Ann Arbor High School

Ten o'clock Friday, founil tlic auditorium of the Baptist churcli il 1 1 e il with peoplc, old and yonng, with more conatantly coming, to listen to the exercises of the 2(Kh graduating class, of tlie high school. The (lunch was admirable cool and pleasant, though the day was falte warm, and the beautiful floral decora tiong, combined with the class colors drapery of '85 in front and '86 to the rear of the church, marie the room a pleasant one, while the joyful faces of the graduates, combined with the handsonie toilets of the ladies, added beauty to the scène. A tablet of clover blossoms, red ones for the ground work, and white for the fljrures '85, represented a deal of work, while the clas motto in Greck, IiOM0I2, whlch translated is "Lovers of Learning," m:ide frorn vnrious flower?, hung upon the orgau to the rear and above the heads of the speakers. To the front and foot of the pulpit a huge pillow of white peonies greeted the cyes with tenis upon either side. Right here let us remark that the reporters were furnished, as usiml, witii their hals for tables - and f all of thein got seats to sit upon they were extremely fortúnate. The program was commenced witli uiusic.which was furnished for the occasion by the Chequainegon orchestra, who this day were at their best. Prayer was oll'ered byRev. VV. H. Ryder. First upon the program carne " Restrlcllon of the öuflrage," by Fred. H. Atibuit. lliulson. It was a llu-uiy ut the boltom of all governoieuts, thut Ihe rlght of uffruge belutiged to the people, thal 11 was a blrturlglit and Hhould be universal; all sliouid huvu a voice in the government. The object ol the state waH to seeure the best govermueut. aud v lltll 11. lllHV IUI1IH ÍS IUU llf-l Hll llir WlllHtt people lt Ís itsduly to euforce. The legisiat hliDuUl poBsess a fair degree t iii-iiifcenl peuple ; but wllh universal suflrage each community wus quite apt to 8ed a representativo llke unto llself - thal Ís acommuniiy Ín wblch Ignorance prevalí would Hend an illiterale legislator- au I n températe commiiiilly one wlio lavored iuleinperance, ele , Can HSM'itinu uot borne out by luets.; The speaker believed th t suíferage was uowhero uni versal, and thal every slule requlred souie particular quallflcation, and luslancrs were cued wbere a property qualincalion was yet requlred by some ol the States. The greui dauger to universal suttrage lies In the advantage taken by unprluolpled demagogues. W hat Is the use to ti y and puní y Ibis goveí nini-ni wuliout the assisluuce ol' cougress? And lu that body the power and Influcnce of llie deinagogue Is moally lelt. There alioukl be some arraugemeut to sluit out the Unoraut from exerclslng the rlgbt of lrunchlse and he who oasis a ballot should at least be ubleu temt that bullot and write It ulsolf netesKaiy. We mustguard our rtghbs m else our government wlll be sacrlnued to Uvense under the name ol llberty. "The Serlous Senior," was tbe theme of MIhs Ijiui a IJ. I Jall I nKer, ol Ualveston, Texas, llie essayist waa quite happy and atrille surcaslic iiiiiuit the "pure wisdom' glven the u ui ld at cominenceinents. A strange scène wus porlrayed whereln a senior buld weut lort h to battle for hls class gainst 'Sii ; how n favorlle poslllon beslde a plcket leuce was chosen, and how tbe ansuspectlng junior murctied luto the hunds of hls eneniie; the valn struggle.the snrlek, and llie hideous cries of '85! '85! '86!. 8B! the rapid advaucement over the plckel fence ol the weakest party; the crowlng aud cougratulatluii of the vu-tors Tbr scène was portrayed quite vlvtdly, and ciused broad Muiles lo piay upon thecouuleiiaucesol those wliohad been ui the Irays depicted. Ah ! wüat a changu beiween the boy at the rush aud the boy at thecommenceiuent. Then a scène Irom llie other slde of the house was giveu and the glrl as mii emerged uext moruing alter the excursión to Vv hit more Lake, or alter the dance, wlh heavy eyes aud languld appearaut e was held before the gnze of the spectators. Bul ihey all lully reallzed that each on had a noble duly to perforin, aud lu order to per form ii well, each must eucourage the laculty ol self-control, lor without tliat the task would beadifflcult oue. The sen or's woi R was uot all play.aslde from the oll repeuled admonllions of teachers about whlsperl g, eU; , there were the examluatlons to phj.s. the commeiivement speech to be prepared. and taking all thiugs together lt wus no wonder thal only the serlous 1de of a senior wpreseuled on commeucement day. Tbe tbird essay was by Mluuie J. Coate, of Duudee, wbo rote about "The Heel ol .wniiH's. i nis nuil vin nal was immerseu in the river 8tyx, ín order that he mlulu be rendered Invulnerable tu the tthaft ol lus eneInvulnerable, and oue dayAppollo alm. ,1 in arrow tiiai suu.k ihat bpoi and 8lew Uuinlyh ty H'.wl Hut ovun Alllllll - MM Imti.i ttiuii tne urdlnary person who luslead of une lia.s many vulnerable polnts. Peopie couldu't be hio perfect and without huillín thts world, for 11 in sald that eveu enemies are luxuries, and he who balh no enemy 1 not a valuable Citizen. The weakness of poilllclans were ueaily "'hit off.'1 . t was Mlltun wliu lirst said ttiat pride go8 before a full. Wearealso told that tut' love ot money Is the root of all evil, and iliai Hum thedays ol the Garden ol Eden people have been wllling to Bell themselves lor mon y. lt ws Solomon whu wai ued the people notto look upou thewlnewtien Itwas red.thus provluglhaleven lu hlsdaysyoulha were wout to put more wiue In their stomach8 han they had bralns In thelr heads. Tulsgreat heel ome in other shapes thun prlde, greed and drunkenness. Dlckeus drew a picture of the glutlou In the fat boy, and perhaps In Flckwick hlmself; and In those who are always walling for somethlng to turn up in Mlcawber. Many great men and thelr vulnerable polnts were reterred to, and the hope expressed that all would try to so Uve that nu ghaft might reach tueir um-rable points. "The Tyranny of Custom," by Jessle S. Qregg, Aun Arbor. [The happy faculty of speaklog loud enough to be understood was displayed lu Miss Greag.J The tortures of the anclents have taught us wbat a grand thlng our freedom Is But have we not In tki broad liu f liborty ollowad ousolvos to become slaves to custom? It Is by tbls influente of custom thal people are held In slavery. 'Ihe Jear of what the world wlll say Is notan uuworthy feellng, on the contrary lt Is noble. The demands of fashlon own us completely and even causes many io modify the truth, tor many falsehoods have been told tojustlfy or screen at fashlon's behesls we lazl y glve conseut to what others have Ihought out for us lnstead of investtgatlng for ourselves. We aci upon the supposltiou tbat God speaks to the people In general ternas and has no special message for ouriselvea. We must do our wurk In our own way to be successful: many had been unsuccesaful bectuse they dare not perlorm Ihe wo k at band In thelr own way for fear of belng thought eccentrlc and so cnnformed to the general custom. The greatest tyranny In the world Is the tyranny of custom but a change must and wlll come. " Leisure." by Ada M. Gllbert, was one of the very few ladles' essays that could be understnod by the audlence. Itwas a plea fur moderate leisure. The true enjoyment of leisure Bi emed to be a special gift, and could only ie acqulrcd and apprecialed by hard toll. The many ways dlUerent people have of enjoylng the same were illuslraled, that of the poet who can people the vold air wllh laucfes and piclures, belng ainoug the most pleasant. Hut leisure ia thls country where everylhlng Is to be galned by lnessant lndustry. Is llttle known, for we Uve only to work. Clyde V. Nare, of Rochester, Ind., spoke of the " Comparativo Ideas of the Delty " and starled off wllh the statement that r-llgion was alnioHi co-extenlve with mankind. Kvery natloa, clvll zed or barbarou, hud Ideas of God, and as clvlllzation advances these ideas become exalted. A noted man had sald, ' teil rae the religión of a man aud 1 wlll teil you the degree he marks lu tne iutellectual world" ihe anclents assumed there were many gods and dlvluitles. giving to each force of nature, and to each pas Ion of the mlnds or heart a place among the god and goddesses. And so these Ideas of a nupreme ruler i ome down io us through hlsUiry even as the launa and flora of a lost world is traced in the slrala of the san.lstoue and the rocks. The ancleuts. In the time of Sampsun. for lnstance, gave unto God the Imraedlate power thal gave the strengt h to pull dowa the plllarsand crumble the wals of the temple. Wllh us all phenomena Is the resull ol laws estaMlshed by God. The more clvlllztrd the nailon the more exalted the attributen of God. "The Four-Leafed Clovers of Life," were told about by Effle E. Palmer, of Iinlay City. In moreaenses Iban oue Is the chl ld thefalher of the man, lu ihe chlldlsh rancies of the boy we of ten see the powerlul prejudlces of man. A much as we uwy try to cover up the fact, yet at heart we accept as trne the superslltlons Ihat have grown up with us frum chlldhood. All over the w rld people belleve In oiuens andjSlgns, and thus we flnd thera searchlng for lour leaf clover everywhere. Do we not know that many thliigs are ruled by fate, and events In our lile decidid even before our blrthT Kaltu Is the nsplratlon and Ufe the llame of our exls euce, und our duly Is toguard tlieflame until It burns toiheend Many altalu succcsh In Ufe by liavlng Iriends. In running lor office it is nol always the most deserving that is chosen. Two books printed al the same tlrao, one Is succensful in attracting the public attention, the olher not, though Itmaybe the better book. And so we are lnclined to look with euvy upon thooe who do succeed bul our eudeavor In llfe should be to galn for ourselves what luck has lulled to brlug. The eighih upon the program was Eruest B. Ferry, of Ann Arbor, v Ith "Hecoudary Eüucatlon " for bis subject, and the lniprcsslon lie made upon tbe audlence was favorable. He commenced by asserting that tlie present ae was one of speclallles; thut is, the grealeHt success was lo be atlained by taklug up some particular subject and becomlngmaster of 11- In olher words "one Idea mei'," and thue, when all tht-se speciullsts corneNtoKether they form a perfect wheel, and lium.iuity becomesone grand mutual aid society Jn these times, Independent thlnktrs are rarltles; wo rely too mucli upon what others have accomplinhed lnstead of searchhiK out rorouraelrei. The mlllerseldom studies out newand better methods for grludlng araln but accepts what otliers have accomplished; ' The farmor plods along uslng tho ImpleTiiiils otlicrs have lnvented wlth butaslnüle i.li-ii abead. and Umi the almlghy dollnr. And Ho with the student of our schools, be takes llielext books otherl Imve prepared and ahsorbs IdeiiH that bundreds of others bofore liltn have done. The Haine In truo in nincr walks of Ufe In buslnoss in politics, eto.j men goto newspapers for thougnls und Idi'as. and litke thelr polillos f rom theedltois' pens. We should cut, pruneand graft i" I eerUtlD oxtent; very few rules should Hnttal.v ; uo on can lay down a formula for all ItlssiiiU that ciiliiim Is tne foe to personallty bul t nught not 10 be. In our textbooks- matlu-matlcs lalls to induce original lnvi'stlKailiin and ihoUKbC. In fací, 1 1 takrs but Ut tic tiniiniht to gei through the world to(Wy, toril IshII provided and at hand. Yet, thi'ie prominent exceptlons to the general rule, aud In every rominuiilty we flnd two classes: the Inventivo, and the uonproducIng orcoiisumtng class. "Thinkers are nol Kuiers," by Oertrude B. Rose, or Anu Axbor. The true thluker llved not lor Imii.M'it but for the whole world Kvery reat and original mlnd must effect In sorne wny the world. The hlstory of the wurld-lums thal cicnce Is a brlghtener of lile. The grcatest discoveries are sald tobe the reult of accldenlH, but even if thls be true, n udy and thought are always necessury to p(.rfect. The arllst wlth the pencll and oblael makes the marhle s eak. It is not those who inake the most noise who shape the world's lortuues. The sllent thlnker can accompllsh and malntaiu what the bold con querer caunot. The next speaker waR James E. Talley, of liratnlywi' e Suinmlt, l"a., and " Kussla in Central Asia" hm subject. He thought lt a maller of the greaiest Importance to the wond whether Kiissln or Bnglaod shall rule A.siu. Iho hostile attitude of England and the frlendly Httllude of IiusHla durlug our late war causes u large m Jorlly of Aiiurlcans to lavor Kussla lu the preseut crisis, but no motives ishould ranke hm fnvoi Mm vninf Ki BHbi, by ber lUNiiiuaiitifi. sneakiug policy wis m&klng (liiiiKvrous progress in Asia, while Englaiid, by hor present, masterly inacllvlty eeemed lo be idllng away precious moment. The present deplorable coudltlon ol Itussla was t en comrueuled u pon, and a uolluviting picture drawn- and the assertlon made tlial lt was not what Kussla is golug to be, but what ehe 1 that should determiue our posltlon. Kussla was noted for her tyranny; even Ihe press was made an euglue of oppre.slon; lier pólice were the Ine-ai natiou of uil that wa bad; her prlsons, iroiii;which no one was sale, were the vilesl i f the vlle; the military Is urutal ; and uolhlug ai mui tile nailon was conduclve of guod goveruuient The mere raentlon ot England brings lo our nimds a coudllion of thlnus diuiueliiCHlly opposlte. She has the best government uuder tne siin to-day ; she kuuws huw to goveru with a tlrrn hand but a grntle om-. The supplanliuK of EnglUb rule In Asuibj-ihiiioi Kii.ssia wimlil be a ealamity to tlie civilizeü World. Miss Sara Whedon gave the audlence "Five Minutes wlth D'lsraell." There are ome meu In this world who üx tlielr miuds ou great tblugs and by the coufldence in thelr own ubility, aud by perseverauoe, work up to them, and siich a man was D'lsraell. He was a man of Jewlsh birtb, and lnherited mauy of the prejudlces of hls race. Ihougb hisorigln was lowly. and the zenitli ol lus ambillon a long distance off yet he overéame a 1 bslacles. Hls boiks are s'amped wiih lus indlviduullly. The essayist then reviewed a lew characters of hls creallon, and cam to the conclusión tliat the héroes In several of the works portrayed the aulhor's own amülllon, lastes, deslíes and bopw. Une would ihlnkthal there would beadull in notony In lus works, but the author displays such marvelous skill in bltting off people iu few words, such a fascina Ion thal the repetitlou Is nolnollceable. Of all crlucixms UOM upon D'Israeli were tho most conflictlug, ol whlch several quulatlons were glven The oonolualoo was Ihat conslderlug all thlngs hls success aud his popularity were tru y wouderful. Thetwelfthand last glven theaudienee was a dissertatlon upim '¦ lllustons," by Flurence !-.. iimjii, ol lieidnijj. lllusioiiH everywhere prevalí. Un the desert the traveler sees Ihe mirage, aiul beholds whut looks llke :in on es and a pool ol water, and h hurries on toqueuch liln iliirbt. but to tind it a cruel lllualuQ Itisiory ïtself Is full of lllusioiis. Not rverything wo read is true, for those who write i iiiii-s tuey olaim to liave seeu do not wri e arlKlit. Mucmiley la sald lo decelve, 1 1 Kc'wiM' Hume aud Olbbon, and even Froude blmaslf U obargpd wltn coiorlng liisiory to suu Uls owu linaglmulon. We ure uil familiar willi tUf acts ol uuu Atnerieus Vespuccius who appropr ated another's deeds and gave li I name to hall the earlh. Oen. Jackson deuled the story of figtulUK behlnd the eoitou bales al New Orleans. The story of Wni. Teil Issuid to Ui' a ni)lti ; at.ii Wü nja et bt called iipon to belleve tliat Com. Perry nevir wiote " wc In. ve met theeuemy and tliry are are ours,'1 or ihat He ever galned a victory on lake Erle. But we mu&t not come loiiifbeIteve all history, for tliere were grand and herolc deels Blirooordwi that woukl more tnan counterbaluuce tliose proved to be a myih. And in ouruearch lor trulli and pure gold we may llnd llke the mirage on the desert that it Hes Just beyoud. Tbis cluscil the orations iind essays, and tlie next tliiug ii. order was the coatenhifr of diplomas upon the GKADÜATINO CLAS8: Clataical Covrse-Fred H. Abbott, Eugene N. Peel, iiellle N. Garngues. I,-slie U. Harwood, Maltle Newton, Clyde V. Nafe. William VV. Pailet. U mie Ii n.isc, Jmes E. Tailey, Hiirry .S. W'aterbury. Sara Whedon. Minni.A Keinpf, Jollll A. Nicllols, Eflie E. 1'tltiwM Krilfvt I' Porr.t-, üuiur IV uliiul.i, Krank A. Waplea, Kloieure E. WiUon. Exyltsh Course- Jessie 3. CJregg, Fruncís A. Lejslle, Uerlh.i M. scudiu. Scieiiliilc Course- Minuie J. Coate, E 'win L. Daaa Heury W Douglas, fctta M. Kield, AuDte K. Jodaon, Kale L. Jobnaoo, Benjamin C. Mor.se, samuel A Nnftzger. Benjamin D. Payne, Piulo C'. Pucketi, Adella C. Picketl, Harry B Wyelli. Engineering Course- Jessie 8. Tliurubam. Music Course- Dalsy H. Rlchardson. Commercial Fred. W. Bishop, Iris Carr, Charles F. Johaxon, Emily P. Jones, NVwton A. I'helps, Chas. W. Kodger, Rosalía Hiiiilli, Sarah J. Wylle. THE ALUMNI EXERCISES. The literary exereiscs of the blgn school alumni were held in the hih school huil Friduy evening, the president of the society, AI. H Brennan, Esq., presiding. There wa3 music at the oieninr, nul some prelimi'iaiy work In reference to the Bppofntlng of committees, etc. The orator of tlie evening, Fied J. Maynard, Esq., of Grand Rupids, delivered the aniiual iddrcss, having for tiis subject " Some Defect8 in our Educatlonal System." II is addiess was all right, iu theoiy, perhaps- for those who think so - but not practical. At least, that would be our critlcism. He asseited that we put our childien on board the educational train at one end of the route, and they came out at the other end mere producís of u machine. The speaker said, that in olilcii times, when education was obtained only by surniouuting obstacles of great dimeosloos, those who obtained knowledjce appreciated ts worth, and few were lost that were worth the MVlng. Which is doubtless true, but this educational machinery is for the very puipose Of misuii up the matses- in the olden time rtiferred to the masses were ignoraot, the few educated. It is not expected that either teachers or the industrial machine Can fúrnilh brains lor the children. But the great defect Uw speaker asserted was the absence of reliaious training in our schools, and for this the teachers were belabored. The speaker perhaps forgot that every teacher does nstruct nis or her pupila In the fundamental principies that underlle all religión: jrood moráis, and the words of the Öuviour, "do unto others as ye wonld that othcrs should do unto you." Any forther religious intractlon btlongs to the parents. Our scliools fhoold be as free fiom teaching of creeils as heaven wil) be free bom tln-ni. But we digress ; it is a meetlog wc are repoi tinr, not wrltlng a ciiticism. VVith the exception of being a trifle lenfitliy the adüross was good, and from the very tact of its being radical was productivc oí tro, id intli.it it8etthe poopk who heard It to thinking, and rnising iu their minds ideas and argtunents to combat the assertions made. Tlie pocin, by We Elsie Jones, class of '4, was a Md, shiti tancy. of "The Perfect Uay." To att.mpt to describe or epitomize t would be to ipol] ui ts delicacy and beauty and even then our readers could have little idea of lts true worth. It may be extravagant praise but the writer doubts very much whether ruauy of the poets famous in our land could tiiic] iiiy portion ot' it to critcise or bet ter. The Hun. Win. D. Harrimaii was clown for an address, but owing to the fact that was so soon to leave the city on a brief viKMiioi), exeuscd nimaelf in a letter wliich was read by Mr. Breiman. This closed Ihe littrary rxcrcisps and the as8embly then adjourned to one of the lower roo'ms wliere I A UANQÜET had been spread by the ladles of the Baptist chuicli. Aftcr partaking of the (Talntf ediblcs, it wa expeoted Uiat a "feaíl o( reason aild n llow of goul " would be induljred In, imcl PresÜJwll Breiman, actlng as toastmoeter, opsned the volatile exercises by llrliif: tbe toasts : Our Alma Mater. To wlilch (i. V. Knilil, '74. responded. In Boboel and outln tlie World. Kuspumlod tony Alex. W. Hainlllon. i7. Bobool Boy's Principies aiiU Manhixx]' rractlcea. Resanóse by Fr r. j. u sieere,'4. The l.iidii-s. Response by .lulin Vi nlwelian. '71. The Class of '85. Besponse by MNs PTéllle Garrijfue.s, 86, The Boy aud Girls. Responded to by Prof. Perry. Our Teacher. Itesponse by Ilarry Wyeth. 85. Class of'83. Response by T. J. Halllngir. '88. Class of '82. Response by Jno. L. üull Dr. S. A. Jones beingcalIW upon made a few pluasant mútrkf. James II. Mi'DoniM, '7'.', of Detroit, bad souie excellent wordi vvitli tlns for Illa subject: "The IIiU School, tbe most Económica] B ranch ¦( Modwjp Qoyernment." The committe uppoiated to nominale offleers for the eiisiiing ycar, tlicn re ported ns follows: l'resldent- M. H. Brennan. '75. Vlce-presidenl- aIpi W. Hainliron, 'ii7. .Misv . I : i lTpsoa, 'S'i. Treasurer- w. K. Prloa Oralor- K. Kltt redui . Altérnate- Todd, M. I'oet- vilss May Whedon. Kxenutlve Oom -All n i Pond. I'liillipR. Whitinan, A. F. Allmn(1Qiget, .MIkscs Allee Porler, aDd Milite Knowllon. Commlltee to secure llie vildress of Oradoates- K Klttredge, Dr. v'. I. Bmlth.John V. Sheehun, UlllW Auua MuUunuld and Nellíe Garrlgue. Tbe meeting then closed by the audieiicc jolning n inglnL "Auld Lans Syne,1' and all went home happier for tbe reunión.