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About Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885 | View Entire Issue (July 5, 1885)
HM 6 THE HESPERIAN. 1 ft "t't i The society cxibitions oi this year were not glittering finan cial successes. The Palladians were the only ones who mana ged to clear expenses and have a small balance remaining. The University now has excellent fire protection. City hydrants stand all around the campus, ready at a moments notice to flood the building. In addition, a supply of patent chemical extinguishers has been purchased. Two large rolls of newspapers from the city library seized tutor Caldwell under cither arm one day last weelt and brought him up to the University. They are to be sliced up for the clipping department connected with the library. The Chancellor is to be congratulated on his energy in bringing Mr. Funke of the Opera House to reasonable terms. There is no reason why the University should pay exorbitant rates when fine halls are offered them for nothing. This business of ringing the fire-bell every time some one wishes to test the water-woiks is decidedly to be condemned. A couple of hundred students object to being sent down town every day or two on an entirely bootless errand. The Co. B. cast-iron cannon was hauled down to Oak Creek to assist in the recovery of a body. When some of the Co. B. boys saw that their artillery was missing they went almost frantic until they were assured that it was safe. The ladies of K. K. G. gave a royal entertainment to the Phis and Sigs. The ceremonies took place at the residence of Mrs. F. M. Hall. Delightful refreshments were served along in the evening and the boys did great justice to them. All went home with renewed affection for the Kappas, indi vidually and collectively. We fear that "Kleine" Polk'is becoming demoralized. At the Chancellor's levee he was presented to Hon. C. II. Gere, who, thinking he had before him Mr. C. S. Polk of the Pal ladian school land debate, complimented him highly on "his' ' production. The young man accepted the taffy without wink ing and is now engaged in retailing it to his big brother at ex orbitant rates. Quartermaster Sargeant Allison has been exerting himself for the past few days in the erection of a small shed back of the University building. The new structure is designed to keep the heaving tempests from rusting the cannons used by the cadets. The campus now looks much less like General Herat's works around Fort Abdurrahman Kahn, in the Kom eroff territory, than formerly. fc.T Mi t COMMENCEMENT. "0, Mr. fHHk- aren't you afraid you'll take cold?" "No, deary, I never catch cold," was heard on the night of the com mencement concert as two forms were slowly crossing the cam pus, at or near the witching hour of midnight. The fact that the gentleman's coat was thrown over the shoulders of the fair one and his strong right arm was in active service, added zest to the enjoyment uf the mischievous campus prowlers. JHto has suddenly concluded to go to Coloiado where the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest. A "feed" at the Commercial brought to a most agreeable close the work of the Palladian society for the closing year. The commencement week being already full to overflowing the last Friday evening of the society year was fixed on as a family jollification. After a special program at their hall, the members of the society formed by twos to the number of sixty and marched down town to the great trepidation of certain stray policemen. A neat badge bearing the inscription "Re ception to the P. G. D. C," was the ticket of admission to the banquet hall. Considerable speechifying was done by active and alumni members, and the Commercial parlors were full of enthusiastic and happy Pals, till one o'clock. The Commencement season of the year 1884-5 was us ered in on Friday evening June 5th, with the first exhibition of the Philodiccan Society. A fine audience comfortably fill ed the lower part of the house, and as usual manifested appro val of the exercises in abundant and hearty applause. A "mixed quartette" was the opening number. The mixture consisted of two gentlemen members of the society, assisted by a tenor and a basso from the city. Their selection was good and well rendered, but we feel constrained to remark that had the original quartette of the society been retained the music would have been fully as satisfactory. Mr. G. B. Frankfortcr, the first orator on the programme, advanced to face the au dience in a self-possessed manner, but unfortunately the glare of the foot-light blinded him for a moment and caused him to stumble on the opening sentence'. He recovered himself, however, and gave an earnest discussion of the merits of Wagner and his musical theories, concluding with an unre served endorsement of the school of the great Master. Mr. Frankforter holds a high position among the rising orators of the college. His delivery is always nervy and forcible. Oh this occasion his nervousness and slight haste that was notic able were entirely caused by the unexpected brightness of the footligthts. Miss Mary L. Jones followed with an essay on Milton. This young lady is known as one of the most pleasant performers the University can produce, pleasant to look upon and pleasant to hear. A slight unfamiliarity with her manuscript or inability to articulate marred the first few paragraphs, but this passed away and the paper was finished in a creditable manner. A vocal solo, "Buy My Flowers," by Miss Stevenson was then announced, after which came the debate, between Mc Millan and Clark, .on the "Influences of Luther." The fact that the gentlemen interested the audience with such a ques tion is in itself sufficient to stamp them as debaters of strength and genius. Mr. McMillan opened almost as soon as the audi ence caught sight of him and seemed angry when the time came to leave the floor. Originally his speech was twenty minutes long. When it was cut down to ten, the class having decided to limit the exercises to that length, the connections were so altered that it was impossible for the speaker to call up all his points. To add to the gloom his prompter failed to make himself heard, and once or twice Mr. McMillan seemed on the point of leaving the stage to castigate that low voiced in dividual. He restrained himself however, and with a cool ness that was remarkable under the circumstances, completed an exercise that was marked for literary merit as well as strength as a debate. Mr. Clark had a hard task when he undertook to prove that Luther's influence has not been salutary, but he went at it with a will, and brought forward more than the aver age man would think could be said on that side of the question. A few of the arguments were necessarily a trifle far-fetched and the prompter was still afraid to speak distinctly, but the pro duction as a whole was the most finished yet given by Mr. Clark in public. Miss Minnie Cochran showed her marked ability as a pianist in an exquisite rendering of "L 'Africane," a composition as brilliant as it is difficult. She was followed by Miss Minnie Lattawho recited "The fall of the Pembertoa Mill" in so artistic and interesting a manner a to charm the audience and hold their attention through the twenty or thirty minutes that the selection requires. An oration on "Richelieu" by Fred E. Shephard closed the literary part of the programme. This gentleman has oratorical powers of a high order, and this occasion vas the first on which he has exerted himself to give a striking exhibition of them. He eulogized tlie
