Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-06-15

Alma Mater.
An interesting paper on alma Ma
| ter" was read by Miss Hattie Larkin,
of the graduating class. Miss Larkin,
introducing the subject said that
while everyone held that a name in it
self is nothing, there are some words
| which undeniably have in them an in
| spiration, and something more than
| their literal meaning. The association
is what makes. the word. Following
| this line, Miss Larkin spoke of the in
| f1uence of the expression My mother"
and drew a beautiful picture of the
| devotion of mother to children. and her
| influence on the child's life. Next to
| the mission of the mother comes the
| mission of the teacher, who. as the
| mother supplies the physical nourish-
ment, supplies the intellectual food
and nourishment We will in this in
stance disagree with Shakespeare. and
! hold that the word alma mater means
a great deal said Miss Larkin. She
| spoke of the convent school. and its re-
| igious influence, and of the moral eff
feet of the teachers on the pupils.
| Concluding, Miss Larkin read a beau
tiful poem on alma Mater
May Song.
A pretty feature of the program
was the May song. in which the semi
| chorus of 10 young ladies sang Nevin's
May Dance" The instrumental parts
we're played by the following: Pianos,
| Misses Agatha Nevin. Mary O'Farrell.
Mary Wall. Eileen O'Hara: violins.
| Aiccoc NV I E-tbpl NToAo Flo
Rowe and Frances Hart The violin
cello was played by Albert Petersen. of
Davenport. The song is a swinging
May day song.
Miss Amy Lardner, of the class of
'06. played the Hungarian Dance, OPP.
| 1874. No. 2, for the violin, by Keller
Bella. The piece is a difficult one, and
was rendered with much feeling by
Miss Lardner.
Miss Hattie Lardner sang delight
fully Gounod's 20, Divine Redeemer,"
with violin obligato played by Miss
Amy Lardner.
Miss Mabel Lardner rendered Mo
zart's Sonata No. II. on the piano. Miss
Luella Jones played the accompani-
ment by Grieg.
In the valedictory address. Miss Ella
Rowe said that while nearly all are
| familiar with the statement of Pope
| that Order is heavens first law" few
| understand its full meaning. Miss
| Rowe held that there is no exception.
and that there is a law governing all
things. She said that Genius is the
ability to think, and those who think
must govern those who toll"
Speaking of the United States, Miss
Rowe pointed out that its genius had
been given to invention. and that as a
result ii had forged ahead of the 9th
er nations. 1t was pointed out that
not a single man in the line of the
presidents had been a puppet. The
true worth of each had been tested.
Bringing this down to the present,
Miss Rowe showed that President
Roosevelt has to stand the hardest
test, the struggle being between rich
and poor The valedictOrian then fol
lowed into a discussion of this strug-
gle, and quoted Bishop Spalding, who
said that Let all the rules of political
economy be maintained but do not
lose sight of the fact that the true so
luton is divine faith" The bishop
continues and gives an explanation of
this element as a factor in the struggle
and holds that faith and love have &C
complished work that political econo-
mists can not explain" 1t devolves,
then. on the school to inStill those
characteristics into the people of the
coming generation and while he who
educates boy educates an inGlvidual,
he who educates a girl educates a
whole family showing the value of
the correct education for American
girls. The girls. Miss Rowe said. do
not forget the moral lessons of school,
which are in truth the best part OF
school life She concluded her lesson
with a short farewell to the teachers
and school mates.
The exercises were concluded by
| Rev. Joseph S. Kelly. who made an
eloquent and fitting address to the stu
dents. He said, among other things,
that every girl. whether she live in a
mansion or not, should know how to
cook sweep. and sew He set forth in
| glowing terms the advantages and at
tainments gained from the school
whose course they had just completed.
and paid a beautiful tribute to the sis
tiers in charge
The graduates received many bou-
Guets of roses and carnations and 9th
er presents during the morning
Incidents of Commencement.
As remembrance of her daughters
| graduation from the institution. Mrs
J. F. LaTdner of Davenport, presented
| the academy with a beautiful sectional
| book case.
! At the close of the exercises the sis
tiers gave a dinner TO the visiting
priests and other friends. including
/ Mayor McCaskrin
A number of the students departed
for their homes on the afternoon
/ trains