Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 129, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 May 1913 — GRADUATES RECEIVE DEGREES LAST NIGHT [ARTICLE]

GRADUATES RECEIVE DEGREES LAST NIGHT

Thirty-First Annual Commencement . of Rensselaer Public Schools Held in Auditorium. /, “' r- 'V ' The thirty-first annual commencement exercises of the Rensselaer public schools was held in the auditorium of the new high school building last evening. A large crowd of patrons and friends of the graduates were present to hear the music and the addresses. The program was carried out just about asr announced. The music was furnished by high school pupils under the direction of Miss Stovej, the supervisor of music. The numbers were all good. The audience particularly enjoyed the vocal solo by Miss Marjorie Loughridge. The speaker of the evening was Dr. Otis W. Caldwell, of the University of Chicago. The address was an interesting and able discussion of the subject “Educational Efficiency.” The facts and illustrations produced by the speaker were very interesting and very effective Incidentally he referred to the ex-' penses connected with high school commencement, saying he had just come from a school where a class of fifty pupils had spent at least $5,000 on commencement. This", the speaker thought, was excessive. He suggested that it would be more praiseworthy if the graduates were taught by the schools to make their - own gowns. The address was well received by the audience. » Following the address, Mrs. Dr. Kannal, of the local D. A. R., presented the prizes which had been offered to the members of the senior history class for the two best essays on topics in American history. The first prize was awarded to Aileen Allman and the second to Nelle Parker. Principal Dean then presented the class to the board of education for graduation, in a few well chosen sentences setting forth the merits of the class. In particular he called attention to the beautiful curtains which the class had bought for the stage in the high school auditorium as a token of their appreciation of what the school had done for them. The diplomas were then presented to twenty-eight seniors by Mr. 6. A. Williams, president of the school board, who took the place of Dr. Kannal, who was to have made the presentation, but was called out *of town and could not be present. After the distribution of the diplomas the audience arose and sang “America.” the benediction was pronounced by Rev. W. G. Winn and the school year of 1912-1913 passed into history so far as Rensselaer is concerned.