VOL. IX.

COMMENCEMENT WEEK.

Senior Class Reception.

The annual reception given by President and Mrs. Taylor to the senior class, although coming nearly two weeks before commencement, really belongs to the report of commencement exercises. It is the first real calling-out of the senior class as such. The graduating class of the music department, together with the members of the faculty and their families, met with the seniors here for the first time. The commodious residence of the President enabled them to receive much more conveniently this year than heretofore. The number of guests was between one hundred fifty and two hundred. Refreshments were served during the evening.

The item of amusement to which the attention of all was directed will be understood from the following explanations, which were handed to each guest on a tasteful card marked with the year and class motto:

"An awful story about a member of the faculty is circulating this evening. Twenty-eight numbered persons have fragments of it. Find them; discover what they know; place their replies opposite their numbers and you have the whole of it. No one will tell his number unless asked for it, and then will give it and what he knows about the story in a whisper only. Everybody, including those having numbers, will contest. The first person reporting it accurately, word for word, wins." The correct report of the wonderful story was as follows: "Professor stole up to me last evening as I was quietly resting behind the latticework, and slipping his hand over my mouth, turned me around rapidly, and putting his lips to mine said, 'How sweet!' and he a married man, too! I could not cry out, for I was helpless, being only-a hydrant!"

Miss Josie Park being the first to file a correct answer, received a beautiful souvenir spoon as a memento of her triumph. The entire evening was thoroughly enjoyed by all who were present. The memory of the senior receptions is ever cherished with pleasure by all whose good fortune it is to enjoy them.

Contest in Declamation and Debate.

Though one-third of the students had gone home for the institutes and for other reasons, Albert Taylor hall was filled with the usual enthusiastic crowd on Saturday evening, for the annual contest in declamation and debate.

The program opened with a song by the D music class, "Gallant and Gaily." The invocation was pronounced by Rev. J. L. Jackson, and the Orpheus club, composed exclusively of young gentlemen, rendered the "Summer Waltz" so charmingly as to cail forth a hearty encore.

Mr. L. E. Scholl opened the contest in declamation with "How Old Folks Won the Oakes." He immediately won the attention of the audience, and showed fine dramatic skill, though it was hardly sufficiently sustained to the end. Many in the audience were disposed to place him first, or at least second, at once.

Bessse V. Schriver gave Professor Hoaglin's arrangement of Mrs. Ward's "Ku Klux Klan." She possesses a good presence, a strong clear voice, and is at once mistress of the situation. From the first word to the last, the audience gave her its undivided attention and the applause at the close was long and gen

erous.

L. G. Taylor presented Locke's "Hannah Jane" in a pleas

No. 9

ing manner but the selection itself is hardly equal to such an occasion, and Mr. Taylor's peculiar skill was placed at a disadvantage in competing with the stronger selections on the program. He has great reserve power and is already a popular entertainer.

Miss Jessie Wheeler gave Professor Hoaglin's arrangement of Mrs. Ward's "The Madonna of the Tubs." It is by far the most difficult of the four, and Miss Wheeler received high praise on every hand both for interpretation and rendition. She completely captured the audience and proved a most dangerous rival to Miss Schriver. She has a good voice, is skilled in its adjustment, and easily adapts herself to her selection and her audience.

The judges, Rev. J. W. Huston, Mrs. C. S. Cross, and Mrs. J. M. Kellogg, awarded the prize, a handsome gold medal, to Miss Schriver. Mr. Taylor ranked next in order.

Mrs. Anna Arnett sang "When the Heart is Young," with fine effect and President Taylor announced the question for discussion as follows: "Resolved, That it is for the best interests of the people that the railroads of the United States be owned and operated by the national government."

Mr. H. L. Miller, representing the Belles-Lettres, opened for the affirmative in one of the most effective and well arranged addresses ever given on the platform. He showed a perfect acquaintance with his subject, a mastery of effective argument, and withal, a readiness and an aptness of presentation that surprised even his most ardent friends.

Miss Sadie Goodwin, representing the Literati society, opened the debate for the negative. Miss Goodwin's reputation in the class room and her popularity among the students, gave her an enthusiastic welcome by the entire audience, but few were fully prepared for the superb and logical speech with which she met the argument of Mr. Miller. Her self possession, her clear enunciation, her sympathy with her theme, combined to give force to every word she uttered and when she had finished, many felt that the question was already settled.

Mr. Crawford replied for the affirmative in a carefully prepared and logical array of argument. He easily answered some of the strong points presented by Miss Goodwin, and, though not so ready a speaker as the others, was given high rank by everybody.

Mr. Gorow closed the debate for the negative. The first half of his speech bristled with fact and logic, though its closing might have been stronger. He is a good thinker, analyzes well and knows the meaning of words.

Mr. Miller's five minute speech in closing for the affirmative was one of the best efforts of the kind in the history of our contests. The Normal band played "Washington Post" and several other numbers while waiting for the decision of the judges.

Governor A. J. Felt presented the decision of the judges giving the gold medals to the representatives of the Literati society.

The Literati yell at once filled every corner of the hall, and away went Mr. Gorow on the shoulders of his Literati brothers, and Miss Goodwin with an enthusiastic escort of Literati sisters The hall was jammed and crammed! Red ribbons and red bunting and red roses suggested that the Normal might be on fire. There was much talk, more yelling and a superlatively wonderful amount of good cheer. Congratulatory

speeches were made by many of the members, including W. C. Coleman and Bertha Read, of other days.

The Belles-Lettres met at once in their hall and found great comfort in the magnificent presentation which their representatives had made. Earnest speeches were made by members and friends, and plans laid to capture the contest in March, '98. The new yell contained these significant words: "We are not dead yet!"

Miss Bessie Schriver, the winner in declamation, was escorted by her friends to the Lyceum hall, her society home, and an enthusiastic reception was held.

In his speech, in presenting the prizes, Governor Felt expressed his great pleasure at being permitted to witness the contest of the evening. He said that he had always been a warm friend of the School, both as a member of the legislature and as a private citizen, and that this visit had given him an insight into its work which emphatically supported his position that the State Normal School is the most important in its relations to the educational work of the state of all the higher institutions of learning. He rejoiced with us over the success of the institution and predicted greater usefulness in the future. Professor Hoaglin received generous praise on every hand for her success in preparing the young men and women for the contest. Many people present said they had never seen anything so pleasing and so effective anywhere else. The contest was one of the most enjoyable ever held in the halls of the institution. CONTEST IN DEBATE, JUNE 5, 1897.

In speaking of the debate the Emporia Daily Republican said: The debate was a popular, scientific discussion, void of all bombast and sophistry. Only once was there even a play on prejudice by the mention of socialism, and even that was felt to be a trifle detrimental to the negative speakers. It seemed a slight begging of the question. Save this, there was no appeal to the emotions, no especial fervor of rhetoric. The discussion on both sides was presented with a strength of logic and a simplicity of diction, that made the debate entirely comprehensible to the audience.

The Baccalaureate Service.

The baccalaureate service on Sunday morning opened with practically every chair occupied and a large choir on the rostrum to lead in the songs of the morning. The appropriate and beautiful responsive service with Rev. J. W. Tanner, of the Baptist church, leading in prayer opened the way for the sermon by Rev. J. L. Jackson, D. D., of Hyde Park Baptist church, Chicago. His theme was "The Divine and the Human Elements in a Successful Life," and the logical speaker held the

rapt attention of the audience throughout the entire discussion, as he showed how God's plans and man's plans may ever be working together. The discourse was aptly embellished throughout by instructive and interesting illustrations, and everybody felt that a great vision had come to him as he left the hall that morning. The Doctor's church is the church for the University of Chicago, and President Harper is his Sunday school superintendent. The choir of nearly forty voices had spent much time in drilling on "The Heavens are Telling," and the rendition was most thrilling and inspiring. The closing hymn was written and dedicated to the class by President Taylor, suggested by the class motto:

Oh thou who art the fount of life,
Eternal source of truth and love,

At whose command the worlds appear
And through their endless courses move;

As thou hast been each hour's desire,
Each day our youthful feet hast led,
We turn to thee as duty calls,
Obedient now, thy path to tread.

In wisdom's ways youth shall renew,
If thou, Oh Lord, our hearts sustain';
As thou art near, when shadows fall,
Shall doubt, and death itself, be vain.
Class Day.

Oration-Response

Music-Grand March

Adelaide Staatz, Myrtie Howe; Laura Riley, Grace Kelly.

The prophecy, as usual, was one of the most interesting of all the exercises. Mr. Castillo simply covered himself with glory in his "vision of the future." Miss Johnson created much amusement by her "quotations from papers published in the early years of the coming century." The address to the juniors by Mr. Lockhart, was, as usual, full of profound advice to the brothers and sisters left behind. Mr. LaBar was equal to the occasion and the audience heartily shared the joy of the juniors at the happy words of their representative. The class poem was adapted and written by J. A. Beadle, whose reading was particularly effective. We give it in full:

"Peace spreads her mantle, snowy white,"
O'er every school room in the land,
And where work waged till deep at night
A bright throng passes, gay and grand.
The wheels of time roll swiftly on
'Cross fields long pressed with weary feet,
And where the mist cloud hid the light
Now glad signs of victory greet.

"No guarded tread,
No heart's quick beat,
No time kept tramp
Of marching feet."

Paans of victory thrill the air,
And joy and peace reign everywhere.
Hushed is the school room's busy clang;
Each teacher's silver voice is damb;
Where late the sound of labor rang
Is heard the happy student's hum.
School books now lie with dust o'erspread;
Where them, their owners lightly laid,
And close beside, without regret,
Sad thoughts, forgotten, are arrayed.
Where ranks of old
Wheeled into line,
Badges of gold

Now wave and shine,
And fragrance is breathed from flowers fair,
Where murmured griefs once filled the air.