Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-06-13

The fourteenth annual commence
ment exercises of the Central Benwood
public school, which was held last
evening at the Methodist Episcopal
Church, was attended by an audience
literally filing the edifice. The gradu-
ates were William Sumner Leach, Alice
Ceceila Hoyt, Ethel Irene Lacey, Daisy
FRANCES Shepard, Jennie Romano Ed
wards and William Aloysious Duggan,
and each gave an appropriate grafton.
The interior of the church was taste
fully decorated with palms and flowers
and the programme was interspersed
with pleasing musical selections rem
oered by Mayors orchestra.
The opening exercises consisted of
invocation by Rev. George w. Bent and
BWo musical numbers, a march entitled
victory and an overture, America. y
William Sumner Leach, who was first
on the programme, gave an excellent
Grafton, taking for his subject Amer
lca's Progress" and very clearly out
FINED the progress that had been made
IN tnls country during the past one
nundred years as compared with other
nations during a corresponding period.
he also spoke with reference to the
many important discoveries in science
ana the marked progress particularly
IN education and literature, and also
: called attention to the development in
mining interests, which Is such an i'm
portant part of our great wealth.
Ll1e's True IDEAL was the topic of
very appropriate Grafton given by
Alice Cecilia Hoyt, who developed the
thought that success is full of promise
until we reach it, and urged that each
select some noble and elevating ideal.
Sne advised that disbursement.
which so often comes to one who is
inspired with some high ideal, should
De dlspelled. Miss Hoyt also developed
the point that our fortune is in our
own hands, and he who would be sue
cessful must aim little higher.
Ethel Irene Lacey next gave a pleas
Ing Grafton upon the subject Good Old
ilmes, interestingly describing :. e
old fashioned scenes during the colon
IA period. and incidentally compared
tne conditions OF those days with those
OF modern times to show the remark
aple progress OF the nation during the
century just closing. After speaking Of
tne characters of those good old fash
4oned days, she concluded by empha-
SIZING the point that the records were
mucn purer then simply for the rea-
son mat the laws were enforced and
recognized by the people.
IN ner opening remarks Daisy Fran
els shepard, who discussed the sub
Ject' BE True to Yourself" pointed
ouI that IL one is true to himself he
VIII De true to nature and nature will
De true TO him. She next impressed
ner hearers with the advice that in
ms struggle for success in any posi-
tlon IN lie one must anticipate some
sort OF repulse or encouragement, and
SO be prepared to meet it.
In her Grafton upon the topic, What
is Worth While?' Jennie Rowane Ed
wards began by remarking that this is
the question we often ask ourselves
when we leave school, and in order
that we may improve our time she
exhorted that we give up all those
things which we cannot carry into
our eternal lives. She said that bless
ings come to him who thinks of
others rather than only OF himself,
and pictured self-sacrifice as a heav-
emily act Miss Edwards also pointed
out various ways for improving ones
time
William Aloysius Duggan, who
chose for his subject THE Heritage
of the Twentieth Century" Dwell prin-
cipally upon the historical points of
the last hundred years. He main
tanned that no matter how gloomy or
depressing has been the epochs of
warfare among the nations of the
world they have been followed
by periods for development in
learning. He thought that the CEN
tury just closing was very conspicu-
ously distinguished from any of the
previous centuries, as it had provided
everything necessary for the advance
ment of civilization. The speaker also
referred to the wonderful inventions
that have come to light during this
period and the marked development
in every branch of learning.
Prof. Charles E. Carrigan, princi-
pal of the school, made a few appro-
pirate remarks at the conclusion of
the orations, calling attention to the
Importance of such an occasion and the
many benefits to be derived from the
public school system, and pointed out
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