140th Commencement Display!

Please visit the display on the library's first floor which commemorates commencements at ONU and Prof. Charles Johnson, formerly of the Communication Arts Department.

 

One of the Ohio Northern University’s longest-standing traditions will be observed for the 140^th time when the class of 2014, several hundred-strong,  graduates.  The first Commencement, held on Friday, June 12, 1874, involved just eleven students.

 

 

The ceremony was held in the Normal School Building, the only structure on campus at that time. The event was preceded by the Anthem Gloria from Mozart’s 12th Mass. A reporter from the Lima Allen County Democrat noted that the “…intelligent and delighted” audience was also treated to numbers by the Ada Silver Coronet Band.   The day’s events began at 9AM when President  Lehr called for silence.

 

Commencements in the nineteenth century featured rather more student participation than is the case today. Indeed, all of the eleven either read an essay or gave an oration.

 

 

These presentations were interspaced with musical offerings and consisted of:

 

·       Salutory ……What Shall We Live For …………………………… C.W. Butler

·       Oration …….Will Our Structure Stand? …………………..……R.C. Eastman

·       Essay …….….As the Day Go Shall Thy Strength Be ………..Sue Fogel

·       Essay ……….. Mental Beauty ……………………………………..…Metta Ferral

·       Oration ….… Visions of the Mysterious ………………………..S.P. Gray

·       Essay ……….. Act Well Your Part, There All Honor Lies ….Sallie Lindsey

·       Oration ……...Make Use of The Keys …………………………….A.D. Snively

·       Oration ........ Intellect and Genius ……………………………….E.L. Sinclair

·       Essay ……….…The Roughest Stone May Be a Diamond…. Anna Stayner

·       Essay …………..Social Growth………………………………………… Mollie Schoonover

·       Valedictory … Nature and Power of Science ……………….. J.W. Zeller

 

The day’s festivities concluded with a class farewell, an element included in many commencements prior to 1900.

                         FAREWELL CLASS SONG

By Heaven's rich blessings we are brought

To see the present day,

And reap rewards, by labor sought

In years now passed away.

Our star of future hope is bright;

With joy our fond hearts swell;

Yet sorrow's tears may dim our sight

When we pronounce farewell.

 

'Tis here we've toiled to knowledge gain,

And thus spent happy hours,

That in our mem'ry we'll retain.

And cherish there as flowers.

We've had our petty trials too

That were thought sad to tell;

But if our future knows as few

We will in truth FARE WELL.

 

'Tis hard to tear ourselves away

From scenes we love so well,

For in this live we ne'er can say

What future days may tell.

We know not where our boats may land

In sailing o'er life's sea,

So as we take the parting hand

We'll say, farewell to thee.

 

Our life work scarcely is begun

This but the first degree

We hope another to gain soon

That truly earned will be.

With thanks to teachers, good and kind

Whose work hath been done well,

We join our hearts and join our hands

In this, farewell-FAREWELL.

 

Afterwards, the graduates, with the exception of Mr. Zeller, were treated to dinner at the president’s home prepared by Mrs. Lehr. In helping to establish a Northern tradition of employable graduates, Mr. Zeller had to make do with a lunch in order to catch an early train. His destination – a successful  job interview.