The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-06-12
NORMAL SCHOOL
ERCISES
LARGEST CLASS IN THE HIS
TORY or INSTITUTION REcElv.
Ed pipL oAdt HON. TRACY L.
JEFFoRps, OF MARTINS FERRY,
O., THE PRINCIPAL SPEAKER.

~ ~ < - - esssAs9NAA-f."
With the large auditorium filed
with an appgeeiatiye and highly cul-
iured audience the fortieth annual
commencementex exercises were held at
the Fairmont Normal school this
morning, commencing at 10 o'clock,
and lasting two and one.half hours.
The raduatIng class was composed
the young iaai and gentlemen whose
names are given below. All of whom,
with the exception OF about fifteen,
who viii BE given their diplomas be-
fore fal were presented with their
Sheep psiTinBs III the conclusion Of the
enjoyable exercises; which were open
ed BY the college chorus led by Prof.
A. w Martin, singing the Soldiers
Chorus from Faust. The Rev. ]. G.
Broomtie1d offered a most eloquent
prager
Miss Lena Parks, a member OF the
graduating class, rendered greetings
~ the audience, closing with beau
Eitiii ofa tions on Some West Virginia
Educational Needs" Miss Parks
greetings were unique in a way, for
she Eecitei an original poem in vel.
coming those present In her address
size said that West Virginia was one
Of tte most progressive states in the
union today and that 1t was going for
ward year by year;; that as time goes
BY thesolti laws have to be modified
and new ones enacted to keep up with
the spirit Of progress, but with all the
progress West Virginia had made in
the past score Of years that there was
one thing lacking, and that is that
teachers must be better trained and
when they are more proficient they
Will then command better salaries
That slle believed that there should
be a longe school term; that in many
places Ia the State there. is only six
and seven months, school. She said
that only GOOD and qualified men who
have the school Interest Of the State
atheait should serve on the boards Of
edncation. that She was for more high
I schools; So that so much time would
Mot then be- taken up In the prepara.
tory departments ofs the normal
schools that she wanted to see bet
ter organized and equipped training
departments ia the schools. Miss
Parks conelnted bSt 5aying he llirs
mont Normal sehool a. glowing tribute,
hy saying tiiat Tie IIlstitut ion was be.
coming better lis the years 80 by, and
that tliis yeaf had been the most sue
cessflt IN the history Of the school.
Following the singing Of "Glora,"
from Iozart,s Twelfth Mass, by. the
chorus President o, i. Woodley pre-
scented Hons Tracy L. Jeffords, Of Mar.
tins Ferry, thea principal speaker Of
the affafr He took for his subject
Success, and he handled his theme
III d most able and interesting manner,
interspersing his brilliant and serious
remarks with wit and humor. He
opened his address by asking the
qiestion, What is Success?" He
said that success in one place may not
be esuecess In another. He then asked
II Naboleon's life had been q success
when after all his years Of war that
al last he was banished to st. Helena,
where he died OF q broken heart. The
same may be said of Alexander the
Great who after his many battles sat
down On the banks Of the sea, and
wept because there were no more
lands TO conquer. He then paid a
glowing tribute to United States Sen
ator and Ex-Governor James Shield,
VINO had one Of the most wonderful
public and political careers in this
country, and who died many years ago
Without possessing a dollar, and had
10 ne buried by the government, but
nov The government Is placing a large
nonument over his last resting place
He then told OF the success women
had made on the battle fields, but who
fought not. He said that the most
heautlfulsongs that were ever compos
ed or the most heart.touching poems
ever written were those composed
when the author was in dire distress.
Eiomer,b said he, twas a tramp and
liis genius was not recognized until
years after his death.
lThisgis a commercial age, declared
the speaker; i'success seems to be