The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-27
WOMENGRADUATE
ANNUAL COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES
AT ST. JOHNS ACADEMY.
A Large Audience, Handsome Decora-
lions and an Entertaining Pro-
gramme Carried Out.

The forty-first annual commencement ex-
ercises of st. Johns Academy took place
last night in the auditorium of the school.
on West Maryland street. Though the
weather was sultry. the large hall was
filled with people who enjoyed the enter
tainment. The stage In front was taste
fully decorated with palms which extended
around to the rear of the stage. Rising
from the rear of the stage was a tier of
steps covered with a green cloth which
gave the whole a perspective appearance
resembling a tropical scene.
In the opening number Of the entertain
ment, which was a polka mazurka from
Faust" two violins, seven mandolins. one
viola, one violoncello and three pianos were
used. The young women playing the in
were all dressed in white which
outlined against the green back ground
of the stage gave a very pretty appearance.
The girls playing the mandolins were seat
ed on the stairs against the potted palms,
as though they were out on a lawn. Fol-
lowing this opening number Miss Gertrude
read her essay on 'Wisdom's
Ways are Beautiful: and all Her Paths
are Peace" The second musical number
was a duet by six young ladies with three
pianos. Miss May Moran, another grad
uate, read her essay ''Circumstances-the
Rulers of the Weak, the Instruments of the
Strong" Another beautiful musical num-
Der was given by the young ladies play
ing the stringed instruments and the
pianos. in which they rendered several Sc
lections from Schubert" much to the de-
light OF the audience. An interesting essay,
that of Miss Nellie Davis. 1.-THE Balance of
Sorrow and Joy is Held with an even
Hand was we'll received.
The oratorio "Jephthah's Daughter" was
a very clever piece of acting by the pupils
Of the school. The pupils were dressed In
the ancient costumes of the Isrealites and
told the story of the memorable battle of
the Amanites and the Isrealites; Of the
rash VOW made by Jephthah in giving
his daughter to make sacrifice to God for
having brought him victory over his enc
mics the Amanites.
The concluding number. an operetta,
Queen Flora's Day Dream" formed one
of the prettiest pictures imaginable. This
scene showed great care and work on the
part of the Sisters Of Providence in train
ing so many young children to act in har-
mony with one another. The act began
with fhe awakening Of the queen from her
SAUNDERS by the fairy who was a little tot
of a girl and who strewed flowers at the
feet of the queen as she aroused her. The
queen was seated about halfway UP the
steps or the rear of the stage. Fifty young
girls dressed in white and wearing red sash
es, held in their hands small punches of
roses and walked past the queen singing
songs. They were followed by a like num-
Der of little girls who were dressed in white
and had purple sashes, each carrying a
bunch of Yiolets. After they had sung a
song for the queen, they, with the other
girls. assembled the stairs and formed a
triangle. After all had been seated they
were followed by a large number of small
er girls. carrying lilies. After they had
other girls took their places on
the stairs. Next came several little
girls dressed in yellow to repre-
sent butterflies. These tots fluttered
about the older girls singing their praises to
the queen. These. too, took their place with
the rest on the stairs and added to the pic
ture. The tambourine girls next came with
the rattle of their instruments and singing
songs. A fierce humming sound was heard
and there appeared Miss Florence Weber,
a little girl dressed as a humble bee. The
dress which she wore had been very in
geniously got up and her presence height
ened the beauty of the scene. Little girls
ranging from three years TO six came in
dressed as daisies and nymphs. When all
had taken their seats surrounding the
queen varicolored lights were flashed on
them by means of a calcium light. The
whole presented a very beautiful picture,
and was we'll received.
The entertainment concluded, the three
graduates appeared. carrying large bou-
quets, and each gave a short address.
When they had finished Right Rev. Bishop
Chatard presented the young women with
their diplomas. after which he made a
short speech on the work before them.