Rome Free Academy - De O Wain Sta Yearbook (Rome, NY)

Page 16 text:

14. THE SENIOR ANNUAL. pant of the stage, then arose and briefly explained the nature of the contest. He that the the evening would win the Slingerland prize of thirty-five dollars, the direct result of Mrs. Davis’ bequest to the Academy, and that the second and third prizes were not with the first, supported by the admission fees. stated best speaker of connected being He then announced the first speaker, Mr. Lyle Marcy. Mr. « “Frattor’s Death bed”, by Lippard, with great feel- ing and effect. He brought out the full force of the scene from the dying man’s inquiry to the clergyman, “Can faith (that of a Christian) restore my honor?” to the sad though just reflection the that while America honored George Washington, and Eng- land III; both of them hated despised Benedict Arnold. Mr. Marcy’s delivery was excellent, his Marcy delivered this near close, 1 George and voice full, his manner impressive and well adapted to the subject. Miss Helen Wheeler with a difficult Client”. When General Thomas heard of the trial of a negro, formerly a slave, for murder, he travelled many miles to tell the jury that he was innocent, in appeared next spite of the circumstantial evidence; and when he had described the slaves conduct the jury with Miss Wheeler’s voice was high and at Gettysburg, agreed him. clear, particularly adapted to her piece upon which she had evidently bestowed much care and thought. Miss Janey Bielby’s recitation, “‘Poor Little Joe”, was a simple and pathetic poem about a boot-black who brought home a bouquet for his crippled younger brother, who dies in the midst of plans to go to the country on a visit. Miss Bielby’s voice and appearance were good, her very artistic. She temporarily, to become the strong, cheerful, loving elder brother. interpretation seemed, piece, “The General’s Mr. William declamation, and Hero”. Arnold’s Curtis then delivered a “Benedict Arnold, Patriot This selection dealt with earlier carreer and, after re- capitulating his brilliant Quebec, Ticonderoga and Saratoga, the writer expressed a wish that Arnold had been permitted to die in this last battle, behavior at the decisive conflict of the Revolution, Mr. Curtis’ voice was good, his enuncia- the true orator speaking of heroes-sug gestive tion clear and his manner that of of his subject rather than imitative. After a selection from the orchestra, Mr. Perry M. Henry W. Grady’s “Message from the South”. the oration was that while in theory the North loves the negroes, in practice the South loves them better; that the of Southern people depends upon their solution of the Mr. Armstrong spoke clearly and firmly, entering fully into the spirit of his declamation. Mr. Thomas Connell Armstrong declaimed The idea of welfare negro question. then delivered Ingersoll’s ““Speech nominating Blaine”. After enumerating the moral. mental and political qualifications necessary in a- presidential candidate, the speaker proved Blaine to possess them and nom- inated him as a candidate for the pres- idency. Mr. Connell’s appearance was good and as usual he absolutely identi- fied hinself with his subject. His exposi- tion warmed to enthusiasm very naturally and when he spoke the narte, of Blaine it was in a tone of reverence for a hero. The next speaker, Mr. Walter Evans, told of the nature and composition of the Rough Riders. He described them as cosmopolitan Americans, strong and worthy supporters of the American idea. He sketched their conduct at San Juan and other battles of the Spanish-Ameri- can war with a remarkable vividness. After the orchestra had played ‘The Burning of Rome,” Miss Maud Wilson

Page 15 text:

Tur Sentor ANNUAL. Officers of 1907. HARLOW BACON, Presideut. VINA SCRIPTURE, Vice-President. EARNEST KARLEN, Secretary and Treasurer. Freshman History. THEN school began last September, we were nearly all so little and so young that we were terribly frightened and wanted to at home; but our mammas told us that there was no time like the first day, so with trembling hearts stay And now, to look back, it None of not we entered. was not so dangerous after all. the big people stepped on anyone, even on Baby Lena, for we put her in Lucena’s care. It was quite an ordeal, however, to stand up before anyone and tell about but at length that over and we were in the Academy. was Some of us felt awfully lonesome for our room our conflicts, down stairs, but we kept our eyes open and soon learned to whisper as easily as the others, some of whom had had as many as three years practice. Before we had been there very long we heard a great deal of talk organization and the President and we wondered what it meant. We had never heard that politics held such an import- ant place in the school and were conse- quently somewhat surprised. But Mr. Harris announced that there would be a meeting about class one day it was all explained. of the Freshman Class, and before the had a President, a Secretary and a I do not see why I could not have had an office too, but I suppose it not nominated. I understand that in some classes, all one meeting ended we Vice-President, a ‘Ts Treasurer. was because I was has to do in order to secure an office, is to get someone to nominate him and he will surely be elected. If I had known that then I might have been President and in a year or two I might have been the one to “‘run” the class. Our class history must, of necessity, be short because of the tranquility of our way. Our President was so unfort- unate as to have scarlet fever but other- wise we have been extremely lucky. We think that we will be the banner class of the We were the first to organize our class and we the first in several of the prominent affairs of the school as we are very progressive. have been among school. 3efore school begins again we hope to be larger and wiser, and when we come back next September as Sophomores we will try to imitate our elders as closely as we have done this year. Davis and Slingerland Scholarships. Easels ny the Mrs. Lizzie M. Davis two annual scholar- generosity of ships have been established in the Rome One for the best effort in declamation to be the Slingerland prize; the other for the best Free Academy. known as essay upon some topic designated by the Board of Education, this prize to be known as the Davis prize. Each prize consists of the income from one thousand dollars. This year the prizes amounted to thirty-five dollars each. students of the Junior Classes appeared in the prelim- inary contest. Twelve Senior and The preliminary was to reduce the number of contestants to ten. It was held in the study hall of the Rome Free Academy before a few invited and the judges, Supt. Crane, Mr. Hinckly and Mr. Barringer. A large audience attended the first annual Slingerland prize speaking con- test at Seegar’s Opera House, April 29, 1904. The stage was effectively trimmed with palms and American flags. At eight o’clock the orchestra played two persons selections; Supt. Crane, the only occu-

Page 17 text:

Tue SENIOR ANNUAL. 15, rendered Ingersoll’s “‘Visions of the Civil War’. The presentation of this piece required much ability and careful practice. Miss Wilson’s voice was good, her presence effective and her interpreta - tion of the highest order. “An Appeal for Dreyfus”, by Emile Mr. Arthur S. It is the protest of a patriotic Zola, was delivered by Hopkins. man against the delusions of his country- men into an act of injustice, of a strong, the friend. honorable man against prejudice displayed toward his Perhaps the recent steps taken in France toward the revision of Drefus’ sentence were the inspiration cf Mr. Hopkins in the closing the His appearance lines of passionate protestation of innocence of Dreyfus. was good, his voice very clear and steady; he did full justice to his oration which deeply interested the audience. The last speaker was Richard Williams. He “The Soldier”, clearly and effectively and in an impres- sive manner. delivered Union He was perfectly at ease and his interpretation was excellent. One felt as seldom before the respect which should be accorded the bronze button of the Union soldiers. Supt. Crane announced the retirement of the committee of that the young man receiving the high- est ranking would represent the Rome Free Academy at the interacademic contest to be heid at Hamilton College in May. George Griffiths, Superintendent of the Utica schools, A. J. Merril, R. B., Super- intendent of Schools at Little Falls and Henry White, A. B., Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory at Hamilton College deliberated, the orchestra played two selections. award; he added While the committee, Messrs. When the committee returned the Chairman, Superintendent Griffiths, an- nounced the award as follows: The Davis prize of thirty-five dollars to Miss Janey Bielby. The second prize of fifteen dollars to Mr. Perry Armstrong. The third prize of ten dollars to Mr. Richard Williams. Awarded the prize of a ten-dollar gold piece offered annually by the Daughters of the American Revolution for the best oration. General Herkimer. BY FLOYD BELL. ENERAL Herkimer was the son of a J Palatine who settled on a tract called Burnet’s Field, now in Herkimer County. He was made a lieutenant of provincials in 1758, and was in command at Fort Herkimer during the attack of the French and Indians upon that year. In 1775 he was appointed Colonel of the First Battalion of the Tryon County militia. He was Chairman of the County Committee of Safety, and in September, 3rigadier General Convention of New 1776 he was made a by the Provincial York. Let us now pass to the great event of his life, the Battle of Oriskany. Colonel St. Leger left Lachine, near Montreal, for simultaneous with Burgoyne’s through Champlain valley. At Oswego, he was met by a body of Tories under Sir John Johnson and Indians under Joseph Brant. In June, 1777, information was brought by aspy, a friendly half-breed Oneida, named Spencer, that Colonel St. Leger about to attack Fort Stanwix. This information, instead of arousing the phlegmatic Germans of the Mohawk Valley to prompt action, seemed to paralyze them with fear. Oswego, expedition Thomas was