Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1916-06-16
ISLAND POND
C Commencement Week at Island
Pond High School.

Many indeed have been the "mem-
orable" commencement seasons of
Island Pond, but the alumni of our
high school must allow us to state,
as our Alpha, that none has ever yet
proved more memorable than the
commencement week of 1916 is going
to do.
The week opened or Sunday morn
ing, June 4th, when amid Mother
Natures showers of blessing" the
members of the graduating class
and the juniors of the high school
attended the first Congregational
church to hear the baccalaureate
sermon by the Rev. Robert Lawton,
pastor of this church. His sermon
was splendid one for young people.
Mr.. Lawton took for his text the
words of Paul, in Phil. 3:14, 81 press
on toward the goal, unto the prize of
the high calling of God in Christ
Jesus" presenting to his hearers the
golden opportunities in the life be-
fore them. These being likened unto
woman with a girdle of keys, each
one, and all of which the graduates
being fitted, have right to demand
to unlock their future, the chief es-
sential to their success in this being
faith in themselves, faith in all
things pure and honest, and faith in
God. The Methodist church friends
also assembled at this service, their
pastor, the Rev. O. E. Barnard, as
sisting. A male quartette rendered
music, and flowers and ferns added
to the bright spirit of the entire SER
vice.
Following baccalaureate Sunday
came an evening Of rare entertain
ment, when a mixed quartette from
Fitchburg, Mass, delighted very
large audience on Tuesday evening
June 9Th, in the opera house. Messrs.
Page and Wood and the Misses
Leavitt, HerschJIn and Haveland
truly composed eye Old Folks
Choir" in a unique manner. The
first of the evening was devoted to
high class music and literature, eX-
ceedingly appreciated by the re,
sponsive audience. The latter part
of the evening was given to the old
time songs, such as Come Where
the Lilies Bloom" Silver Threads
Among the Gold" Cousin Jede.
diah," and so on, the singers in hand.
some old-fashioned costume making
their songs effective and the old-time
dances most attractive. Each mem
Der of this pleasing group was well
worthy of highest praise, revealing
the results of hard work and mas
tered success. AS a whole the quar-
tette and its elocutionist were pro-
nounced by nearly all as THE Best
Ever Heard in Island Pond"
Then the eventful day of the week
was at hand. Eventful, especially
because our ideal month of June just
showed what she could do. Happy
was everyone when, on the gradua-
ton morn, Mother Nature smiled
her brightest. This month Of June
has been lauded by poets, has been
written into stories, has even seen its
place in the drama, but has anyone
ever done justice to a June morning
like that of Wednesday, the seventh,
bursting forth, as it did, out of
clouds and downpours. The tender
green of the leaves, the blue of the
sky, the fragrance of the woods and
flowers compelled delight, while the
intense social interest of "Gradua-
ton Day" was at it's height. This
was proven by the size of the audi
ence assembled in the opera house at
2:30 in the afternoon. Promptly at
this hour and with great dignity, did
Lawrence Curran marshal the under
graduates down the center aisle,
carrying in his hands a baton with
ribbon streamers Of the class colors
garnet and gold. He then re-
turned to the rear of the hall and
escorted the graduating party
through the pretty aisle formed by
the dainty and the manly undergrad
yates, to their seats on the platform.
With the graduates, Miss Edith H.
SadIeir and Miss Ann Louise Lawton,
were Miss Kathleen Foster and Mr..
Curtis Mosher of the class of 1917,
Miss Lou Fullington and Mr.. Paul
A. Saunders of the faculty, Mr.. 0.
E. Barnard and Mr.. Robert Lawton
of the ministry, DR.. A. E. Parlin,
Mr.. Eugene Foss and E. E. Davis of
the school board, and District Super
intendent L. NJ. Darling of Canaan,
W.
The hall was simply but tastefully
decorated with apple blossoms, lilacs,
house ferns and festooning. see
Burroughs orchestra of Newport,
assisted by George L. Dyer, 'celloist,
of our town, delightfully."- opened the
afternoons program. An earnest
prayer of gratitude and for further
blessing was offered by Rev. 0. E.
Barnard of the Methodist church,
after which quartette consisting of