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 140th
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.
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.
