Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 77, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 June 1906 — Commencement At St. Joseph’s College [ARTICLE]

Commencement At St. Joseph’s College

St Joseph’s College celebratotf Commencement last Tuesday. The tact that it was the Eleventh Com - mencement, making the first fifteen years of its existence, and ,bqing furthermore the occasion of the celebration of the Silver Jubilee of his ordination to the priesthood of the worthy President Rev. Aug. PP. S. made the event a notable one, and drew a large number of visitors from different; parts of the country, some two> hundred t eing in attendance!. Seventy-five of them were clergy - jmen, including the Rt Rev. Bishop H. J. Alerding, DD. from Ft. | Wayne, Msgr. Oechtering, and 'several other prominent priests from Indiana and Ohio. The celebration was begun on Monday evening by the presentation of the tragedy “Thomas » IBecket,” an arrangement of |Tenyson’s famous play in which Henry Irving starred. Considering the exceptional difficulty of the drama* it was a remarkable rendition. Mr. M. Ehleringer was splendid King: Henry IL, and Mr. V. Meagher was hardly less admirable as Thomas a Becket The scenery and staging, were much admired. On Tuesday morning, a Solemnr High Mass (coram Episeopo) was celebrated by Fr. Seifert, assisted by four of bis classmates, Bev. John Cogan of Greenfield, 0., a. former very popular student, delivered the sermon, in which he paid a well deserved tribute to the President for his personal worth and his part in the up building of the College, and to the excellence of the education imparted at St. Joseph’s. Bad weather marreu the outdoor exercises for the day so that they had to be curtailed, and toward evening the College was cast into deepest gloom by the death of one of • the graduates, a most excellent and popular young man, Edward of which mention is made in another part of the paper. It was decided to hold the graduation exercises as planned, omitting the mnsic and all other expressions of merriment. After some words of introduction by the President, the Baccalaureate Address was held by the Rev. Joseph Delaney, pastor of St Patrick’s Church, Ft. Wayne* Ind. It was admirable address on the ideals of education, remarkable both from a literary and oratorical standpoint The Class Poem was read by Mr. Victor Meagher. Then followed the valedictory, a beautiful composition which Mr. Pryor bad written only two days before his death. After a reading of the Resolutions passed by the Class ’OB on the untimely loss of their classmate, came the distribution of the gold meda s and other marks of distinction. In conclusion the Rt Rev. Bishop paid bis respects to the Rev. President which accorded well with the sentiments of the audience. The President was the recipient of many marks cf love and esteem. The Alumni presented a purse, and several handsome and valuable presents were given by the faculty, stndents and friends from Rensselaer. The graduating class numbered fourteen. The Degree of A. B. was conferred on B. Wellman. M. Shea* Ed. Pryor, M. Ehleringer, V. Meagher, M. Helmig, O. Kuope, €7_ Fre ricks.