Waterbury Democrat., 1901-06-21
DIPLOMAS DISTRIBUTED
To the Graduates of the High
 School Class of 'o1.

Thirty-six Sheepskins Bestowed on
 Happy Young Women and Men by
 Mayor Eloquent Address by
 Hon Walter NJ. Chandler of New
 York-Many Friends of the Gradu-
 ates Present.
 The commencement day exercises of the graduating class of the Waterbury High school were held last night and as in previous years large audience was present. The exercises varied some what last night from previous ones. There were no orations delivered or essays read by the honor students These are relics of a past age. But ln- stead a speaker of wide renoWn haq been secured to deliver an address
 After an overture by the Excelsior orchestra. which let it be said, played excellentIy during the evening, the speaker of the evening, Hon Walter M. Chandler of New York was introduced by Commissioner Charles S. Chapman of the board of education. Much ap- plause greeted MT Chandler's appear ance. Mir. Chandler is renowned as a lawyer and orator. As an orator, Judg- ing from the abilities which he display ed last night. he has well merited the fine tributes of praise which he has re- ceiyed throughout the country. He pos sesses a powerful, eloquent voice, his diction is splendid and his manner Of expression is delightful. ne combines to the greatest advantage the qualities of an orator and humorist There was nothing cut and dry to his speech. It was a speech, that was at once inter esting, entertaining and instructive; one that commanded the close atten- -fion of his hearers throughout. Those, who were not present last night, missed a grand opportunity of hearing one or the most ablest speakers of the coun- try. The subject of his discourse was Travels Through Europe"
 In his introductory remarks the speaker expressed himself as well pleased for hating the pleasure of ad- dressing so large and beautiful an audi ence. It was seldom his pleasure to address a great big bouquet mixed with oak saplings as he termed the graduaI- ing class. He related number of in- stances which showed the inconyeni- : travelling through Europe. One must not say valise but travelling bag; not baggage but luggage and so on. He said that the Germans, though nation of the greatest scholars and foremost sol diers, knew comparatively little about our country. A German once said that Texas was a commercial city in Mexico on the south of Vera Cruz. They think this country is full of Indians and he related a witty story to illustrate his remarks, which at this point were pervaded with a vein of humor. The speaker continued as follows:
 European opinion and contempt of America are graven in sculptural im- ages upon Prince Albert's monument in Hyde park. London The prince was "a royal patron of literature and art, and upon his monument in bas- relief are grouped illustrious men of letters of every age and nation. The philosophers have their group: Arfs- fotle, Plato, Seneca. Descartes, New ton, Kant, Locke. The great epic poets are gathered there. Old blind Homer, laurel-crowned and seated in a chair as the central figure of the group, holds upon his knee the parch- ment of the Had as his tribute to man. kind Around him are seated Milton, Dante, Virgil. The great orators .of earth have representation there. De mosthenes, Cicero, Hortensius, Will liam Pitt, Leon Gambetta, Emilio Cas- telar. So on with every phase of gen. jus and with the representatives of every nation.
 There is not an American in the group. asked the keeper of the mon ument Why tapping me familiarly on the shoulder. no courtesy was intended yeur country, young fellow. America is very young country. and at the time of the erec- ton of this monument had not pro- duced a single first class genius.
 He added that in recent years one truly great American had appeared - that Thomas Edison was the only name in American history entitled by Yir- tue of merit alone to live one thousand wears after he was dead. He declared that Washington was lucky Virgin ia farmer and that Lincoln was indebt- ed to his martyrdom for his fame.
 But the concensus of European opinion and the highest form of Flu ropean criticism are to be found in the reply and observations of a German professor to whom an over-zealous and patriotic American student has deliv- cred a euIogy upon his country. At the conclusion of the American stu dents speech the German professor asks; Why should you Americans be proud? You are strangers to the inc arts and have no prestige of which you can boast We Europeans are the keepers of the art treasures of the world Our trfumphs are the discov- cry of great natural truths and the beautiful creations of art The sub finest declarations of philosophy from Plato to Bacon, the loftiest flights of poetic fancy. from Homer to Milton, and the nob1est bursts Of impassioned eloquence, from Demosthenes to Will liam Pitt, have come from European and not from American brains
 :" You Americans can lay no claim to primacy in music. That belongs to Germany, the home of Wagner and Mendelssohn, of Handel and Beeth-