The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1900-06-16

to make bad matter worse, the grad.
yates are almost invariably made t
sit on the platform, facing the audi
ence which they feel sure is observing
and criticising every movement.
There may be several reasons fol
nervousness besides the natural trepi-
dation which accompanies the gradu-
alton daY ceremonies.
If the young aspirant realizes too late
that her dress falls short of the stand
ard set by custom the time to which
she looked forward with such happi-
ness will be filled with misery
If in the whirl of excitement at
tending closing examinations she has
allowed herself to become unfamiliar
with her part in the exercises it is
probable and fitting that she will make
a fiasco of the whole affair
THE REHEARSAL.
If she has not rehearsed sufficiently
! the bows and gestures which she is to
make, unless she is gifted with I'M
usual self-possession they will be made
awkwardly.
To be correct in the matter of dress
she will wear white, of any light ma
terial she chooses, and made as simply
or deliberately as her fancy dictates.
One of the latest models for gradu-
alton gowns was shown your CORE
! spondent day or two ago. This frock
is of point d'esprit, over white organ
die, trimmed with yards and yards of
| white baby ribbon, with sash and col
lar of white doublefaced satin ribbon.
The yoke is made of alternate strips
OF lace insertion and the baby ribbon
and shoulder ruff1eS and foot ruffieS are
also run with the baby ribbon. It is an
altogether charming and girlish gown,
and will serve as an excellent model
upon which to plan one more simple
or elaborate. Many consider that a
simple gown is more becoming, but fire.
Quently the graduate herself is of
different opinion. She is at liberty to
choose any, from the plain tucked or
shocked organdie to the deliberately
ruffied point d'esprit. They are both
in good taste.
The girl with the plainest dress need
not feel that she will be the subject of
unpleasant comment. If she is the sub
Ject of any comment at all regarding
her clothes it will be favorable, for the
simply arrayed graduate is always
noted by the audience with satisfac-
ton.
THE GREETING.
Each graduate should make it a point
to be familiar with her own little part
in the programme, so that she may
have no vain regrets when it is all over
and need not feel that she has mortified
the pride of teachers and parents by a
clumsy rendering. BY all means must
she know by heart" her essay, but
she may carry the manuscript in case
memory fails.
When she greets the audience before ,
beginning her essay, let it indeed be a
greeting, and not a slovenly nod or a
frantic stage effort at a bow. Let her
recollect that her friends are before
her, she has something to say to them
which she hopes to make as interesting
as possible, and her salutation should !
show all this. It is more than a nod, !
yet less than courtesy.
A gentle bend of the body, hands held |
loosely at sides, and the lips parted in |
a. smile. The attitude should be DELHI |
crate and comprehensive, sighting no I
one, and with no visible trace of the
nervous haste undoubtedly expert
enced.
In rendering her essay the graduate
must remember that the more freedom
Of motion she displays within certain
limitations the more interesting it will
be for the audience. She may eXpound
most learnedly, but she will not hold
the audience if she sticks closely to
the words of her text and moves nei-
Their to the right nor the left.
The fortunate valedictorian should
prepare her VaIedlctory so that 1t may
De rendered without notes or manu-
script. 1t is always a class address,
and she must not make the mistake of
it for the benefit of the audi
ence alone. She should turn partly, so
hat with a sweep of either hand the
audience and the class may profit by
he discourse. There is nothing
strained in the yaIedictory; it is the
most natural thing in the world, and
III it requires is to be naturally rem
Tered.