Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 146, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 June 1913 — COMMENCEMENT WEEK AT ST. JOSEPH COLLEGE [ARTICLE]

COMMENCEMENT WEEK AT ST. JOSEPH COLLEGE

Eighteenth Year' of College Brought To a Successful Close Last Tuesday Evening. \ It is with the greatest satisfaction that the college can look back upon the school year just brought to a close. The graduating exercises were in fit keeping with the progress and success of the year’s work. The attendance during the year was the largest in the institution’s history, and the graduating class, though not the largest, was of goodly number, —t . . . ....

A very large number of visitors were entertained during the commencement days, both the laity and the clergy being well represented. Rt. Rv. Herman J. Alerding, of Ft. Wayne, was the most distinguished guest. He also conferred the degrees and awarded the diplomas. Another remarkable feature was the very large number of alumni that returned to visit their old haunts for a few brief hours. The first feature on the program was the annual game of base ball between the Varsity and the Alumni. The old boys, though Some of them had been very prominent stars in their heydays, were in the lineup, could do nothing with the “pep” displayed by the Varsity, who won easily by the score of 7 to 2. Because of the intense heat the game went but seven innings. Immediately after the game there was a concert by the band. The musicians lived up to their standard in the splendid entertainment that they rendered.One of the most looked for features was the rendition of “The Dead Witness” by the C. L. S. To say that the gentlemen in the cast live up to the expectations is putting the success that they gained into mild terms. The play in four acts was not over difficult, but there were some scenes that taxed the powers of the youthful actors, but there was no break in any one part. Most deserving of commendation is Urban Koehl, who played the part of the Fool, about whose character the plot is woven deftly. While acting the Fool he saves his master, and in the last act shows that he was not the fool he was thought to be, but a knight more worthy of the steel than those who had been over willing to plunge a cold dagger into his warm heart. Mr. Koehl proved a little weak after the transition, but his sprightliness in the first portion brought■’'him much deserved applause. The two “Doves”, Master . Alex Koenig and Joseph Collins, were pleasing and agreeable in their little parts. The King’s and the Duke of Kent’s parts were rather brief and secondary to demand much effort, but both Francis Martin and Charles LeJeune showed power and ability. The criminals had the heavy parts and especially A. Kaiser and P. Zellers played consistently, the former in his spirit of consistent wickedness and the latter in his wavering instability of purpose ready for good or evil depending upon who held him in hand. For genuine acting, grace of position and movement, strength of enunciation. Th. Fettig was the evening’s best performer. One of the largest audiences ever seated in the college auditorium was well pleased, and voted the entertainment a very grand success.

Between the acts the orchestra rendered music. Prof. W. L. Havorka has succeeded in buildihg up a good group of players. There was not the professional finish, but the encores showed the appreciation of the audience. Master John McGahey added notably to his laurels by the rendition of several violin solos. At the class exercises on Wednesday morning he rendered another very pleasing selection. In the selection of Hon. Henry Seyfried to deliver the baccaleureate address there was no mistake.'His discourse was thoughtful, direct and instructive. He first depicted the unrest of our times and its needs. Then he showed that it is the men of education upon whom rests the burden of righting all that is wrong, and working for the welfare of man. Extreme liberalism on the one hand cannot do this, neither can radical socialism on the other, but Christianity that takes the golden middle..,way will succeed. The Valedictory was delivered by Urban Koehl. He spoke briefly on the class motto: “Grasp Every Opportunity,” and concluded by bidding all a hearty adieu. After the conferring of degrees and awarding of diplomas, Father Seifert, the president, spoke words of thanks to all who had been instrumental in the success of the present celebration and for their assistance in the past years that lead up to its possibility. He ended by stating that this was his last official appearance upon such an occasion, and asked all the patrons of the college to give the same support to /iis successor that they had ever so gladly shown him. The Rt. Rev. Bishop dosed the exercises with a few well-chosen remarks in congratulation of the splendid work that the college Is performing in education. The Degree A B. was conferred upon the following: c Thomas Harrington, Columbus, 0. Anthony Nadolny, Elkhart, Ind.

William Rachor, LaPorte, Ind. Joseph Kenkel, Minster, O. Urban Koehl, St. Marys, O. Otto Mueller, Celina, O. Rupert Lahdoll, Lawton, Okla. George Horan, Tipton, Ind. ’Diploma for completion of classical eouse was awarded to Constan,tine Petigree, Springfield, 0., and Lee Landoll, Lawton, Okla. Diploma for completion of normal course was awarded to Lawrence Westhoven, Liberty Center, 0., EdWard Ernst, Loraine, 0., George Sindelar, North Judson, Ind. .Diploma for completion of commercial course (awarded to Albert Glueckert, Huntington, Ind., Joseph Wordon, Washington, Ind., Henry Hoetger, Elkhart, Ind., John Bache, Akron, 0., John Guedelhofer, Indianapolis, Ind., Fred McDonald, Chicago, 111., Ferdinand Schmidt, Milwaukee, Wis., Harold Sullivan, Chicago, 111.

Gold medals Were awarded to the following: In classical department, Thomas Harrington. In normal department, Lawrence Westhoven. In commercial department, Albert Glueckert. Conroy Oratory medal, Victor Studer, Norwalk, Ohio. First Alumni Essay medal, Urban Koehl, St. Marys, Ohio. Second Alumni-Essay medal, Max Walz, Defiance, Ohio. In Fifth Classical, Albert Kaiser, Cedar Grove, Ind. In Fourth Clasiscal, Peter Zeller, Hammond, Ind. In Third Classical, John Cherry, Springfield, Ohio. Proficiency in Music, Armand Schellinger, Mishawaka, Ind. \Proflciency in Violin, J. P Lentkemeier, Frankfort, Ky|