June 13, 1902

The Commencement Exercises of the Milton High School, were held on last Saturday evening. The program has already been published in this paper. The exercises were highly commendatory to all engaged in them. The music was grand. The graduating class consisted of but two members-Miss Annie Wiltbank, salutatorian, and Miss Mamie Conner, valedictorian[i]. The two Misses acquitted themselves nobly; and were the recipients of many fine bouquets and handsome presents, both from friends at home and from other towns. Speakers, who were expected from a distance, were unable to be present, and hence there was it dearth of expected oratory. The exercises of Friday evening will mark an episode in the lives of the two young Misses of the graduated class; to which fond memory will often look back to with pleasure. Whatever maybe their future, wherever their lots in life may be cast, the event of the evening of lune 6th 1902, will be reverted to with happy memory and pleasing reminiscence.

At the annual meeting of the Delaware State Medical Society, held at Newark on Tuesday of last week, Dr. Robert B. Hopkins of this town, was elected president.

Dr. R. B Hopkins has built a boat house on the shore of Lake Fanganzyki.

There were eight coaches passed through Milton on the excursion to Rehoboth on Thursday.

The cicada (locus-its) have made their appearance in the woods near town. Persons who live near the forests report them to be numberless. They commence their music about ten o’clock in the morning and continue it until in the night. Hon. L. O. Howard, Chief of the Division of Entomology, who has requested the writer to furnish the Department at Wilmington with as much information as can be obtained regarding the appearance of these-insects, their number, and distribution classes them as “Brood X of the Periodical Cicada,” and states they are harmless except with nursery stock and the twigs of trees. Their ravages, thus far, have been but slight, and have borne out the reputation given to them by the entomologist.

The extremely dry weather we have had for the past few weeks, has turned the grass yellow on the lawns in town, and gardens have suffered some. On Saturday evening a splendid rain fell, and on Sunday morning vegetation looked much refreshed.

The canneries are receiving cans for the tomato season.

Some of our “early birds” are eating new potatoes, showing the truth of the maxim, “The early bird catches the worm.”

Ralph W. Swain died at the home of his parents near Sand Hills, on Thursday, of gastritis, aged 13 years, 9 months, and 9 days. Funeral at Sand Hill M. E. Church on Sunday, conducted by the Rev. Mr. Wilson, assisted by the Rev. W. N. Conoway, and interment made in the adjacent cemetery. S. J. Wilson funeral director.

R. F. Gray has purchased of the Rev. B. C. Atkins, a tract of marsh land in Broadkiln Neck, which is the most productive of hay of any on the Delaware coast.

Prof. Fearing commenced to paint the Milton schoolhouse on Monday morning.

Postmaster Manship visited Philadelphia and Wilmington last week, returning home on Monday.

The Wagaman Brothers are tiling the side of the road next to Lake Fanganzyki, and throwing into the vacuum created, the refuse lumber of the old mill “to get it away from proximity to the new mill and thereby preventing harbor for rats. We don’t want any rats around our mill.” So says Mr. Curt Wagaman. And the idea appears good.

Children’s Day services were held in both the M. E. and the M. P. Churches on Sunday evening. The holding of these special services by both churches on the same evening is considered a good arrangement as every person has his own particular church—if he have any—and the possibility of an abnormal congregation is thus guarded against

And the practice is in vogue again of hauling dirt upon the streets in Dearborn wagons. This is nice, as the dirt, or clay, must be shoveled in and shoveled out. There is but one, perhaps two, carts that tilt dirt engaged on the streets. This is all nice. Again, “let the band play.”

On account of not getting its paper, the “Milton Times” was unable to get off its edition last week. However, editor Crouch will, as far as possible, make up for this the present week by issuing a supplement to the regular edition.

On Monday Captain Scull received a telegram from Captain Henry Johnson to send a vessel immediately to unload the schooner Golden Rule at Woodland Beach. The Golden Rule is one of Captain Scull’s vessels; and left Milton some time ago loaded with piling, and bound for Philadelphia. From the tenor of the dispatch, it is inferred she is ashore at the point named.

Sailing on the lake is the pastime of many of our gents and lads during these pretty June days. Fanganzyki presents many beautiful attractions; the scenery is almost equal to Winnipiseogee[ii].

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[i] Small high school graduating classes were not unusual in a rural town like Milton. Mamie Conner, one of the two “Misses” in the class, was David A. Conner’s daughter. In 1900, there were only 95,000 high school graduates in the entire country (http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0112596.html). Between 1900 and 1919, half the school age population of the U. S. did not achieve eighth grade status (Tyack & Cuban, 1995, p. 69). It would be another twenty years before large numbers of boys and girls continued their education through high school rather than joining the work force early.

[ii] This is an alternate spelling of Lake Winnipesaukee, the largest lake in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, located in the Lakes Region of that state. It has been a popular tourist attraction since the 19th century. To compare Fanganzyki (now called Wagamon’s Pond) to the 69-square-mile Winnipesaukee is a bit of hyperbolic boosterism.