their parents may not have had the opportunities for acquiring the education that they have so graciously provided for their children yet because of the parents greater and more varied experiences they may yet be competent to teach those of less experience though perhaps of greater theroetical knowledge many things relating to the practical affairs of life and to give wise and prudent counsel regarding the choosing of companions the kind of books to read etc much of the middle-life poverty and misery might easily be avert ed if the young would but listen to the dictates of their parents regarding to the practice of industry and economy instead of feeling that a scorn of control will make them wise and honorable ; that selfishness will make them useful and that a misapprehension of what they can do will make them happy in short if all would reduce their actions to a common-sense basis there would be less crime less poverty more of true christianity and consequently more happi ness — c j jensen music notes the school choir of eighty-five voices has in preparation the beautiful cantata esther by wm b bradbury the subject is taken from the bible and clings very closely to the history of queen esther in that sacred book the solos concert numbers and choruses all seek for and reach an ultimate end which gives to the hearer that feeling of repose so necessary in a work of this character arrangements will probably be made to render esther as a part of commencement exercises with orchestra and organ accompaniment following is a synopsis of the cantata esther was born in persia five hundred years before christ being an orphan from infancy she was adopted by her uncle mordecai who recognizing her great natural beauty trained her in the accomplish ment of highest womanhood she was chosen by the king of the realm to be his wife and queen she did not disclose her nationality haman was premier and favorite of the king haman hated morde cai because he would not respect him as the king had commanded he did not know mordecai's relation to the queen and to be revenged he obtained a decree to destroy all the jews in the provinces mordecai discovered the plot and charged the queen to petition the king for the safety of her people which she did at the peril of her life on account of the law that no one shall go unto the king unbidden the king heard her petition and haman was defeated haman had prepared a gallows for mordecai and an attendant informed the king of the fact the king ordered haman to be hanged from it and pro claimed mordecai premier in his stead after this there was great re joicing among the people the sight singing classes of the school have done excellent work this year the importance of making sight singing a two year course has been fully demonstrated this season pupils then remain long enough to make the subject a part of their lives the students who have taken this course under prof ballantyne appreciate what sight singing has done for them during the entire school year the teachers and students have taken much interest in the musical development of our school and we hope it will continue oh willie driver is the name of our school president he is the one who has the fame of energy all spent when after school down town he goes did you e're see that walk his arms he swings his head he throws with that eternal rock — 09