The Press., 1904-06-22
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
Monson Academy 100 Years Young.

A BRILLIANT WEEK IN THE HISTORY OF MoN-oN's FAvoRITE EDUCATIONAL IN sTITUTION.
 The commencement exercises of
 Monson academy began Sunday night, June 12, with the baccalaureate ser
 mon, which was preached at the Con-
 gregational church by Rev. Dr. Judson | Smith of Boston.
 Monday was public examination day
 at the academy, and quite number
 recitations during the day. The
 annual trustees meeting was held in
 the academy library during the after
 noon. In the evening the senior
 class planted their ivy at Cushman hall, and after that the regular class
 day exercises were held in the acad-
 emy chapel. The room was crowd
 ed to the limit of it's capacity, and
 there were many who were obliged to remain on the stairs and in the hall.
 Harry Lane opened the exercises with the presidents address, which was followed by careful historical sketch by Mary O.. Leary. Every one was interested to hear what Mary Robbins had in store for some of her class mates and not little amused Then followed the ivy essay by Elsie M. Royce Peter Kearns delivered the sermon, and Agnes Dillon bequeathed J<> Hanley made the children in the lower classes happy by her gifts, such as colored crayons, A, B, O books, dolls, etc. Clinton Bills stated the statistics very accurately, and Alice Sullivan closed the exercises by some very amusing prophecies.
 Perfect weather was one of the features of commencement exercises, which were held in Memorial hall Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock. The decorations of the hall, though simple, were pretty. They were con- posed mainly of draperies of blue and white bunting, caught up by ever- green wreaths. The scroll containing the class motto, Lifting better up to best,'' made in the class colors, lavender and white, hung from the center of the proscenium arch. The seating capacity was more than crowd ed and many seats were brought in. Orcutt's orchestra played number of selections while the people were being mo school formed on both sides of the center aisle, and through this aisle the trus tees, members of the school commit tee, faculty and senior class passed to their seats upon the platform, after which the other pupils took their seats in the auditorium. The invo- cation was pronounced by Rev. Will liam F. English of East Windsor, Ct After selection form the. orchestra, Sara Louise Sweet welcomed the audi ence in behalf of the class and gave an essay on "Twilight. '' Harry We'll ington Lane followed with patriotic subject, Memorial Day." and Clin- ton Edwin Bills spoke on "The News paper of To-Day'' A cornet solo then followed, and then Sarah Emily Sexton spoke of "The Might of Little Things,'' and was followed by Carl Wheleer Rand, who spoke enthusias- tically on "The American Flag" William Frye English, Jr., delivered an ,orationiOn The Education of the American Youth. The orchestra played a selection and then Helen May Needham spoke on "Supersti- tion.'' An oration on "Our National Progress was delivered by James Francis Murphy and Elsie Mabel Royce concluded the exercises with her essay on Freedom of Thought" and the valedictory addresses. The orchestra then played selection, and after this Rev. P. W. Lyman present. ed the diplomas with fitting remarks, and the exercises closed with the bene- diction. The members of the gradu- ating class and their courses are as follows: Classical course, William Frye English, East Windsor, Ct. Harry Wellington Lane, Portland, Me-. James Francis Murphy, Carl Wheeler Rand and Elsie Mabel Royce