The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1909-06-11

1t Is safe to say that the Baptist church
has never been more handsomely decorat
ed than, on Thursday morning, when The
junior class made it bower of beauty il
honor of the graduating exercises of the
class of 1909. The color scheme was
green and white, fine screen of ever
green at the rear of the stage furnishing
an artistic background for the young
maidens and two young men of the gradu
ating class. A bank of maiden-hair ferns
screened the front of the stage On this
was placed the class motto in large white
| letters "Semper nostri cradles super mint. "
The orchestra was also screened with
| teathery punches of the same fern, and
each window banked with it. To the
right of the stage was placed large mass
of snowballs, while from the chandelier
to the corners of the audience room ex-
tended long festoons Of the graceful
ground-pine. Light and dainty punches of
the maidenhair were placed in the lamp
brackets of the chandelier, and the class
colors, blue and gold, draped on the lower
part, the whole producing a most pleasing
and artistic effect. AT 10 a. m, the gradu-
ating class, marshalled by John Dale, of
the junior class, marched into the audience
room and took their places upon the
stage, while parents and friends looked
with love and interest upon the bright
youthful faces filled with earnest purpose
l. lie program was OpeHeu WllH all over
ture by Leitsingers orchestra, followed
by prayer offered by Mr. Macdonald of
North Londonderry.
Miss Hazel S. Taft. sautatorian, in be-
half of the class, welcomed the audience
most heartily to share in the exercises
of the day. She drew a vivid and dramatic
picture of a Roman conqueror returning
from conquest, spoke of the rigid training
a great warrior must needs undergo, then
IN 10 that Ill
with simplicity to greet their friends and
were in no way to be compared to young
and victorious Roman, yet they had fought
some hard conflicts and were prepared
now to enter upon the sterner war of life. |
Miss Taft's essay, The Power of Person
atty followed She illustrated her points
by mention of some great statemen of our |
national life. past and present, said that
men like Webster and Lincoln swayed |
masses by their oratory, yet this was only
a faint expression of the wonderful, Deep !
and lasting character underneath. Those
magnificent characters and magnetic per- |
with their words written deep
on the minds of men, are influencing Will |
liam Taft, Theodore Roosevelt and Presi |
dent Elliot, our ideal men of the present |
In conclusion she said: 1--WE are going out |
to various fields of labor. What Shall our
record be? 1t depends upon a power,
power within ourselves, to be strengthened |
and developed, the power of personality"
James Enrique Flynn spoke briefly but |
pointedly on Mans Humanity to Man, of |
the injustice of unbalanced class power,
Of the tendency to oppression that had
been manifested by the very wealthy
brighter day when all men
shall have a fair chance to work for a
living wage.
Ethel Sparks spoke most Interestingly of
education, giving brief outline
Of its development, and speaking of the
need of still greater development along
practical lines and of the modern tendency
Miss Sparks pointed out that the depart
nents in our schools fitting women for
pertaining to and connected
with the home, were bringing her back to
her rightful sphere, queen of the home.
The essay on Self Reliance by Florence
Marsh drew a strong picture of the
necessity of self help. Self reliance is
hat power, not self conceit, which places
! true valuation upon ones powers, and
hen uses them to the utmost. Whatever
position we try to attain, we should re-
member that the world crowns him only
IS truly great who has won for himself
hat greatness
The Story of Helen Keller was told by
Miss Mildred Palmer. mo triumph in art
u SCicuCS 10 W De compared 10 Ine NlctOrV
won over the deepest blackness that could
envelope a human soul, by this wonderful
yirl with the help of her no less wonderful
eacher." Miss Palmer related the most
events of Miss Keller's life. and
old of her not only creditable but bril-
liant college career, and made her listeners
eel that at the thought of the accomplish
nent of this girl, those with normal senses
md faculties may well feel dissatisfied with
heir attainments.
Miss Edna Marsh interested her audi
nee in the facts known and some of the
heories brought forward concerning the
eavenly bodies. Miss Marsh showed a
God knowledge of the facts ascertained
bout other worlds, and presented them !,
cry clearly, closing with John Millions
inc lines on Venus.
Miss Grace Chase spoke on Influence,
he Measure of Power, saying that ones
to humanity depended upon |
he degree of ones influence. There can
e no influence without power of person G
lity, and no power without deep-rooted
nd lofty ideals. She spoke of educators q
a general, and of President Elliot in par
ocular, who is universally loved, and who +,
D richly deserves the honor his country L
as lately asked him to accept.
Miss Nellie Dale called back to mind the
story of Phaeton. giving d
FANATIC word picture of the rash young
lan's headlong career through the air, y
nd drawing from his tragic fate a lesson t
,r the present day. The two factors con- b
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