Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1901-06-20
GRADUATING EXERCISES
Another Class Prepared for Life at
WhItcomb High School.

WnlICoUp r1l9n 0CnoOi.
These exercises, which took place in tn,
town hall Wednesday evening, June y
were of unusually high order and reflect.
ed credit on the teachers who had prepared
them, as well as on the graduates them
selves.
The stage was lastly decorated with
ferns with a background of spruce and
hemlock boughs. the work being done by
the members of the junior class. The COM
mittee having the decorations in charge
were Misses Lou Whitney and Lucy Wash
burn and VIII Markham. Over the front OF
the stage was the class motto, 1--WE Launch
To-day; When Shall We Anchor ~
Prayer was offered by Rev. c. III. Wells,
after which followed the Grafton of Sam
uel L, Abbott, who chose as his subject,
''Local History" Mr.. Abbott reviewed
| the history of Bethel and Windsor county.
One hundred years ago the population OF
Bethel was 473. The methods of living in
vogue then would be considered very crude
| now Young ladies then sometimes took
| a spin before breakfast, but it was upon a
spinning wheel and a ball OF yarn was the
| result. Travelling shoemakers came around
once year and fitted the entire family out.
A constant lookout had to be kept for In
dams. The first place OF worship in Bethel
was on Christian Hill in barn, hence the
name. "Christian Hill.n The present Uni
versaist church was built as a Union
church in 1916. The first school was locat-
ed where the Harrington creamery now
stands and there were sixty pupils and the
teacher received Sl5 for one terms service.
Bethels population stood at high-water
mark in 1910 and since then has fallen off,
in common with other farming towns.
The population of Stockbridge has fallen
from 1000 to 500. The salvation of Wind
sor county, in the opinion of Mr.. Abbott,
is that the waterpower now unused all oy-
err this section must be utilized.
Miss Lena NJ. Rowe delivered a we'll
written essay upon "The Old Noyelists and
the New Miss Rowe called attention to
two points in which she thought there had
been an improvement. The older writers,
like Scott and Dickens, had prosy and un-
interesting beginnings and one did not get
fairly interested in the book until a third
through it (e. g. "Ivanhoe') and the older
writers were so prolific of characters that
10 was confusing. Dickens had 100
characters in his novels. "Ebeu Holden
was quoted as type Of the modern novel.
The first pages introduce a small boy trav
elling in a basket and one is interested at
once. In"David Harum' the first chapter is
considered the best in the book. Another
mark Of distinction was that the older
writers rarely wrote short stories such as
are now SO popular; still Scott S and Dick
ems works are immortal. r
ID Miss Maud b. Cady followed with the
recitation, 1.-THE Fall of The Pemberton
Mills" In a clear, pleasing voice and
easy manner, Miss Cady told the story OF
this terrible catastrophe. Miss Cady has
an acceptable delivery and held the un- |
broken attention of her audience.
Scott w. Lewis delivered very instruct |
i've Grafton upon "The Age Of Coal - /
Nothing has done more for the advance |
ment Of civilization and the benefit OF |
mankind than coal II the coal fields |
should suddenly become exhausted all the 4
wheels of business would have to stop. |
Two hundred billion tons of coal are used 4
yearly in the United States An ocean I
steamer consumes 30 tons an hour. In /
view Of the tremendous Importance Of coal /
and the probability OF its scarcity and ex-
haustion IN the future scientists are search |
ing for substitutes. Among the substi-
tutes proposed are air currents. the power !
of tides and solar engines Waterpower |
seems the most feasible. 1t Is estimated 4
that Niagara could furnish ten million
Miss Alice Tyler told in an interesting
manner OF the ''Vision Of Sir Launfal, z one
Of the knights of the Round Table. He was
the subject of a metrical romance by
Thomas Chestre in the reign of Henry VI.
and Miss Tyler's essay detailed the legend
Of the loss and search for the cup used at
AAt AunA NuAJDCis Ehlltu Aut Holy ArIdl. !
She drew the lesson from this story that
the best we can do is to improve our OPP
portunities as they present themselves
Miss Gertrude Gilman, in her essay, en-
titled "Do We Drift ?n showed that when
4 girl graduated from school she had
choice of two courses before herr one the
routine of friyolities or household cares
md the other the continuance OF educa-
ion by private studies.
Alick N WgghhuFn chose nc a subiact
or his Grafton, "Aiartyrs of Science He
'ecalled the names of many men who gave
heir lives in the advancement of science,
'uch as Pliny, the elder, who lost his life
n A. ID. ~, while making investigations Of
IN eruption OF Nesuvius; Henry Hudson,
VINO sought a northwest passage to Asia,
ound Hudson's bay and soon after perish
d in the open sea. He recalled the exam
Die OF Sir Thomas Morton, who exposed
himself to the unknown risk of ether
scientists have swallowed deadly poisons,
exposed themselves to fevers and plaques, !
ome have frozen to death in the north and ,
'thers burned in the south-all for the adj !
ancement of human knowledge; and Mr..
Nashburn declared these martyrs are
- worthy of praise as those who met death !
or religions sake.
The subject of the essay OF Miss Ethelyn !
=. Heath was "Music,n and it was indeed
congenial subject to her. She showed !
nat All countries nave yielded to the sway |
# music in some form. The human voice q
vas the first instrument The Greeks
made an art Of music. In the Middle Ages |
he court singers went from country to :
ountry with harps. There was time not Z
many years ago when Europe was far ahead I
II the United States In this art. but now !
We have as much musical genius as the old I
Countries. War songs give great inspira- Z
ion to the soldiers. Real music produces !
chords Of response in the I
iearer.
Willis r. Edmunds followed with an i
ration on"Development OF Architecture"
ike the preceding speaker, Mr. Edmundsl
vas at home with his subject and his pro-
-uction showed an intimate acquaintance |
with it. The first examples ofarchitecture I
re the Egyptian pyramids. The Greek |
architecture reached high stage OF grace
nd beauty. The Romans copied and did
lot do as well. still they produced the
observation-disclosures eatingS5, 900 persons. I
be Gothic was graft on the Roman.
The highest example OF art is found in the
arlous noble cathedrals of Europe of :
which Cologne cathedral is the greatest