Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1894-06-14
High School Commencement.

AAN b1hhNAAN NA AlhANAfN A'ANhtApNAAeN
church was the point of all interest
last Friday morning. Therein was
congregated representative Ameri
can audience such as is possible
in no other country, and most effect
lively illustrating how firm is the
public school in the hearts of the
people, and how idle all fears that
1t is in danger of being supplanted.
Therein were gathered the represen-
| tatives and devotees of all the creeds
and faiths known in this community
from the staunchest Romanist to the
broadest liberalist Political opin-
ions and social classes of the widest
difference there cougregated. There
in profusion were therarest products
of tiowery June, making the place a
perfumed bower of beauty. And
all for what? To commend and up.
hold the American public schools,
as exemplified by its results in the
graduation of a class that has finish
ed its course. The class itself was
as thoroughly representative of our
purely democratic and latitudinarian
government, as the audience that
greeted them; and the essays, and
oratious indicated a hberality cf
thought that could only grow under
a system of well sustained free,
unsectarian American public schools
Tho fifteen graduates all acquit,
ted themselves well, but none so
markedly better than others as to
justify especial commentator,
Mr.. William Chubb being the only
male member of the class, his fine
masculine voice was pleasing
variation to the softer notes Of his
fourteen feminine associates. 1t is
to be regrettedthat a class offourteen
girls should surround only one boy,
but fortunate for them he was so
well fitted and deserving to fill that
post of honor.
This leads up to consideration of the
remarks of Mr.. Jones, president of
the school board, before presenting
the diplomas. He noticed with re-
gret the great preponderence Of
girls among the graduates, and a
corresponding preponderence of
women in the audience, aud from it
argued that the fathers were respon.
sible for non.education of the boys
in ratio with the girls. In some
degree Mr.. Jones' censure of the
fathers is doubtless merited. Many
more boys could receive a high
school education than do, if the
fathers were more self.sacrifcing
and determined in their efforts to
have it so. But the vital reasons
why so few boys finish the high
school course is not Indifference on
the part of parents. The hard fact
is that sons of poor parents are COM
PEELED to follow some gainful en-
ployment on attaining l6 or II years
years of age, and under existing
arrangements of our schools it is al.
most impossible to graduate a boy
from the high school at less than
10 years of age, or two to three
years beyond the time when it is
necessary for him to earn his own
support, or to aid in providing for
younger brothers and sisters. This
is the situation in ninety per cent Of
American families. With the girls
the case is different. Their services
in the homes, though as necessary
and valuable as the labor OF the boys,
is of a character that admits their
attending school, while the brothers
are at work in the fields, shop and
stores. The girls home labor under
our system Of family economy, is
mainly in the mornings and even
ings before 9 o'clock and after 4 ,
aiding her mother to equip the faith
er and brother for their days labor
and provide for them at its conclu-
zion. The boys services are most
valuable, and often Indispensable,
during the hours his sister is at
school. Besides boy of II or up
ward feels that he must have a
little money for otheruses than board