Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-06-09

| A class of six young ladies graduated
this morning from the Villa de Chan
tai at the commencement exercises
held at 10 O'Clock in the assembly room
of the school, which was prettily dec
lorated for the occasion. The. young
ladies were awarded their diplomas on
behalf of the sisters by Dean J. ].
lQuinn, who also presented the AlloueZ
lcOuncil Knights of Columbus medal to
Miss Florence Humphreys, who was
1.-THE fortunate one of 10 of the students
Iwho merited the honor This medal is
loffered each year to the entire school
flor different contests, this year for
conduct The graduates were also pre-
lsented with the commencement medal
of the Sisters of the Visitation by Dean
lQuinn
Chorus Class Sings.
The commencement exercises We're
brief, and departed somewhat from
the usual custom of the school. the
program opened with two selections,
"Tis Ruddy Morn" and "Tis Our
Festal Day" by the chorus class.
The salutatory was delivered by
Miss Olive Giolma, who welcomed
the visiting priests and the friends
of the graduates on behalf of the
class. Miss Giolma referred to the
exercises last year, when the new
chapel was dedicated aud spoke of
the extensive improvements made
since then in the grounds of the
school.
Following the salutatory, the d.
/. plomas and honors were awarded by
Dean Quinn, and the valedictory was
l delivered by Miss Miriam MaCkin
Miss Mackin in her address spoke OF
t charity as the thing which the grad
, uate should make her chief effort
/ and referred to Bishop Spaiding as
V al admirable example for The edu-
g Gated girl to follow in an effort fol
/ a larger and broader charity.
: Addressed by Priest.
The exercises closed with an adj
dress to the graduates by Father
e James j. Shannon of Peoria. TIL,
$ speaker in eloquent words, pointed
e out that the young ladies have reach
L ed the point where the brook be
l. comes a river, and that during tn,
e time they have been taking a cours,
l. of study and discipline, and also O
6 inspiration, new labors and ques
It tons that they must solve have ais,
IS been preparing, and the problem
and the young ladies now meet
Father Shannon held that the edu
cation of young women, aside from
the things strictly religious, is tn
greatest work of the church, sine
the hearts and souls of women ar
the abiding place of the real and in
innate cares and burdens of life. II
showed that ultimately their inspira
ton and thought becomes the though
and action, or inspiration for though
and action for men, and on ther
rests the great responsibilities G
life. He spoke of the two fields, on
a work with spirits of indifference
worldliness, selfishness, the othe
with beauty, love and deeper cor
secration, making a redeemed kins
dom of the graduates own littl
circle.
Praises the Teachers.
to the church, not only in none,
but in sacrifice and devotion, of sue
schools as the villa, and he pointe
out the responsibility of the student
resulting from this labor, advisin
them that their lives should be S
lived as to reflect only credit upo
the academy and upon the teacher
In this connection he paid fine tril
ute to the Sisters of the Visitation
whom he said were called upon I
live every day and all the tim
through sacrifice and devotion, up [
the ideals reached by people in gel
eral only when at their best ''Tl
| final expression of the value of tn
education is not in mere words, n,
in the opinions of your teachers, bl
is incarnate. The world will n