some of the best educated women to be found in any
land. It is with sincere pride I look back and see those splendid
girls who were, with but a very few exceptions, an honor and credit to
the school, to society and their homes, as wives of some of our most
distinguished statesmen, lawyers and merchants. In my graduating year
I was called home by the death of my oldest sister and was requested
to take up her labors in a private school of sixty pupils,
consequently my diploma was never received. However, at the last
reunion of the graduates, held in the year 1883, I, being the first of
her early pupils to gain a public reputation as a teacher and
vocalist, was unanimously voted honorary member of the Alumnae, having
attended all of the meetings except those that took place during my
residence in Boston, Mass., from 1857 until the spring of 1862, during
which time I perfected my musical education. On my return I attended
each reunion until the end. I think we all felt at the time that it
was the last. Consequently it cast a gloom over the pleasures of our
last meeting, May 30, 1883. On the 14th of September, 1882, Mary
Atkins-Lynch passed away. I received a letter from Judge Lynch,
requesting my presence at the funeral to sing the last song for her.

[Illustration:

Prof. Joseph Trenkle
Prof. Beutler
Old Courthouse
Young Ladies' Seminary
Prof. Schumacher
Prof. Paul Pioda

REMINISCENT OF BENICIA IN THE EARLY FIFTIES]

"I returned once more to Benicia to sing at a concert given by the
Methodist Church. I sang in the same old Courthouse Hall where so
often we had our closing exercises. It was in this hall, June 12,
1856, that I sang Schubert's Serenade for the first time with
Johanna Lapfgeer, soprano, afterwards Mrs. Dr. Bryant of San
Francisco. I still have the programme which today is fifty-five years
old. My return was in 1898. After the concert I hoped to see many of
my old friends of Benicia, but there were but six present of all I
knew long years ago. I marveled at the small number left. The next day
I visited the old school. As I stood at the door I slowly surveyed the
scene and my thoughts went down the vista of time and filled my heart
with sadness at the dreadful dilapidation of the school where so many
bright minds had been educated and gone forth to make names and
reputations among the most honorable women in the state. After I was
admitted and allowed to survey the place I stood in the entrance of
the