Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 19, Number 29, DeMotte, Jasper County, 17 June 1949 — Boys Town to Graduate 135 Sunday, June 12 [ARTICLE]

Boys Town to Graduate 135 Sunday, June 12

Boj'F Town, Nebraska Father Nicholas H. Wegner, director of the world-famed Boys Town, home and school for homeless boys, located near Omaha, Nebraska, announced today that 135 of his boys from 32 states, Panama Canal Zone and the District of Columbia, will receive their eighth grade and high school diplomas from the Boys Town school system Sunday afternoon, June 12, at the annual commencement* exercises. Commencement speaker for the 3949 grade and high school graduating exercises will be Admiral Louis Penfeld, Chief of Naval Operations, United States Navy, who will fly to Boys Town from Washington for the occasion.

Of the 135 graduates of the Boys Town schools, fifty will receive their high school diplomas. These boys, in addition to receiving an academic education have bad the opportunity of receiving splendid trade education in a dozen trades which include vocational agriculture, mechanical arts, bakery, printing, sheet metal, auto mechanics, ceramics, woodworking, tailoring, shoe building, barbering and radio and electronics. These graduates also have had splendid training in many extracurricular school activities which Included athletes, music and hobby and craft activities. "I forecast a bright future for members of our 1949 graduating senior class,” said Father Wegner today. “They are an outstanding group of boys who have had a splendid training in our -school and home. Their training has been well-rounded from the standpoint of spiritual, mental and physical education to serve them in good stead throughout their lives. I know they will accepttheir Responsibilities and will give a good account of themselves as good workers and good citizens in •the communities in which they will live. My congratulations to these boys for their splendid accomplishments at Boys Town.” Heading the graduating senior class is Jack Dredla, who came to Boys Town in the summer of 1944. In addition to being president of the graduating senior class, Jack is completing a term in the Boys Town self-government program as Mayor of this City of Little Men, the highest honor to Ik* attained by a Boys Town citizen.

At Boys Town the citizens have an opportunity of applying their civic lersons by - actually running their own self-government program both in the home and school. Boys Town is a miniature democracy. The Boys Town mayor is ejected twice a year as is the city council and the city commissioners. This year’s graduating class is the fiist to complete its education in the newly completed high school section which includes a modern academic high school and one of the best trade schools in the country. Top scholars in the graduating senior include- George Schlig of Stevens Point, Wisconsin; Ted Swajm of BarhoursvUle, Virginia; Frank Everson of Covington. Kentucky; and Ben Fisher of liawlins. Wyoming. The average age in residence at Boy- Town for the 194!) graduating seniors is three years, nine and a half month. Oldest hoys in point of residence are Maurice Brag of St. Francis, South Bakota.i and Jake Williams of Arkansas City. Kansas, who have Been at Boys Town six years and six months, and,, six years and

five months, respectively. There are two sets of twins in the high school graduating class, including Howard and Lewi? Turner of Evarts, Ky.; and Jon and Jim Brown of Kent, Ohio. In thb eighth grade graduating class there is one set of twins, James and John Hunt of Waverly, lowa. The future of each members of the graduating senior class has been planned by Father Wegner. During the past six months arrangements have been made through special interviews with each of the senior graduates to place them into employment for which they have been trained at Boys Town during their high school education.