Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1897-06-11
BLACK HILLS.
Fl NE ARE GRADUATED

FIN E AXE GkADU MED
Hot Springs High school Sends Forth Its
First PrOducts-Exerciscs of
Commencement.
Hbt Springs has always taken live
ly interest in educational affairs, and
eacl year that interest is certainly in
cres sing, for year by year the more i'm
press sed do people become of the inn
portance of thorough education. The
Hot Springs school, as now complete
" graded, is young and It'll not strange,
therefore, that no graduates have ever
before gone forth from this institution.
The first graduates completed their
work this year and were creditably
and fittingly graduated last Friday
evening.
The various grades of the school had
their exercises Friday forenoon and q
number of people we're present to hear
the young and little folks recite and
"speak their pieces" They were in
teresting and there are graduating
classes on the way that will do them
selves and the city proud some day.
In the evening the opera house was
completely filled, even to the remote
parts of the gallery, with people inter-
esterested in the graduation of the
first class from our city schools. The
stage had been cheerfully and hand
somely adorned with flowers, a large
flag was spread across the back of the
stage, the front was prettily decorated,
in the center of which were arranged
the figures "97," made of beautiful
roses-that being the class flower
all being the artistic work of the
juniors.
Upon the stage were the graduating
class, consisting of
Harriet NJ. Cummings,
Charles Allen Grippen.
Charlie M. Fallon,
Arthur H. Vincent,
Frank L. Cummings,
together with Prof. Moore and assist
ant, Miss Shumate, DIR. G. w. Hargens,
president of the board of the educa-
ton, President e. E. Lymer, Rev. A. A.
Brown, Rev. Pearson, and the chorus
class of about thirty pupils.
The exercises opened with an invoca
tion by President Lymer, which was
followed by song by the chorus, so
for the wings of dove," rendered in
very pleasing manner.
Charles Grippen was the first of his
class to speak, his subject being the
career of the Iron Chancellor, "Bis-
marck," and the impress this old his
tory-maker has left upon the peoples
of the continent. The Grafton was
we'll conceived, constructed and writ
ten and interested the speakers audi
ence.
Charles Fallon followed with an ora
tion on "What 1 Shall Be-" which,
though more abstract in subject, was
full of common sense and precepts
which make for right living and broad
character building. Mr.. Fallon was
specially easy in his delivery, which
was excellent.
The chorus then rendered "The Mel
low Horn," in very delightful and
capable manner.
Miss Harriet NJ. Cummings then de-
livered "a Plea for the White Slave,'
which she defined to be the uneducated
poor of the great cities. She recited
the present condition of these people
in very impressive way, and then
sought a means of uplifting them,
which she found in education. The
Grafton was clear and forceful.
"Ocean Shells" by the chorus fol.
l)wed.
Arthur Vincent traced the spirit OF
liberty from the hearthstone of priest.
patriarch of the ancient deme OF
Greece, through the Roman race, the
convulsions of the Teutonic and Celtic
tribes, the Norman invasion, the
troublous times of the Magma Charta
and the Bill of Rights, to the signing ol
the Declaration of Independence and
dawn of our republic, 'The Heir of the
Ages" The Grafton was good.
"The Crime of the Century," WAS the
title of Frank Cummings oration
This he made to be the persecution oi
the Armenians 10y the Mohammedan
fanatics, while the Christian world
looked on apparently Indifferent to
the slaughter. Mr. Cummings was
vivid and forceful in presenting his
subject.
One of the good things of the even.
ing was u vocal number by Grace
Boomer, her initial appearance before
so large an audience. She sang ..The
Church Across the Way" She was
accompanied by Miss Mayme Stanley
who has been her instructor.
N