The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1913-06-26
Commencement at Hebron.
Written for The Republican Journal. |


Written for The Republican Journal.
The 1O9th annual Commencement at
Hebron Academy, held from the 18th to
the 18th of June, was notable event,
thoroughly enjoyed by all privileged to
attend it. The graduation sermon on
Sunday, the class day exercises held
out of doors Tuesday afternoon. and the
Commencement concert Tuesday even
ing, were all successful occasions, but
the climax of the weeks events came
on Wednesday morning with the Com
mencement exercise, which the writer
was privileged to attend. Not the least
enjoyable feature of the day was the
nine-mile drive through fragrant woods
with occasional interludes OF farms,
more or less prosperous, ranging from
with screened porches and neat lawns,
to the occasional implanted, down-at-
the-heel CO 4tages with the history of the
evolution of farming tools written so
plainly in the front yard that he who
passes may read In all the trip, how
ever, not one abandoned farm was seen,
though some had apparently abandoned
farming. The recent showers had left
the roads in perfect condition and the
roadside presented an ever-changing
panorama of beauty. Here marsh
was blue with dainty f1eur-de-lis, and
just beyond, the meadow slope was gold
en- with buttercups, or studded with new
ly unfolded daisies. There, in the deep
shade of the woods, the modest white
stars of the bunchberries gave promise
of brilliant fruition later, while brakes
and the smaller, daintier, ferns added
their varying notes to the symphony OF
greens. The sky was June blue, and
the golden June sunlight gave of its own
radiance to everything it touched. Fra
grant and shapely pine trees, whose
new, pale green spikes pointed upward,
looked, in the glow of the sun, like
eladen Christmas trees, just ready
to blaze forth into glory. Butterflies in
their gorgeous robes of black and gold,
accompanied US for short distances on
our way, and in woods and fields the
birds were singing praises.
The only jarring notes in the symphony
of June were the presence, in orchards
and roadside bushes, of innumerable tent
caterpiller nests, whose inhabitants had
been leaving devastation in their wake;
and in some of the fields the brilliant
but pernicious orange hawkweed, or
Devils paint brush" was gaining
firm foothold.
When about half of the distance was
covered, a sudden turn in the tree-border-
ed road gave US a charming vista Of dis
tant hills ahead, ole of them crowned
by the buildings that were our destlna-
ton. The shrek of a locomotive whistle
warned US that we were approaching
West Minot, the connecting link between
Hebron and the outside world. There
the road skirts a corn factory, quiet and
deserted at this season, and then crosses
the track Of the Portland and Rumford
Falls branch of the NJ. c. r. R., passes
between two stores, past typical gray
and moss grown mill whose tiny pond is
almost hidden by its surrounding bushes
past several modern cottages and older
houses, and into the real" country
again. Much work has recently been
done on the road leading to the Acad-
bordered, foc the most part, by ever
air, mingled with that of sweet fern.
blossoms fourished by the roadside in
hemlocks, whose glossy new tips gave
x
formed pleasing background. AS the
village was neared, the stage going to
West Minot with load of trunks and
two sleepy, departing students, distracted
our attention from the big chain of build
ings on an opposite hill, where the Maine
Sanitorium is bringing health and happi-
ness to so many sufferers. The build
ings and fields under tillage all looked
weli-cared for and up-to-date, and its
commanding situation must give beau
tiful panorama of hill and valley from
the many windows.
We We're in the little village almost
before we realized it, and there all was
f1utter and hustle. In the yard of the
Glover stable were autos of all sizes and
makes, out-numbering by far the car
riages, which stood meekly among the
more modern vehicles Everyone was
bound church ward, ard a few moments
walk brought US to the little spired
building which stands, sentinel-like, at
the entrance to the Academy grounds.
The graduating class, capped and gown
ed, were just starting into the church,
led by marhal, with his blue ribboned
baton. The sixty boys and girls, their
bright faces in sharp contrast to their
sober raiment, made an impressive sight
as they took their places in the front
pews. We were lucky in getting chairs
in the gallery, overlooking the auditori-
UNI, where we could see most satisfact-
orily. The Empire Theater orchestra of
Lewiston furnished most acceptable
music, and after prayer Ernest
Cummings Fuller of Union, who had
won the salutatory honor, gave an
interesting and thoughtful essay on
1.-THE Works of Stephen C. Foster"
author of so many of our distinctly
American songs. Mr.. Fuller was follow
ed by the only representative from Wal
do County, Miss Marian Pierce Pendle-
ton of Islesboro, who told Interestingly
of the wonderful work there of Booker
T. Washington. Miss Pendleton is to
enter Wellesley college, it is said. Inter-
esting essays on Robert Louis Stephen
son, David Livingstone, The Value of a
College Education for Business Man,
The Life Work Of Frances E. Willard,
The Rosary The HOosier poat Tho