Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-09-05
AN AUSPlCIOUS OPENING.
TIE DICKINSON COUNTY HIGH
SCHOOL DEDICATION.
Interesting and Appropriate Exer-
cises - Addresses by John hsc-
Donald and Prof. J. II. Canheld-
a Large Attendance from all Parts
of the County Present.

lnson county high school at Chapman
last evening were most successful and
if the interest taken by the people Of
the county is any criterion the schools
prosperity is assured. Visitors were
present from a distance of ID to 20
miles in all directions, Abilene being
represented by perhaps IS ladies and
gentlemen. Among them we noticed
County Supt. Ford and wife, Commits
sioner Baker, T. Z. Dewey, Misses
Mace King, Orleana Fisher, Jessie
Anderson and Mamie HOisingtOn; W.
d. Rockafellar, Rev. Porch, Mr.. and
Mrs. E. 7. Ellison, W. D. Nichols,
7. Z. Sewell, County Treasurer Cooper,
l. S. Hallam, Profs. MOultOn, Niesley,
HumbargeT, and others.
The exercises were held in the large
assembly room On the second floor.
The room and the recitation rooms
leading into it were crowded to suffOca-
ton and then not all could be accom-
modated. On the walls were appro-
pirate notices, such as "Chapmans
Pride" 1.-THE Palladium Of the COun-
ty," etc., while a magnificent ball of
sunfloWers swung from the center Of
the ceiling.
THE EXERCISES.
Principal S. NJ. Cook called the as
sembly to order at p. N. and intro
duced as the most fitting presiding Off
Ger, Supt. Ford, to whose efforts the
the suspicious opening is so greatly
due.
Mr.. Ford coming forward spoke
briefly, welcoming the large audience
and expressing his pleasure that the
IS, 900 people of Dickinson county had
contributed to such noble end as the
erection of the magnificent building,
and starting the boys and girls on the
way to higher education.
Following came a delightfully."- rem
dered welcome song by large choir of
Chapman voices.
a feeling prayer was next offered
by Rev. w. a. Smith, of Chapman.
He prayed for the school and for bless
ing upon the projectors.
Miss Otillie Schmitz, the teacher of
music in the high school, gave a charm
ing solo, II only know" She COM
pletely captivated the audience with the
timbre and sweetness of her voice
which is that of an artist. The high
school is indeed fortunate in securing
her as instructress.
Next on the program was an address
by Prof. S. NJ. Cook, principal Of the
school and an earnest worker in its
behalf. He traced the history of the
institution rom the introduction of
the high school bill to the erection of
the building and the enrolment of IS
young ladies and gentlemen of Dickin-
son county who would begin work on
the morrow. He closed with an eulOgy
of Prof. Garfield.
A solo by Miss Mamie HoisingtOn
varied the exercises. Accompanied by
7. E. Dewey, she poured forth the
sweet notes in food of song, showing
a voice of wonderful melody as well as
of scope and training.
Principal Cook then read letters of
regret that they could not be present
from Gov. Lyman Humphrey, Presi
dent A. r. Taylor of the State Normal
school at Emporia, President G. T.
Fairchild of the Agricultural college,
Manhattan, Hon. J. T. Billings, Clay
Center.
MR.. MACDONALD'S REMARKS.
John Macdonald, editor of the West
ern School Journal, Topeka, then made
one of his happy addresses. He pro-
fessed to be unprepared and said that
he was as a guardian angel for Prof.
Garfield to see that he preached no
strange doctrines, He had watched
the high school law with great interest
and was glad to see that it was start
ing so well. This is the first institu-
ton of the kind and it is an expert
ment. It is something the state needs
as link between the country schools
and the state university. Every
county should follow the example set
bv Dickinson. He believed in sys-
tenn of education that is complete from
dug-out to university. The high
schools greatest work will be to train
teachers; that is wha1 Kansas needs.
The school will be watched with inter-
est by the state, may it be success.
An instrumental solo by Mrs. Rogers,
of Solomon, was given with exquisite
beauty and skill.
PROF. CANFIELD'S ADDRESS.
Prof. J. H. Garfield, president of the
National Educational ASSOCIATION and
professor of political economy in the
state university was introduced by
Supt. Ford and read his address from
, manuscript. A brief synopsis is a:
follows: This is an age of independent
thought but the world will take no die
: tation. Equality in right of way an(
determining what way is the demand
5 of the day. The pews face the pulpit