Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-06-08
THE WINNERS OF PRIZES
rowNsHENp SEMINARY HOLDS AN
NuAL SPEAKING CONTEST.
r,s p,opram IN Fuli-The Victors In Wed
nssday Evenings Close competition-san'
davis Bacealaureate Sermon - other
rownshend News Of the Week

davis Baeealaureate Sermon - othef
rownshend News of the Week
The annual commencement prize speaking
contest was held at Seminary hall Wednes'
day evening. The following was the pro-
gram;
Sombre, anee "'''
How Jim Turner Broke Up the School,
Bessie Dutton
u.... Riol Cola Martin
Ole Mistis, ss'''s INV
Toussaint L'ouverture, Edwin culver
svsaea Hazel Taft
nv" '"' Ethel Jones
Old Soapy, s iluue 10 80
Kentucky Bell, esu'
Music.
Awarding Of prizes,
The first prize was awarded to Nellie Dale
and tho second TO Hazel Taft. II was an
unusually close contes, and difhcnit TASK
IN choose the best speakers. Alice ware
who smoke Sombre with such power that
sba held her audience breathless, was ac.
corded honorable mention. Much praise Is
also due 10 Irene Corser and to Edwin oui
YER who is 10 be congratulated upon Tue
choice Of his selection.
Miss Dale's selection was racing piece
which is always popular and her rendering
of II excellent, as attested by the reward
Miss Tafts selection dealt with colohial
DAYS and the Indian attack upon Deerheld
She took the parts Of Silence ana her lover
their respective aunts and the ola Wl'ch
with great skill and dramatic power
prfp inu1 N
Brattleboro high school, Rev. Mr.. Pratt and
Colonel osgood of Bellows Falls. They were
evidently puzzled how to divide two prizes
among three or four and no wonder for the
audience was also puzzled. To while away
the weary moments while the deliberation
was going on, Professor Lewis told an ex-
ceedingly funny story of a western farmer
and his pigs in a most happy style.
The music was, OF course, good as Miss
Stoddard was the pianist and Fay Bridges
handled the violin.
The hall was prettily trimmed with ever
green's ferns and fleur de lis.
The speaking was credit to the semi.
nary and to Miss Jean Boyd Sharp, who
drilled those entering the contest.
We trust that the speakers realize that the
drill is worth far more than the prize.
Full accounts of the class day exercises
Thursday afternoon, the concert Thursday
evening and the various exercises of Friday
will appear next week.
The day was most propitious and the mem
bers of both congregations and many peo-
pie from neighboring towns locked TO the
BAPTIST church on Sunday to hear the bac.
caaureate sermon preached by Rev. Alfred
H. Gage, pastor of the Baptist church of st.
Johnsbury. The greater part of one side OF
the church was reserved for the seminary
students who marched in led by the faculty
and formed ON either side of the center aisle
while the graduating class, passed through,
and then filed to their seats. 1t was
pleasure to see so many bright and happy
young people together and their presence
added much to the occasion. Mr.. Gage took
for his text l Timothy 4:l6 Take heed
unto myself and unto the doctrines; con-
tinue in them, for in doing this thou shalt
both save thyself and them that heed thee,
especially emphasizing the first clause Take
heed unto myself His subject was The
Value of Personal Religion. He forcefully
illustrated the fact that although there are
many hard things to do in life, by far the
hardest is to keep ones self right. In order
to do this there are three indispensable
helps: Prayer--not the mere asking for
blessings, but real communion with God
the reading of the Bble-not the mechan-
cal reading of certain number of verses
day but the reading of it with all the fac
ulties which one brings to bear upon other
books to find what truths are in it that they
may become part of one S life; meditation
it may be in the fields, ii may be in the
quiet of ones room but some time, some
where if one would have the real thing in
religion in his life it is necessary to take
time to think of the highest things; neces-
sary to take time TO be holy. The soldier
spends much time in drilling before he is
ready for the battlefield, the general much
time in his tent planning the campaign.
These are not the fight, but they are the
things which make possible the victory Mr.
Gage told the class that he liked their
motto, 'spectemur agendo' (let us be
known by our deeds), because it is not what
man says, but what man does that really
proves his character. Mr.. Gage is probably
the youngest man who has ever preached a
baccalaureate sermon here but his words
compared very favorably with those of for.
mer years. 1t was a very strong and con-
vincing discourse and one which the hearers
will not easily forget. The class are to be
congratulated on their choice for the day.
1t is interesting to know that Mr.. Gage was