The Normal Commencement

Long bef ore 9:30, Wednesday, the set for the Normal comruenceruent éxercises, the hall was crowded. Normal colors and other decoratious made a pleasing picture. The exeroises opened with the overtnre "Merry Wives of Wiudsor, " by a Detroit orchestra. The invocation was followed by the Normal choir chorus, ' ' Crossing the Bar. ' ' ■ After the address by Dr. G. Stanley Hall, of Clark uuiversity, 316 graduates marched npon the platform in sections to receive diplomas. The exercises closed with a chorus by the Normal choir and beuediction. The alumni banquet took place at noon in the new gymnasium. Six Jiundred covers were laid. The toasts were responded to by members of the faculty, state board and various classes. Dr. Hall, in his address, enumerated what he called diseases of normal schools, stich as methods and continement withiñ themselves, exclusión of thonght likely to run oounter to ideas tanght in particular institutions. This is shown in the continued prefereuce of graduates to outside talent in the faculty. The doctor traced the growth of educational development from the time wheu the memory was the only faculty utilized, through recoguition of sight, manuel training and physical culture. He made complimentary allusions at western iustitutions, in contrast to eastern. The tenor of the address was i in favor of more indepeudence of 'thonght and action and greater devotion to professional training, the art of teaching.