Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-06-17
TWELVE GRADUATES!
The Opera House Crowded with Peo=
pie to Witness the Commence
ment Exercises of Howe
High School.

John Charles Belanger.
Irving Newton BraZeau.
Anna Estelle Christman.
Blanche Allworth Ferguson.
Frank Leland Ford
Harry Irving Gardner.
Clarke Waterman Jenkins.
John James Mahoney.
Carrie Blanche Miller.
RyedeIl f. Renne.
Frank Richard Wheelan.
Callifern Anne Williams
The class Of 1897, have every reason
to be proud Of their commencement
exercises. No class iii the history of
the Howe High school excelled them
IN the closing exercises The opera
house had been beautifully decorated
by deft hands for this occasion. The
stage had more the appearance of
parlor at home than a public platform,
while the class motto, Find out your
task-stand to it," worked in ever
green's adorned the front Of the plat
form. The class colors, pink, light
green and white, were conspicuously
used in the decoration of the hall. A
large audience greeted the graduates
with we'll wishes. The exercises were
opened little after o'clock with in
strumental music furnished by DR.. and
Mrs. w. D. Harvie, Mrs. Geo. P. Ham
brecht, John and Frank Steib. Invoca-
ton by Rev. J. R. Reynolds, pastor of
the M. E. church.
Miss Della Renne, daughter of County
Clerk E. S. Renne, delivered the first
Grafton, entitled "The Great Com
moner," in pleasing and effective man
ner. Her delivery was easy, graceful
and distinct, and was warmly received.
The second Grafton was rendered by
John Mahoney, second son Of Edward
Mahoney, in an excellent manner He
brought out all the excellent qualities
and characteristics Of "Charles Sumner"
as portrayed in his life's history. John
is entitled to great credit for the mas
terly manner in which he presented
his subject
Emerson as Politician" was ably
presented by Miss Carrie Miller, oldest
unmarried daughter of Mr.. James
Miller, who eXemplifed the life Of an
active politician of the higher order.
His record for purity and uprightness
in politics should be emulated in this
day and age. We now have too few
honorable politicians of the higher
type. Her paper was excellent and de-
livery good.
At this point in the program Misses
Esther Thorn and Laura Reeves, and
Messrs. I. A. Taylor and Rev. F. S.
Wheeler, quartette, rendered one of
their choice selections to the delight Of
the large audience present.
Miss Anna Christman, daughter of
Peter Christman, was heartily encored
upon the delivery of her Grafton enti-
tied "Joan of Arc," III which she por-
trayed the traits of character of one
who preferred death by fire at the stake
rather than forfeit her principles of
faith and character. Miss Anna is en-
titled to great credit for the faultless
manner in which she delivered her
grafton.
"The Mission of the Nineteenth Cen
tury'' was portrayed in a successful and
convincing manner by Clarke W. Jen-
kins, son of our respected toWnsman,
Allen Jenkins. He had an excellent
knowledge of what occurred during the
present century and proved to the
writer's satisfaction that without doubt
the mission had been at least partially
fulfilled. We believe part of it has
been neglected. CIarke's friends ex-
pected an excellent Grafton from him
and they were not disappointed. He
did we'll.
Miss Fern Williams criticism of ''The
New journalism" was fully justified,
yet we felt greatly relieved when she
excepted the weekly country press and
confined her criticism to the metropoli-
tan dailies. Her Grafton was excellent
and the points raised in her Grafton
would probably cause some of the edi-
tors of our great dailies to stop and
think if they really grasped the true
mission of the daily press. Instead of
being leaders and educators they are
great corporations whose main effort is
money getting.
The debate, Resolved that the United
States senators should be elected by
direct vote of the people," was one of
the most interesting features of the
program. The affirmative was pre-
sented and supported by Messrs. Irving
F. Brazeau and Frank L. Ford. They
both did remarkably we'll and we
thouht they had the best of the argu-
ment. The negative was supported by
Messrs. Frank Wheelan and Harry
Gardner. Both young men presented
able arguments in favor of the present
methods of electing United States sena-
tors. The debate was interesting and
we'll presented.
Miss Blanche Ferguson's Grafton on
'The Negro Problem" as we now have
it, was well prepared and ably pre-
sented. The negro problem is hard
one to solve and the president of the
United States has it constantly brought
before him in one manner or another
for disposition. Miss Blanche's pre-
sentation of the subject was we'll done
o115 alicita1 baarfJ orrlo1ra