The High School

Friday was cool and pleasant for the 000 or more persons who gathered in niversity Hall to attend the thirtieth anlal commencement exercises of the Ann rbor High SchooL The hall was handimely decorated, the stage being draped )ove with green and yellow, the class lors; below was "89" and the class lOtto, "animo non aatutia," in flowere of ie same colors; on each side were huge knks of potted plants in bloom, the front íing covered also with foliage. The balmy facing the stage was draped in the Tors of tbe junior class, blue and brown, th "90" and the class motto, "sapiens ii assiduus," worked out in white )wers. At 10:15 the participants in the oceaan marched upon the stage. Profs. Perry id Pattengill occupied the center chairs front, and were flanked on either side f Revs. Studley, Carman, Gelston and radshaw. On the right sat the members ' the school board, each wearing a satisd look as they gazed at the bright faces the graduating class. The seats on the ft and in the rear were filled by the 78 embers who were to receive their diomas. The front seat of the auditorium s piled high with flowers, the gifts of iends to the graduates. The exercises were opened by an overire from "Martha" by the Chequamegous. ev. A. S. Carman offered prayer, foliwed by a selection by the orchestra, ttust we meet as strangers ?" DO WE NEED A NAVY ? fas the title of the first oratioD, by John (, E. Duncan, of Ann Arbor. He took ie negative side of the questioD, arguing lat this country has no need of a navy } she has no commerce on the high seas, ir trade being carried by ships carrying e flags of other countries ; that for coast efenses no navy is needed, as even the pnelad monsters cannot now withstand ie modern Instruments of war ; that the tpense is enormous and would continue grow more so; the large surplus in ie treasury need not be used to build a avy ; there is a better use to which it in be put. The large surplus in the easury should be used to increase the jucational advantages oL the citizens. ïe many thousands of people, who are w unable to secure an education, would e enabled to secure that greatest of oons. Then, and not until then, can this brious country establish an educational Bnchise, when every man will be able to Jink and act for himself and the ballot be iformed. Why should not the United tates, always first in every great reform, e the first to condetnn the army and navy }d establish this great reform, the educabnal franchise? THE MASQUE, y Miss Ella M. Bennett, oL Ann Arbor, ras historical of the masque plays in anent times, when kings, queens, princes nd noblemen took part in these festivities nd money was lavished upon them, great oms being awarded as prizes to those rho should discover the masquers. A Ömparison was made between these tritings, on which thousands of dollars tere epent, and the then almost uüknown iritings of Shakespeare, the latter now he leading plavs of the world, while the inner are not to be found except ia the prk corners of some big library. THE ONGIFTED, Fas the title of the oration by Miss innice Gook, of Port Worth, Texas. "The ifferent parts of plants are recognized in lifferent lives. Ungifted people are esntial on this earth to the existence of Jfted people. All men are divided into Wo classes, and in the lower class are ften found strong men and women who &ke up the battles of life and fight them rell. The immortal Lincoln carne from his class. The two classes are divided into rorkers and shirkera. Some ungifted eople belong to the shirkera but a great najority of them belong to the workers. ïo one can live in the world without ing of the world, and no one can live in he world without doing some good in it. Nlio shall complain tben because they nay lack talent? as he who appears ingifted may do his work well and none hould judge him. It is not always the ifted people who show the best resulta torn their labora." The orchestra rendered "Simplicity," Iter which Misa Lola H. Conrad, of Ann Lrbor, was heard upon VIOTORIOUS FAILÜRES. She 8aid : "While there are many failires which are defeats, still there are othera hich are glorious victories. Some have tbe ippearance of failures indeed, until many rears af terwards when the f ailure becomes I victory. Take the example of Cardinal PVoolsey, whose work appeared a failure !or many years. Paul, who stood before ve judges in ancient Rome, made a 1 rious victory in failure. You may have I riven in some great reform during the 'jest years of your life. In this work you iiay have been driven backward and have ost ground, and as you lie upon your deathbed you will consider your work a failure; but he that comes after you. takes up f our work where you left off and carries t forward, will not look upon it as you do. Barrying the work onward to auccees, he irill regard your work as a glorioua victory. To a noble minded person failure Iets as an incentive. The greatest objeot is to set our aim high, and he does not fail who places himself at the top of the ladder." A QUESTION OF TO DAT By Samuel Osborne, of Manchester, was n argument for the union of the United fStates and Canada. " In the lives of every Sation questions arise, and although they do not aeem material at present, the future Bfe of the country may depend upon them. jn North America there are two great eountries, the United States and Canada. The people oL Canada are watching the tfnited States with much interest at preéent ag they desire ultimately to stand as we stand. They know that their interests lepend upon an alliance with the United States instead of England. Both parties lesire political union for many reasong. Phe fishery question would be definately settled: There would be no need for large standing armies in both countries: It would cut off the great retreat for crimináis: 't would abolish custom houses on the Torth American continent: It would carry out the idea oL the great creator hat there should be but one country in his entire North America. Canada is now ndependent except in name, and in a hort time to come we hope to Bee that country and the United States under one tarry ensign, that of United America. Harrison M. Randall, of Ann Arbor, diseussed the duties of RECIPROCITY " It is the duty of our government to ecure every right to our citizens. Freelom and protection are essential to the ligh class of governments under which we ive. There should be no restraint on the egitimate liberty of the citizens by the government There is none in our government. The reciprocial duty of the citizen of such a government is to look to its afety in every part, to defend its integrity and honor at all times. The welfare of he government depends upon this. ?rusts and monopolies are enemies of the citizens of a free country and of their liberies, and the governmeut should take such measures to subdue these as will insure he citizans that their nghts will not be nterfered with. The great question in every man's life is his dependence upon lis fellow-men and there is no duty more acred than that of general reciprocity beween men. The oration by Miss Alice D. Cramer, of Ann Arbor, was fllled with good points on the newspaper writers of the present age. It was entitled, A NATION OP SCBIBBLERS. " The ancient students would be greatly surprised to see how modern writers grind out their manuscript, not for the good and careful writings which they contain, but o see how much space they can fill. Not much time is speat on the events of the day but there is Iota wasted on the trashy novéis. Some of our magazines now have on hand enough manuscript to last them br years. Writing has become a disease. Phere are a few who have talent, but they ïave no chance in competition with the ,housands who write merely to fill space. Ne may now question whether the printng press has proven a blessing or a curse as so much of this trashy writing is thrust upon US. Everybody condemns this scribbling. It has become a national vice and no greater calamity could have hapened to the country than having this a íation of scribblers." The orchestra rendered " The Tar's Farewell," after which Miss Edith M. Orr, of áanistique, proceeded to tell WHAI A WOMAN CAN DO. She recited the circumstances of the death and burial of Helen Hunt Jackson n the mountains of the west, and the jreat acd noble life that she had lived. üer great work among the Indians was related, and the improvement in their condition by her efforts. The beautiful poems which she wrote, so simple and true to nature, brought her closer to the hearts of all than even her great work. Will Reardon was to have had an oraion on "The Radicáis in Reform," but had een called home by sicknes?. Alice Quick was the next on the lis', he title of her oration being THE MISSIOK OF CHILDREN. "The love of children is natural and 5nds its way into the hearts of everyone. The child is the embryo man, and as the child thinks 80 will he act when he becomes a man. Children have their missions on earth. Homes are happier where children are. The father stays at home and the bard-working, discouraged mother is comforted by the child. The young keep the old bright and happy and make them young again. What would the world do without children, with their hearts full of love, carrying peace and happiness everywhere?" "Pres Te Toi" waltz was played by the orchestra, Misa Lulu B. Southmayd, of Ann Arbor, then reading a satire on THE FUTURE OF PHRENOLOOT. "Among the characteristics common to all men and nations is the desire to lift the veil of the future, this even dating back to the time ofJAdam. If the desire tolearn the future is forbidden, we can learn by that great science, phrenology, what our disposition8 and inclinations are. IL we put ourselves under the phrenologist's care he will claim even to transfigure us, a feat before which even Loisette'e fades. He makes a man to be just what he wishes, political, man of letters, or statesman. As the different characteristics increase, so will the different bumps incresse. When phrenology becomes the motive power, our streets will look as though everybody had the mumps." A NSW MORAL MOVEMENT By Miss Carrie M. Sperry, of Ann Arbor, was a recital of the trials and victories of the W. C. T. U. from its organization 15 years ago to the present time. It is the grandest organization ever formed. The National Union is constantly increasing the work, organizing new branches and reorganizing old ones. The work has been carried forward in all its branches. Already much has been done for temperance by legislation, not by any political party, but by the W. C. T. TL, a non-political organization, which has opened up a new life for women, showing them whai great opportunities they have. A TROUBLKS0ME SUBJECT By Henry H. Walker, of Ann Arbor, proved to be a discussion of the merits of " the boy," the most difficult problem ever given us to solve. The American boy is not responsible for his peculiar character ; it comes naturally to him. Ho early developes a tendency towards mischief and all h8 Kfe being surrounded by business Ufe be becomes imbued with its restlessness and developes a character for money-making. As he grows older he has the example of witty mem and wishing to follow their example, attempts to be witty. But his greatest trait is ambition. He is not willing to settle down and nothing is impossible to him. Taught that he is free-born, liberty of action, and speech come natural to him. This concluding the literary exercises, the diplomas were presentad to the graduates and the exercises concluded by the rendering of " The War March " by the orchestra, and the benediction.