Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1913-06-12

and songs. This exercise closed at noon.
Some of the lower grades are taught
in the high school building, and few
Of the people went there at T. open
ing of the afternoon session and listened
to the exercises. They were much like
those Of which | have already spoken,
but the program was not so long.
After that the members Of the Post
and Corps gathered at the hail. and
were met by the high school band, and
by them led to the high school building
There the procession was met by Pro-
fessor Loveland who gave everybody q
cordial welcome.
When the program opened in the high
school the room was filled to overflow
ing with pupils and visitors The most
of the guests present were Grand Army
men and Relief Corps women. There
were present, also, a large number of
the grades, who came to sing two or
three songs.
| will not undertake to speak in de-
tail of the program in the high school,
although it occupied nearly two hours
in its presentation. There were many
pieces Of music by the audience, .
trained chorus, double quartet of lad
les, the high school band and orchestra.
1t was just my kind of concert and
enjoyed it better than | can tell
1t was most inspiring, patriotic pro-
gram, which came to a climax when the
post color bearer was asked to bring his
flag to the front and the two hundred
and fifty young people, with their fifty
visitors, arose and gave the flag salute,
and then joined in singing America. 3"
1t was noble outburst of patriotic sent
iment, well worth seeing and hearing
and feeling.
| must speak here a little more par
ticularly of the high school musicians.
| think there were seventeen players in
the band that day. The boys were man
ly looking young fellows quiet and
gentlemanly in manner. All were men,
bers of the school the leader one of
the teachers; but thought he looked
younger than some Of the pupils. Their
music, though not all one might expect
from our first regiment band or that
of the university, was excellent. 1t
went off with a jingle and was truly
inspiring. The people of Mineral Point
have no need to import music for any
occasion, and they take a just pride in
the fact that the musicians are ''our
boys. There were twelve or fourteen
pieces in the orchestra, seven violins.
| can say for their music all that have
said about that of the band, more, too,
perhaps 1t was excellent.
1t is a great thing to have such musi-
clans in a school. The music is not
only entertaining and inspiring, but the
training for it educative. And then, as
Professor Loveland told me, the having
of such organizations helps to hold the
school together, especially the boys
and it gives somewhat Of both spirit
and refinement to the school environ
ment. Happy is the school that has
within itself resources so helpful, and
blessed is the teacher who is able and
gladly willing to develop them and
make use of them in the development
of character.
From what | saw that day, and from
what heard people say, the Mineral
Point schools must be in excellent con-
dition. Professor Loveland has long
been a successful high school man in
Wisconsin. In thanking the Grand Army
men and the Relief Corps ladies' for
their visits he assured them that it was
his conviction and that of his teachers,
that our schools should undertake to
train not only the mental faculties of
the pupils, but their moral nature and
patriotic sentiments.
The comrades and ladies' thanked the
teachers Tor what they were dong so
well, and the young people for their
patriotic entertainment.
The high school has one hundred and
seventy-fve pupils and there are about
seven hundred in all in the public
schools.
In the evening of the same day the
members of the Post and Corps gave a
patriotic entertainment at their hall at
which there was a large attendance.
Some of the boys and girls came and
rendered a few recitations they had
given in the school Before the pre-
sentation of the program the ladies'
served ice cream and cake in the din
ing room.
This meeting was called in particular
to have the department patriotic in
structor speak upon Vicksburg the
siege and the present memorial military
park there That day, May %. was
just half a century after the day when
Grants army made the bloody assault