Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 129, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 May 1920 — FORTY FOUR ARE GRADUATED [ARTICLE]

FORTY FOUR ARE GRADUATED

DISTINGUISHED ORATOR MAKES HIGH SCHOOL COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS. Forty-four young people were graduated by the Rensselaer high school Thursday evening in one of the most interesting school* functions ever held in -this city. The First Christian church was beautifully decorated and the large capacity of that edifice was insufficient to contain all of those anxious to be present at the exercises. The speaker for the occasion was Mrs. Margaret Hill McCarter of Topeka, Kan., an orator of national prominence. Mrs McCarter was formerly principal of the Rensselaer high school. Her address was pronounced to be one of the very best ever given in this city. A brief report of the address has been furnished us by Col. George H. Healey, who was present and who also was formerly a student under Mrs. McCarter in the local high school.

Encouraging the members of the graduating class of 1920 to “build big” Mrs. Margaret Hill McCarter, of Topeka, Kans., herself a member of the Rensselaer high school faculty prior to thirty-three years ago, gave valuable suggestions to the boys and girls and inspired the large audience with the fervor of. her address. “The high school commencement,” said the speaker, “is the great annual event in the history of the community, for it reaches the very heart of it and its people, inspires the best thought of all those interested in good government and the development of the best in mankind and opens the way to the solution of problems that only education and mental development and high ideals can solve. And it is a great day for me to come back here after a third of a century and find the largest class in the history of the school on the threshold of the duties of broader opportunity. The honor of the occasion is all mine. I find a city of great development over the days of my school service here. Your lawns are well kept, your streets have been improved, your homes radiate the happiness of your right thinking, your church are larger and ‘better and your community in every respect seems much better than it was when I left here and I am certain your interest in your schools and in the annual graduation classes is shown in the physical evidences I have., mentioned. Mrs. McCarter then took as her theme the suggestions made by Tom Brown’s father as his son started away to Rugby, when he said: “Boy, I want you to be a brave, honest Englishman, a gentleman and a Christian.” It was fulsome advice and Mrs. McCarter would change it only to say, “Boys and girls, be brave, honest Americans, gentle women and men, and be Christians.” -

Great responsibility and great duty, give great promise and great reward. The call for trained minds was never so great as now. The disclosures of the war suggest the endeavor of all for improvement of our educational opportunities, for better health and greater patriotism. [ had promised myself not to speak of the war but it seems impossible not to do So and now the problems that have grown out of it are so essential of proper solution that you who are just entering the broad field of life can help to determine them rightly.

“Courtesy and refinement are accomplishments that make for happiness and influence the world in a manner most favoraby. The qualities of courage and honesty are greater in importance than ever before. You will be 'called upon daily to do things that require great moral courage. You must be prepared to perform them and to exercise every power for right ana honesty you possess, to keep right ideas?/foremost. Be honest in dol- ■ lars ~ and cents and be honest in every transaction and be honest with yourselves. In so doing you are cultivating qualities of gentle-

ness and refinement. There is no calling in life in which dignity is not necessary for the satisfaction of oneself. Study' things that make you kind and considerate. Rudeness and roughness are not a benefit at any time. The athletic games that exercise every bit of strength and dash that strong men are capable of can be played on the square and without shocking the finer qualities of those who participate in them.

“Be patriotic to America. Obey its laws, participate in the opportunities of government, reverence the flag, and improve the ideals of humanity as established by our constitutioh, becoming in your development more and more a part of the greatest nation of all time. 1 above all be Christian. Nothing so ; certainly assures a happy memory as a well spent Christian life. And • all the time have lofty ambitions and build big with confidence and Mrs. McCarter was interrupted on one or two occasions by applause Land when she had finished the large audience indulgedTjri several minutes of enthusiastic hand-clapping. . The diplomas were presented by

Mr. A. H. Hopkins of the school board. He made a very impressive talk. Miss Blanche Merry, a member of the high school faculty, presented the following awards for scholarship : Seniors— First—-Harold Nowels. Second—Mary Coen. Juniors— First—Forest Osborne. Second—Gladys Shaw. Sophomores— First —Willis Wright. Second—Mabel Eisele. Freshmen— First—John Hopkins.— Second—Alice Lang. The prizes awarded by The General Van Rensselaer Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution were presented by Miss Maude Daugherty, the vice regent. Miss Daugherty made a short interesting address which was very much appreciated. The awards were as follows: Senior Class Themes

BOYS First—Harold Halleck __s3.oo Second —Orval, Rowen $2.00 GIRLS ! First —Jennie Benson ,$3.00 ( Second—Luella Harmon $2.00 Domestic Science—Beet Dress. First—Elizabeth Hebard $3.00 Second—Lois Bates--. $2.00 Manual Training—Lathe. First—Jesse Brown $2.00 Second—Philip Hauser $1.50 Honorable mention: Ernest Richards and Milton Roth. Bench Work. First—William Putts ! $2.00 Second—Allen Stewart---- - --sl-50 Honorable mention: George Barber and Wayne Davisson. In Grades—Bench Work First—James Cooper — _sl.oo Second—Jack Grant SI.OO Honorable mention: Ivan Williamson and Delos Merritt.