The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1905-06-17
FIFTY GRADUATED.
Closing Ceremonial for the Year al
OAC-Banner Graduating Class.

history of OAC has been more
pleasant or more imposing than
that of Wednesday forenoon, when
so more graduates were sent from
the institution into the busy arter-
les OF life. There was a great au-
dience of 1900 people. presenting
scene Of life and beauty seldom
encountered in rural towns. Be-
sides townspeople and college stud
ents, there were scores, if not hund-
reds, of old graduates, and former
students back for a commencement
visit. There were also parents
and relatives of the fifty members
of the graduating class, and the
aggregate made up body of peo-
pie and commencement occasion
that was probably never equaled
and certainly never surpassed in
Oregon. The class is the largest
numerically ever graduated from
an Oregon educational institution.
Besides the audience, and the
class, there were flowers, more
flowers than are usually seen on
such occasions. The Armory
platform was in fact a bower of
potted plants and flowers Bouquets
for the fifty graduates. tied with
ribbons and with card attached,
formed rows Of beauty several
times across the platform. These
with the faces of the faculty, class
others that looked out from the
platform, over the great audience
made scene well worthy of a
great collegewith its greatestforces
assembled for its greatest function
on its greatest day. Such was
Wednesdays graduating ceremon-
ial, beginning at 10 o'clock a. m.
and ending shortly before noon.
A woman as chief orator of the.
occasion was the unusual as we'll as
a delightful thing in this delightful
ceremonial. She delivered the ad-
dress to the class, and reflected
credit alike on herself, her sex and
the good taste of the institution,
as we'll as on the audience, which
testified its approval in fattering
reception of her effort. 1t was the
first graduating day in which many
if not all those present had ever
seen woman in such a role. Some
beforehand, there might have been
to doubt the ability of a woman to
fill such role acceptably. If such
there we're, all doubt was dispelled
long before this woman orator. had
| in a delightful closing sentence, de-
clared that there are many ''tomor-
rows'' but only one today She
/ was Mrs. Clara H. Waldo, lecturer
of the Oregon State Grange. She
was graceful, she was modest, she
was intellectual and finally, she
:: was masterful, masterful as far as
the situation was concerned in the
delivery of her address, which was
the recipient afterward of liberal
encomium. She was the daughter
in we'll known pioneer family,
and the wife of a well known pion-
eer, Judge John B. Waldo, whose
family name was long ago bestow-
ed on the we'll known Waldo hills
of Marion county.
The graduating program opened
with an invocation by Rev. Green
of the Congregational church.
Millard O Lownsdale and his
excellent voice was faultless feat
ure of the program. He is bari
tone singer of great power and
sweetness. He is widely known
throughout Oregon as an orchard
ist. He is an old graduate of 80
years or more ago from Willamette
University. He had an early num-
Der on Wednesdays program, and
was compelled to respond to an en-
core. A double number later on
gave the audience chance to call
him back second time, and the
chance was not thrown away. His
response in the last instance was
Blessed Dreams.'' a ballad with a
history ana with beauty OF Sent1-
ment rarely given to verses and
/ notes set to each other. He sang
the old song with a touch of sy N
pathy that brought many tear in
the great audience.
Clay Darby, colonel of the cadet
regiment, had the valedictory. His
subject was, "Law-its Relation to
Government His theme was an
appeal for obedience to law as a
means of perpetuating government.
He showed how the rise and fall of
!! nations has occurred under varying
conditions, and propounded the
query, what is the key with
which to unlock the secret of how
to make governments perpetual
He declared that in many instances
the LII 1oIz. L., =