Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 132, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 June 1915 — PRIZES AWARDED ON COMMENCEMENT EVENING [ARTICLE]

PRIZES AWARDED ON COMMENCEMENT EVENING

D. A. R. Gave Money to Students For Work in Domestic Science and Manual Training. i ... '••..•■A.. ----- ' The annual commencement which marked the graduation of the largest class that ever left the Rensselaer high school was held Thursday evening at the high school auditorium. The principal event of the evening was the masterful address of Dr. Stanley Coulter, of Purdue, who spoke on the subject, “The Elements of Success.” The auditorium was far too-small to hold all who desired to hear his address and the other numbers of the program. Interest centered in the awards by the Daughters of the American Revolution. Two prizes of $5 each were given for the domestic science work in the senior class and Miss Ada Huff and Miss Vera West were the successful contestants. The former won the prize for the best workmanship on her graduation dress and Miss West won for the best design for her dress. ;

Russell Van Arsdel and Miss Edith Sawin, both seniors, won $5 prizes for the best essays. The former wrote on “The Oregon Question” and Miss Sawin on “The Lincoln-Douglas Debates.” * In manual training two prizes, each of $2.50, were given, one to Lawrence McLain for the best specimen of work in the advanced class and one to Charles Halleck for the best specimen of work in the freshman class. Lawrence had made an umbrella stand with splendidly joined corners. Charles had made a bookcase, also a fine piece of work. The following was the basis of arriving at the decision in the manual training awards: Construction. Squareness of pieces 14 Kind of joints 18 Quality of joints «28 Design. General appearance 8 Proportion of different parts ..... 8 Suitability of design to project .. 6 Finishing. Smoothness • £ Suitability of stain to project ... 3 Suitability of finish to design .... 5 Total --io o There was some criticism of,, the fact that the commencement was held in the high school auditorium, owing to the limited capacity and the awkward seats for grown people. The school board decided to hold it there because they felt that it creates a deeper school interest to have the auditorium used. The Republican is not able to give an account of the splendid address of Dr. Coulter, but all who were present at the commencement felt splendidly rewarded for going and feel that his address should have a splendid influence on all of the class of 1915. The alumni banquet this evening at 6:30 is the last of commencement events. It will be served by the Methodist ladies. A toast program will be given, the officers elected for next year and the latter part of the evening devoted to dances.