Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-06-07
COMMENCEMENT.
Very Successful Graduating Exercises the Auditorium
the High School, Wednesday and Thursday
Evenings, June Ist and 3D.

A large class, numbering eleven boys
and sixteen girls, graduated from the
Wausau high school, last Thursday
evening in the presence of the largest
audience thai ever gathered for SINH
lar occasion in the auditorium of our
high school.
The hall was tastefully decorated with
an abundance.of palms and flowers, and
everything was done to make the exer-
cises dignified and appropriate to the
most important event in the school life
of the graduates. On the first evening
the Columbia orchestra furnished beau
tiful music that served both to oentertain
and TO refresh the audience. On the
second evening the music consisted of a
masterful Interpretation of Goria's Bell
sario by Miss Imogene Harger whose
continued Improvement in the art of
piano playing is the surprise and delight
of every audience; a quartet, Smiths
''Song of the Seasons" by the Misses
Rubee Wilson, Chalmers McInnis,
Mitchell and TressideI, was so well rem
dered that it captivated the audience
and brought forth an encore, Hawley's
"Spring Song;' and Batton's exquisite
waltz song for high soprano, april
Morn, . which was sung by Mrs. +. w.
Kickbusch, Jr., with all the perfection
of art and good taste that ever eharac-
terizes her interpretations.
Ia thus presenting such pleasing
music the class followed the practice of
the last few years of making gradual
ing exercises more varied, entertaining
and instructive than they used to be-
The same purpose was faithfully fol
lowed out in the rest of the program
and made the exercises for both nights
a pleasure. The audience on both
nights showed its appreciation by
hearty and frequent applause. Another
feature that added to the interest, was
the way in which all who took part
spoke their lines so that they could be
heard throughout the large audience.
The exercises of Wednesday evening
were opened with music by the orches-
ira after which Rev. Albert + Patch
invoked divine blessing upon the oc-
casion This was followed by the
salutatorv given by Donald Coyner
Wilson. Mr.. Wilson had chosen for
his theme, '"rhe Rule of the Minority" :"
and said in part
''Vox populi, vox dei," the voice of
the people is the voice of God. This
adage, coming down to us from the
classics, shows the spark of the divine
in the thoughts of men since time inn
memorial. The power of public opirion
is manifest on every hand. In fact
more respect and Difference is paid te
public opinion than to any other factor
| in this world.
But pause a moment and consider
| that a final analysis of history would
90 to show that back of the rule of the
| majority there is much more powerful
factor in regulating the affairs of men;
and that oft times the voice of the
minority more nearly expresses the
purpose and the will of God.
In the scientific world, indlviduallsm
exerts itself on every hand. There men
| make ulSCONek1tS lIldb Iu6 WOI1i Hdti
never conceived To be possible
| In Spain one man had the colua age to
carry out the convictions that stirred
within him. What transformation of
opinion as to the shape of this old
world of ours did this one man make
on the minds of his fellowmen.
| In the face of deadly opposition,
Martin Luther dared to hurl his defiant
words at the greatest spiritual and
| temporal powers, Here | stand, Martin
Luther. | cannot do otherwise, God
help mep'
There is no field where the impress of
the individual stands forth more dis
tinctly both for good and evil than in
politics. There is no man connected
with our national life whose masterful
individuality stands forth in grander
outline than Washington.
William Lloyd Garrison, that cham
pion of the down-trodden negro race,
was willing to sacrifice everything for
their freedom. Was he to be batfled
when even in the city of Boston, "the
cradle of liberty" he was dragged
through the streets by mob? No, he
continued steadily forward. The
Liberator was perhaps the greatest
single instrument outside of Uncle
l
of people to the right in the awful
struggle which was to follow.
One of the greatest moulders of public
thought in modern times is the daily
press of our cities. 1t expresses the
ideas of leading men throughout the
world.
We must notice lii this connection
the influence of the cartoon. The edi
torialS appeal to the intellect, while
caricatures appeal to the eye as well
Boss Tweed, the notorious leader OF
Tammany, frankly acknowledged tha'
the seathing cartoons drawn of him by
Thomas Mast were mainly instrumental
in his downfall
But often the tremendous influence
that lies in the grasp of one man is no
eNerted on the side of right. Colone
Phelps with his small band ofrespecteC
business men and bribe-givers is TO-DAY
the real head of the government o
Missouri.
Now, since we have tried to show tha
the minority is really the dominating
factor in science, religion and in society
! everywhere, should it not behoove u
J to be more careful of our actions ant
consider how they will affect the per
sons surrounding us?
The world needs men of high SouIe,
integrity who in the face of an avalanch'
of opposition dare to stand true To thei
J convictions of right; men who realIZ'
! that in a high and holy sense the in
terestS of Society, the Church and tn
State are consigned by the hand of Got
to the keeping of the individual rathe
than the multitude.
As Mr.. Wilson is blessed not onl,
, with good presence and a fine voic
J but also with clear head and eviden
J sincerity, he pleased the audience il
every respect.
The next number was plea for
lSetter appreciation of what the Greek
ant Romans have done for the world
Z and .sas given by Miss Alice NJ Colby