1886 Cortland Normal School Commencement Exercises

The Cortland News, Friday, July 23, 1886.

SCHOOL DAYS ARE OVER.

Public Exercises Connected With the Close of the Thirty-Third Term.

   The thirty-third term of the Cortland Normal School closed, properly, on Friday last, although Commencement exercises were not held until Tuesday. The exercises all through were the best ever given in the history of the institution.

INTERMEDIATE DEPARTMENT.

   A graduating class consisting of Mabel Olmsted, Maud Hamilton, Julia Garrity, Fannie Hoffman, Minnie Wells, Anna Bushby, Augusta Allen, Will Harris, George Freer, Frank McFall, Edward Barnes, Melvin Rice, gave a good programme, consisting of vocal and instrumental music, declamations and recitations, Friday afternoon, in the intermediate department to a large audience.

CLASS DAY EXERCISES

Of the class of 1885 were held in the Normal Chapel Monday afternoon, June 28th, when the following programme was presented:

Prayer--DR. JAMES M. MILNE.

Music—Miller's Song... Zolndr.

President's Address—A Wise Conservatism, IRVING F. STETLER.

Oration—A National University, ARCH A. FREEMAN.

Music—Trio—Selected History, FLORA B. TAYLOR.

Poem—Reveries, VILLA F. PAGE.

Music (a) Serenade, Wilder  (b) Bethany, Mason

Prophecy, E. DEWITT NILES

Presentation, EDWARD R. HALL

Music—The Sparrow's Twitter, Otto

Music furnished by the Cortland Quartette.

COMMENCEMENT

Exercises at the Cortland Opera House at 10 a. m., Tuesday, June 29, drew out a large audience from all parts of the county, until the building was filled to overflowing and many were turned away. The orations and essays were admirably prepared and well delivered. The following was the programme:

Prayer REV. JOHN ARTHUR.

Music—Anthem—"Trust ye in the Mighty God."

Oration—"The Instability of the English Throne," HARRY G. HUGHES.

Essay—"Poverty the Great Producer," FANNIE SHELDON.

Oration—"The School the Place to Teach Temperance," *GRACE A. FORD

Essay—"Dickens as a Teacher of Morals," EVA JEWELL.

Oration—"The Moral Element in Art," KATE DENISON.

Oration—"The Superiority of the Public School," SARAH V. CHOLLAR.

Oration—"The Christian in Politics," LUCY M. REEVE.

Music—Instrumental Duet—"Spanish Dances."

Essay—“The Inner Life," ELIZABETH PEABODY.

Essay—"Dreaming Dreams and Doing Deeds,” *MARY A. STONE.

Oration—"The Perpetuity of Human Influence," LEONARD D. W. BALDWIN.

Essay—"First Impressions,"*ANNIE W. CLARK.

Oration—"Micawberism,"ELLEN L. MERRIMAN.

Essay—"Our Meccas," *HATTIE J. HALE.

Essay—"School Work and School Hours," *ANNA JEWELL.

Oration—"The Conquest of an Idea," IDA M. CROWELL.

Music—Chorus—“Farewell, the Days are Fleeting."

Presentation of diplomas to graduates.

Benediction.

*Excused.

   We regret that our space is so small that we cannot publish the remarks of each one in their entirety, as they were all of such merit, that an outline of them would be an injustice to the writers. Miss Sheldon's essay, and Miss Merriman's oration on "Micawberism" deserve especial mention, as being out of the general run of articles prepared on such occasions and showing a train of thoughts entirely original with the author.

   The class song composed by Miss Peabody was as follows:

I.

Pause, true hearts, the doors unfold,

   A mighty work appears;

Glorious fields and paths untold;

   Hopes rise and banish fears.

The shadows falling o'er the way,

   Come not with treasures rife,

They only shroud the goal of toil,—

   The grander things of life.

II.

Tho' patient toil reap no reward

   That human eye can see,

Discouragements shall not o'erwhelm,

   But ever firm and free.

We'll joyful sieze the mighty Real,

   With heart and mind renewed,

And enter life's great battle field

   With heaven's own light endued.

III.

Phantoms claim not manly strength,

   No shadowy foe we fight.

Young hearts are to be lifted up

   From darkness into light;

From unhewn stone a shrine we carve,

   To beauty of the soul.

Vain shadow-fighting is long past,

   Minds grander things control.

   In presenting diplomas to Normal graduates Dr. Hoose said:

FELLOW TEACHERS:

   You join the fraternity of teachers by receiving these diplomas. Our profession needs men and women who will pursue their labors with the ardor of him who wins a race and with the spirit of him who finds out the hidden things of nature. The profound portions of professional study are to discern practical facts as they appear in the class room, and to estimate intelligently the value of these facts to extend the scope of professional knowledge. Every field of research has its typical phenomena; the teacher must discover those that appear in his field. You enjoy rare opportunities to enlarge the boundaries of scientific and historical knowledge in our field of labor; these times are characterized by vigorous discussions, by an examination of so-called methods of teaching, and by educational experiments that might be termed in considerable part only educational ventures.

   But with all this activity and hurly-burly of attempts, educational thought is too superficial. The profound heights of science and the art of education are travelled by few; they await the presence of the explorer who can measure their heights and depths—who can discover the methods by which the human powers increase in knowledge, and by which the faculties expand into powers. He has attained sublime elevations in our profession who has the capability to follow with critical sight—the processes of mind as it grows from infancy to manhood— to discover the modes by which spontaneous actions of childhood are transmitted into noble deeds and heroic conduct and Christian character that constitute the full measures of exalted manhood.

   Fellow teachers, your field lies before you, ascend into it with courage, perseverance, and intelligence, trusting in God who is your strength.

   His remarks to the two academic graduates were as follows:

FELLOW STUDENTS:

   You step out from school as you receive these diplomas; you have acquired some information of the world at large, during your progress through school which you now leave, you stand at the threshold of active life as it surges about all who enter into its currents. The important question is this: Have you acquired sufficient power of self-control and discernment to enter with safety into the affairs of our busy world? The act of graduating is a simple thing; but the act of living well after graduation is far more complicated. You have had a career in school that has done no more than indicate to you some of the complicated affairs of life; you will meet manifold ways as you travel down the coming years. If the school has assisted you in any measure to estimate somewhat correctly the probabilities of life and of events, as you look forward to them, the stay within its walls has served a high purpose. Noble womanhood and manhood have claims upon you; may your career from this time continue to reflect honor upon American citizenship.

   The twelfth public exercises of the Alumni was held at the Opera House, Tuesday evening, the following programme was rendered:

Music—"Hark, the Trumpet Calleth.”

Prayer, REV. H. A. CORDO.

Music— "Hear Our Prayer."

President's Address—"The Ultimate Mission of our Alma Mater," W. S. WASHBOURNE, '84.

Essay—"Some Phases of Modern Culture, MARGARET A. EMERSON, '80.

Music—"The Swedish March."

Oration—"Politics in the Public Schools," HAMILTON TERRY, '79.

Recitation—Selected, Miss L. FAIRCHILD, '83

Music—"Annie Laurie."

Music was furnished by the Ithaca Quartette.

   More of the Alumni were present than at any previous meeting, and after the exercises all attended the banquet at the Cortland House, and enjoyed themselves in bringing up reminiscences of school days and in comparing notes in regard to life since school days were ended.