. The only fault we could find
was his rapid delivery, and failure to EN-
phasize his speech with gestures. This II
q common fault, and will soon wear away
II he engages much In speech making.
A medley, arranged by Prof. E. J
Stark, and played under his direction, b.
:. the Mandolin Club, was next. The clul
y contained eight %mandolins, two guitar
~ and one flute. The piece was a very prett.
one, and was played with a precision tina
=. could only come from careful training,
knowledge OF music and practice.
Cadet W. q. Edwards was chosen I
=. deliver the valedictory, and his subjeC
was "Liie." He handled his subject in
very careful manner, and spoke very dif
10 tinctly. His remarks in regard to leavin
IT. school, sundering ties Of friendship, an
ne his words Of parting from his classmat'
'es were very prettily expressed, mt serve
to strengthen the bonds 80 SCOT to
'n broken.
ng The orchestra came next, and played
RS very pretty selection. 1t had opened Il
ow programme with a fine piece, but In II
rds estimation OF the audience this was st
are better, and at its conclusion the audien
her made a long continued effort to reel
them.
ing Judge Richard Field, in a short b
lin eloquent speech, introduced the orator
ons the day, Hon. VIM. 8. Cowherd. Jud
ing Field made a hasty review OF the wo
18th done by W. NJ. A. since Its %organizatio
not He stated that during the Spanish "
uld w. Nj. A. had furnished twenty-h
to commissioned officers and quite a numb
tful OF private soldiers. He paid a handsoI
tribute to Mr.. Cowherd, and introduc
ex. him as "the kind Of a western man who
lool we all delight to honor"
Who Mr.. Cowherd was heartily cheered as
,ad. stepped forward. His record as an orAi
arg, aud as an influential member OF congr'
,ers Is well known to all our readers.
was spoke for half an hour, and the beautiI
hen sentences followed each other In
we'll unbroken chain, from beginning to eli
how He congratulated Lexington on her re
limo utation as an educational center, a
Ia a hoped we would soon have the mt
lars talked-oi bridge; but whether the brio
ON. is built or not, do not forget your schoC
put They make a town q good place to !
and a good place to die. He spoke Of
Ier's recent war, and Of the record Of W. M.
low which, while not the largest school liz
reat state, had furnished more officers In
WAS recent trouble than any other SCHOOL
ON. the state. The state owes this schoo
o Of debt Of gratitude, and | hope she will !
y of 1t. He thought war was not an unmi,
Tor. evil, and said that every boy was bet
n Of because Of Hobson's deed, and every m
lana was a better citizen because OF the cha
told up San Juan hill. He paid a beautl
him tribute to youth" and another just
old beautiful to Labor" lie SAID nat eve
,eral thing worth having demands Its pound
flesh, and will have II either in labor
In sorrow,
NOE The whole address was a series
eloquent, thoughtful expressions.
anu expect to print the speech In full, shor'
anu and hope 1t will be carefully read
Mrs every boy in the county. A gentleman
t''e' education and much experience told
that 1t was the best address he had g
heard on such an occasion, and we II
ai'e agree with him.
Ii'yi The orchestra played another pre-
" r selection, after which the following yol
Try gentlemen were awarded diplomas;
Dr Theodore Alexander Bates, Will
% Corydon Edwards, Jr., Robert Edm'
AAn Lee Hicklln, Charles franklin Hack
pP'o John Wesley Holiday, ST., Edgar Sch
'oln' Krailsheimer, John Bolton Mitch
s'e'' Charles franklin Patterson, Galeu BY
mr. Russell, Milton Augustus Terhr
Charles Weaver Vaughan, Dan Proc
y Violet, Burns Llewellyn VILLA
Homer Chamberlain Young.
bed, The Washington-Lee scholarship
our awarded 10 Cadet w. Q. Edwards,
lock, Topeka, Kansas Cade' M y iein'
the OF Sherman, Texas, was second.
,ouri The general scholarship prize
,ree- awarded to Cadet Clyde Hall. OF |
and ington; second, Cadet Nathan Allme.
fred. Drill prize to Cadet G. $, Eldridgs
q. Mississippi; second to Cadet jackson
@. Marshall.
II. This was the final exercise, and as
- -. .nuvard tha dnnra