Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 126, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 May 1916 — TWENTY-NINE COMPLETE HIGH SCHOOL COURSE [ARTICLE]

TWENTY-NINE COMPLETE HIGH SCHOOL COURSE

Commencement Held Friday Evening —Able Address and Excellent Program Was Given. Twenty-nine young ladies and gentlemen have finished the course of the Rensselaer high school this year and all were present to receive their diplomas Thursday evening when the commencement was held at the high school auditorium. The program started with a high school chorus led by Miss Stover, the music teacher in the schools. Mass Cornelia Leonard played the accoftipaniment. The music was well executed and the large audience showed its appreciation by generous applause. A piano trio by Miss Leonard, Miss Helen Parkinson and Miss Thelma Martindale followed and this, too, was appreciated as were the other and later musical numbers. The class processional was next, the graduates entering the auditorium from the rear and proceeding to the stage, where chairs had been arranged for them. Dr. A. R. Kresler and A. H. Hopkins, mennbes of the school board, accompanied by Dr. Charles P. Emerson, dean of the Indiana College of Medicine, the speaker of the evening, and Superintendent Dean and Principal Kratli, also occupied seats on the stage. Rev. F. H. Beard, of the Baptist church, offered prayer. The girl’s quartette, composed of Misses Wilda Littlefield, Cornelia Leonard, Thelma Martindale and Doris Morlan, then sang a very charming song. The ad-: dress of Dr. Emersoi/ followed. He 1 spoke from a medical standpoint and | impressed an important lesson on all of his hearers. He said that much of the illness of later life was a consequence of troubles that started during the school days and that proper understanding and treatment at the time the troubles started.would have saved much suffering and many shortened lives in the later years. He said that he hoped the day would come when there would be provision for the physical inspection of the pupils of the public schools and when there would be a nurse constantly on hand to detect and start to remedy the weaknesses of childhood that so often go neglected for a great many years and develop into an incurable State in later life. He spoke of the system of bank examinations to safeguard the money deposited by people in the banks and said it was vastly more important to have inspection of our children in the school room. Dr. Emerson spoke in plain terms and held the closest attention of the audience and impressed a lesson of importance on each, the central thought being that the habits formed during the school days, affecting health and usefulness largely ontrol the lives during the coming years. He encouraged that every person in school adopt a life of conflict for the right so .that when they encounter the issues of life they will be trained for victory. Following the address the boys’ quartette, composed of Paul Beam, Elvyn Allman, Dwight Cumick and Carl Eigelsbach, sang. Principal Kratli then presented the class for graduation and Dr.-Kresler, piesidentl of the school board, spoke briefly to them and then presented the diplomas. Following this Mrs. George E. Murray, on behalf of the Daughters of the American Revolution spoke of the plan adopted by that society some time ago to make awards to the scholars showing the best work in different departments of the school and announced the winners for this year. The first prize was for the best work in domestic science among* the senior girls. Fourteen of the class had competed, the contest being the making of their graduation dresses and the designing of the dresses. Miss Elsie Benson, of near Mt. Ayr, was the winner for the best made dress. Miss. Gwendolyn Kannal received the prize for the best designed dress. The condition was that the dress should not cost over $7. The average cost was 44.52, or 16 cents less than the average last year. Miss Elizabeth Yeoman spent less than $2 for the material for her dress and it was

one of the nicest of the dresses. She had crocheted beautiful lace which was used in trimming the collar. She also designed and made the dress. The essay prizes awarded to the seniors went to Mabel Worland, and •Carl Eigelsibach. Miss Worland, who took the first prize among the girls, wrote on the subject, “The Centennial.” Carl Eigelsbach wrote the “Military History of Jasper County.”. In manual training Byron Hemphill received first place and Wayne Tilton s cond place in the grades. Each had made a teapot stand. In the high school the awards -went to Frank Babcock and Leland Collins, who had jointly made a'bed in which to sleep. Walter Randle, who constructed a serving table, won second place among the high school boys. Orphia Gant responded for the class to the several speeches that had been made and the commencement closed with a benediction by Rev. Fleming. The alumni banquet will be held this evening at the Presbyterian church at 6:.?G o’clock. At 9:30 the dance will begin at the armory. The dance mucic will be furnished by the Douglas colored orchestra from Indianapolis.' ' ~T "i '