Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1901-06-17
GRAMMAR SCHOOL EXERCISES.

The gra duating class of the Barton
| grammar school held their exercises
in Sewers hall Tuesday evening,
June 18th. 1t is only within the past
few wears that these exercises have
been publicly observed, but the large
and appreciative audience that gather
ed was sufficient proof that all are in
| terested in the school life of the boys
and girls. The hall was decorated in
pretty and tasteful manner, the
class coIors, white and gold, being
prominent, while profusion Of ferns
and potted plants transformed the
stage into bower of beauty. Con-
| spicuous among the decorations was
ladder on each rung of which rested
! letter of the class motto, "Perse-
vere." Potter's orchestra was in
| attendance and furnished excellent
music. Two diminutive ushers in the
persons of Grace Leslie and Earl
Knight escorted the graduates, nine in
number, to their places on the plat
form. Prayer was offered by Rev. R.
L. Sheaff; Hazel Prime sang lullaby,
''Crossing to Dreamland," with rare
sweetness and delicacy of expression.
Ina Nye, the salutatorian in behalf
of the class welcomed the audience to
the exercises. Her address of well
come was nicely composed and deliv
cred in pleasing manner.
The class history was intrusted to
Grace Knight and she gave a most
graphic and interesting biography Of
| the lives of the graduates, which was
listened to with much pleasure.
"Magic and Magicians" was the title
Of the Grafton given by Walter Lewis.
He said in part: "From time imme-
mortal magic of one kind or another
has been practiced. Magic is that by
which the impossible is make to seem
possible. Down through all the ages
it has been practiced on all glasses of
people with more or less harmful re-
suits. We are to day dealing with an
issue whose influence is more power
full and lasting than the black magic
practiced by the ancients. 1t is the
saloon, and the misery, sorrow and
death resulting from it's influence out
balances all the harm done by super
natural spirits and their followers"
Maude Norris chose for the subject
of her essay, "Our Country at the
Close Of the Twentieth Century,"
She reviewed briefly the wonderful
progress made by the American
nation during the nineteenth century
and spoke of the promises that the
twentieth century hold for the invent
or and discoverer, and the changes
that the next one hundred years may
bring in the American nation. The
subject, although a weighty one was
skillfully handled and the essay was
| we'll delivered.
The class prophecy was given by
Josephine Vance, who, in imagination,
carried her listeners forward to the
year 1851, and then proceeded to To-
cate her classmates and described in
pleasing manner the wonders
achieved by them. Glass prophecies
are always interesting and this one
was unusually SO.
Grow, not Drift,' was the theme of
an essay by Mary Collision. She
spoke of the constant endeavor neces-
sary if we would achieve success in
the Iruest and best sense of the word.
Life is likened to river; it is an easy
matter to drift with the current but if
we would 90 upstream we must row
with strong and steady strokes. Have
an earnest purpose in life and remem-
Der that strenuous effort and high
ideal are essential if we would achieve
greatness. This essay was delive red
in a manner that showed that the
speaker was thoroughly in sympathy
with her subject.
A song, Sweetheart, I'll be True"
was given by Raymond Winslow.
The selection was we'll rendered and
heartily applauded by the large audi
ence present.
Richard Liddell spoke on Natural
and Artificial Curiosities," describing
many curiosities Astounding in nature
and art. This Grafton contained
many interesting facts and was we'll
delivered.
Annie Brown read an instrument
purporting to be the last will and
testament of the class of 1901. This
weighty document was a masterpiece
of legal formality and many and won
derful were the Iegacies bestowed on