The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-02-22

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small; Indeed, on more occasions than
one some Of the schools were without
representative in the senior class,
This was not the casa with Union
school; she came. pretty CLOSE to the
zero mark once or,twice, but there was
always one at last to say that the
Fourth ward school was stlll in exist
ence,
AS II happened this time, however,
John was the only member of the class,
and this fact seems to have been in q
measure coiicIdence that might, with
proprlety be denomlnated provldential,
for, being the whole class himself, he
could not dim the memory OF any part
ner or partners; and the fame that has
come to him since can bring no regret
that they were not with him to share
1t. can scarcely add anything fur
Their to his credit as a pupil than to
say that he was always attentive to
his work. gentlemanly in his deport-
ment, unwilling to accept any state
ment that did not appeal to his reason,
and thoroughly alive to every import
ant question Of the day. His outside
reading was consequently extensive,
and the probabilities are that II he had
not done so much OF this he would have
stood higher In his class. AS 1t was,
he came out eleventh in class Of
about forty, his average in the twenty
one studies in which the seniors were
graded being 94s per cent. A,few Of
the grades ne obtained are appended:
History ss.5; political geography ssi
literature, $751;; algebra, $50; United
states constitution, ISL; science OF gov
eminent, ss1; geometry 80; physics,
sI,6; rhetoric 90; physical geography,
%; spelling, 100; photography, &c. all
the foregoing branches being more or
less directly connected with the voca.
tlon that he selected soon after his
graduation.
pisliked Making a speech"
In the early years of the public school
commencements. 1t was customary to
have each graduate reclte a production
OF some kind, and this often made the
programme SO lengthy that It was nee
essary to divide It so as to occur on
successive evenings, or on the after
noon and evening of the same day. II
there was one thing that John hated
more than another It certainly was to
make a speech" and believe that
antlpathy is about as strong as ever.
/ can, therefore, Imagine him quakiug
to-day at the ordeal that Is before him
when he shall have TO say something
In the way OF acceptation; and the sign
of relief he will breathe when all is
over will surely be heartfelt one.
Well, John had to have his speech in
1889, and It became necessary to make
a selection. After much thought and
rummagIng over old programmes, It
was decided that he should write on
most timely topic, THE Evils OF I'M
migration. Every young man who
writes what may be termed n "refor-
matory" grafton, doubtless, becomes 80
much Interested in his chosen topic
that he marvels that no other mind
has hit upon the plan Of correction that
he is about to advocate, and probably
feels that what he has to say will have
some influence in enectlng a reforma-
tion. / cannot say that our young
friend had any such idea. but he GER
taInly got up a very credItable ora
ton.
Tho next problem was how to pre-
pare this effort for delivery so that 1t
might be heard throughout the build
ing; and right here Is where many peo-