 The Sunday Gazetteer Sunday, June 19, 1892 St. Xavier Academy The 10th annual commencement of St. Xavier academy, under the direction of the Sisters of St. Mary, was held at the academy building on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, June 14, and 15. Tuesday evening the programme was rendered by the junior classes, and beginning at 7:30 three hours were consumed in its production. The little misses were robed in snowy white. The recitation room in which the exercises were held was a marvel of beauty. The draperies were white with silver, pink and blue fastenings, and the stage was carpeted with deep blue. The opening hymn was rendered by all the children in the junior classes, and following this the programme was replete with interesting recitation, song and cantata. "Kissing Papa Through the Telephone," by the first class, captured the audience completely. "The Flower Alphabet" and the "Cantata of the Faires" were all that the naming suggests. "Grandmother's Garden," or the songs and pranks of the garden sunflowers, was very amusing, and the nodding lady on the rustic chair was worthy a much older person. The evening closed with "Good Night" chorus by all the children, and a distribution of premiums. Wednesday night's programme was somewhat longer than that of Tuesday, but no one in the audience objected to its length, and contrary to the usual style of school exercises the children spoke loud enough and distinct enough to be understood and appreciated by every person in the building. Following is the programme as rendered: "Opening Hymn" - - - - Chorus "Address to Pastor and Parents" - - - - Misses Howe and Harley "Magic Flute" - - - - Misses Kennedy, Morris, Carlot, Tygard and Lovie Lee "I Hear the Grand Ocean" - - - - Vocal Solo - - - - Miss L. Chiles "Reapers" - - - - Chorus - - - - Vocal class "Marth de Flotow" - - - - F. Byer, Misses F. Washington, Colbert, Bann, Teague, D. Nichols and Edna Wall Essay - "My Boat is Launched, Where Will It Anchor?" - - - - Miss Lillian Chiles "Hunters' Chorus" - - - - Kenchen "Miracle of the Roses" - - - - Operetta Essay - - - -"Crown of Fame" "Bouquet Drill" - - - - Miss Emma Minnaugh "Mona's Waters" - - - - Recitation - - - - Miss K. Minnaugh "Egmont" - - - Beethoven - - - - Misses Rennie, Fisher, Molitt, Jones, Home and Jessie Cook "Paradise and the Perl" - - - - Moore "Hope" - - - - Vocal Trio - - - - Rossini "La Gazza Ladra" - - - - Rossini Misses Nannie Byrd, Foley, Jones, Lillie Byrd, Cook, Kennedy and T. Ward "Valedictory" - - - - Miss N. Byrd Presentation of gold medal to graduates - - - - Misses N. Byrd, E. Minnaugh and L. Chiles "Good Night" - - - - Chorus Distribution of Premiums In awarding the gold medals to the graduates Pastor Crowley, of St. Patrick's church, addressed the class and the audience a few minutes, dwelling upon the necessity of the Catholic church and the Catholic religion. He referred to the deep prejudice in the minds of the English-speaking race to Catholicism; yet the English people are under a perpetual debt to the Catholics for nearly all, if not all, their great institutions, both in political law and social custom. Among these Pastor Crowley mentioned trial by jury, magna charta, habeas corpus, and the highest of all virtues, "What God Hath joined together let not man put asunder." The Catholics were strong because they were based upon an organization of over 1,000 years standing. The Catholic teachers were more competent and obtained better results because their lives had been consecrated to that work, while the teachers of the common schools usually used the position as a stepping-stone to something else, and as such their merit was based principally on a mercenary foundation. The speaker did not wish to be understood as eulogizing the Catholic church or schools; yet on an occasion of that kind it was entirely appropriate to refer to some of the beauties and blessings of Catholicism. His reference to Judas Iscariot was such as to take away the sting and reproach usually clustering about that betrayer. Mr. Jefferson Davis was a hero to the South, but a Judas to the North. This reference was made to illustrate the necessity of clinging to opinion. The academy will reopen on the first Monday in September.  St. Xavier's Academy History Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson CountyTXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |