Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1905-06-09
SCHOOL DAYS DONE
Dallas College Closes Successful
Yesr's Work With Pleasing
Exercises.


The commencement exercises of Dali
las College came to a close Wednesday
night with the annual banquet of the
Alumni Association. FeastIng, speech
making and expressions Of goodwill
characterized the closing hours Of the
most successful year in the history of
the school, and the hour was nearing
midnight when the banquet came to
an end. The attendance was large,
many old students having gathered
from various parts Of the state to
attend the annual reunion of the
Association which numbers among
its members the graduates of LaCreole
Academy and Lafayette Seminary,
and those who have completed the
course of study in Dallas College-the
last-named institution having been
formed by a union of the two schools.
Among the guests were friends and
relatives Of the graduates and men,
bers of the faculty and board of
trustees OF the College. Rev. Joseph
Hoberg, the venerable Methodist
minister of McMinnville, and a loyal
friend and supporter Of Dallas College,
presided as POSTMASTER. Rev. Hoberg
is greatly beloved by the students Of
the College and has many warm
friends among the older people Of
Dallas, and it is needless to say that
his presence at the banquet was one
of the pleasing features Of the
occasion. Many appropriate toasts
we're proposed, and the responses were
highly enjoyable.
The commencement week opened
last Thursday night with the annual
Program by the Philadelphia literary
society, mention of which was made
in last weeks OBSERVER. On Friday
evening a public program was given
by I'VE Girls" the young women's
society. One of the rare treats of the
week was the lecture Saturday evening
by Dan A. Polling, of Canton, Ohio.
His lecture on William Mckinley"
was one Of the most thoughtful and
scholarly efforts ever listened to by
Dallas audience. Having lived in
the old home town of the martyred
President for the last year, Mr.. Polling
has gathered many facts concerning
the personal side of William Nc
Kinley not heretofore given to the
public. The lecture was instructive
and entertaining throughout, and the
speaker held the audience spell-bound
by his matchless oratory. When he
had finished speaking, the people
pressed forward to shake his hand
and express their appreciation of the
splendid treat to which they had just
listened. A pleasing number of the
evenings program was a patriotic
reading by Miss Elizabeth NJ. Pollock.
The baccalaureate sermon was
preached in the Evangelical church,
Sunday morning, by DR.. W. G. Kant
ner, of Salem. All the churches of
the city participated in this service,
and the large building was crowded
to the doors. In the afternoon, the
Young Peoples Christian Associations
held their farewell meeting, and in
the evening Chester P. Gates, mem-
Der Of the 'O5 class preached the annual
sermon before the two associations,
He took for his subject ''The Altruistic
Life" and preached an excellent
sermon. Mr.. Gates is a speaker of
far more than average ability, and
his friends predict that he will achieve
distinction in his chosen profession.
the ministry.
The annual recital by the pupils Of
the music department was given in
the church on Monday evening. The
young people without exception gave
evidence Of progress and proficiency
in their musical work, and Miss Smith
received many congratulations upon
the excellent showing made by her
classes.
The meeting of the Board of Trus-
tees was called at 10 o'clock on Tues
day morning. Routine business
matters occupied the attention of the
Board the greater part of the day.
The College is in better shape finan-
cially than at any former time, and
the prospects for the future are full of
promise. The Faculty has been
greatly strengthened for the coming
year, and the field will be thoroughly
canvassed for students during the
vacation months.
The commencement exercises took
place Wednesday morning. The audi
torium and platform of the church
were beautifully decorated with
flowers, and a crowd was present that
filled every available foot of space in
the large building, The class ora
tors and the subjects of their orations
were: Miss Esther Savage, mot for
Self, but for England" Miss Maude
E. Hart, "The Relation of Man to
Man :" Miss Louise Collins, "Sacaja-
wea;" Walter 1. Ford, Nothing but
Leaves :" Chester P. Gates, Sacrifice. :"
These orations were all of a high
order of excellence, and the OBSERVER
only regrets that it has not space to
print each of them in full. The ora
tions were finished, polished produc-
tions. and gave evidence Of the thor