Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1903-06-19
TWENTY-NINE GRADUATED.
Governor Chamberlain Delivered the Ad.
dress to the C1ass-Other Exercises.

Governor Chamberlain Delivered the AZ
dress to the C1ass-Other Exercises.
The storm clouds that hav
hovered over Corvallis for th
past week, parted Wednesda
morning, and the sun with tenn
pered rays enticed hundreds O
our citizens to attend the Com
mencement exercises at the Col
lege armory. Many visitors from
abroad swelled the throng ane
when the doors were closed at II
O'Clock scarcely seat in gallery
or auditorium was vacant. The
fair sex were greatly in the ma
jority and they were supremely
happy, for the bright morning
had given them opportunity te
indulge their dearest weakness
display OF dress. The sternel
members of the audience found
pleasure in the excellent pro-
gram, so the graduates from their
places on the platform looked
down upon sea of pleased and
smilirg faces.
Those wllo have made it Gus
tom to attend these exercises year
after year, find plenty Of evil
dence OF the growth of this
splendid Institution. 1t seems
but recently that the little Col
lege chapel was sufficiently large
to accommodate those who ap-
peared upon the program, and
those who were attracted to hear
and see. Now the Armory, with
capacity many times as great, is
taxed to the limit. Today, the
chapel will scarcely accommodate
the student body, and interest in
the College has grown with its
attendance. -
Promptly at 10 o'clock the
class entered the west entrance
to the Armory and marched the to
stage, preceded by members of
the board of regents, the faculty
and ministers of the city. The
class was arranged on the left of
the platform, the faculty and
board in the center, and the choir
on the right.
The program was shorter than
in former years, but quite as en-
joyable. No orchestral numbers
appeared; instead, two selections
by the quartette, Messrs. B. w.
Johnson, Pritchard, Herse and
Fulton, were delightfully."- render
ed. After the invocation by
Rev. Joseph Emery the quartette
opened the exercises with the
song, "The Ruined Chapel, :" the
audience showing its apprecia-
ton by hearty applause.
Miss Mabel Able, salutatorian,
in her oration, GA Plea for the
National Supervision of Pris-
ons," took to task the present
method of managing ard con-
Quoting the places where are con-
fned those individuals who
choose to forfeit the privileges of
freedom. She argued for more
comfortable aud cheerful SUR
roundings, and kinder treatment
for the inmates of our prisons,
and appealed for greater leniency
on the part of the courts. When
these reforms are brought about,
the speaker believes that those
who enter our prisons as crirnin-
ais, will exit at the expiration of
their term, good, law-abiding
citizens. These views are trib-
utes to Miss Abbe's innocence
and gentleness, but they disclose.
a lack of understanding of the
criminal character. AS we'll ar
que that kindness and pleasant
surroundings would transform
he inmates of a madhouse into
'ages and statesman, as to at
:e1npt to reform" a hardened
criminal Under present condi-
ions prisoners are accorded hui
name treatment, and that is all
hey deserve. Prisons have
state supervision, and it is diff
,ult to understand how national
supervision could better condi-
ions.
Miss Edna Irvine contributed
o the merit of the exercises by
Longfellow's "The Le-
,end Beautiful" =" This was the
irst opportunity her friends have
lad to hear Miss Irvine since her
course in oratory and elocution,
ind they marked decided ina
in conception and