Omaha daily bee., 1898-06-12
CLASS OF NINETY EIGHT
Another Band of Young Men and Womer
Leave School for the World.
CLOSE OF OMAHA HIGH SCHOOLS YEAR
One Hundred and One Diplomas Con.
ferred on Young People Who
Have Finished the Course
with Credit.

The class OF '9S, surprising all previous
classes of the Omaha High school in scholar
ship and equaling all in number, came to its
maj hour in Boyd's opera house last night
in the presence of a host Of friends. The
body of the house was crowded on three
floors and the boxes were filled with reign
ing classes past and to come. On the stage
101 young men and women occupied raised
seats.
The decorations about the stage were In
the class colors, garnet and white, and the
boxes were draped in the taste of the various
classes within. Four apartments were oc-
cupied by the class Of 81, and the orange
and white were in continuous evidence. The
class of SO covered its sittings with a wealth
of green and white, and the representatives
of '99 made an elaborate display of purple
and old gold. The class of '93 celebrated its
semi-decennial in a way satisfactory to
itself, and the red and white of the Univer-
sity of Nebraska were conspicuous in an
upper box.
The program began with an Introductory
march by Dimmick's orchestra. The first
essay was read by Miss Edith Jackson,
| whose place on the program was by virtue
of an average of 1851 per cent for the four
years work. Under the title, Some Move
ments in American Fiction Miss Jackson
spoke of the higher plane which fiction
has reached in literature; from a condition
of bare tolerance in the popular mind 1t
has become one of the strongest factors in
literary and educational life. Realism, with
an apparent purpose to bring out the evil
and unsightly things in life, was spoken
of as a mistake unless joined with idealism
which was suggestive of purity and beauty.
The following number was an original
poem upon THE Birth of the Water Lily
by Miss Marion Reed. 1t was an imagin-
alive tale of an Indian romance and was told
in a most graceful manner. The March
Characteristique" was then capably per-
formed by Misses Nancy Dorsey and Vic
toria Kiilen. Gerald Wharton, president OF
the class, gave an interesting address upon
the Sources Of National Power" 1t was
shown that national greatness was only pos
sible from a source OF individual Intelligence
and honesty. Our hope of perpetuity in
America, Mr.. Wharton said, must depend
upon the sober judgment and enlightened
conscience Of our citizens and on these. he
added, we may always eventually rely. An
advocate of Xantippe, the scolding wife Of
Socrates, appeared in Miss Grace Porter,
who made an ingenious and humorous plea
for a woman whom history has misunder-
stood.
The Grafton of Charles Eyerts dealt with
the american spirit Of Fair Play" which
he said, had been an underlying motive in
every struggle in which the nation has en-
gagged down to the present. Mr.. Eyerts
was noticeably strong in his defamation.
He was followed by Miss Mary Wood John
son whose essay upon THE Heroine Of the
Novel," traced the subject from the fra
gile creature of the earlier writer's to the
up-to-date character of the present day, and
Frederick Cuscaden, who rendered aye Bos-
ton Tea Party" in a bright and dashing
way.
Miss Louise McNair gave a very scholarly
analysis OF Matthew Arnold in His Es-
says" and John Swenson, leader OF his class
In scholarship, made "a Defense Of the
Classics He said that the pursuit OF the
classics was not for mere acquisition OF
knowledge but rather mental training and
enlargement. The presentation of diplomas
was made by X. c.. Jordan, who addressed
the graduates In a few congratulatory and
instructive words.
The program for the evening was con-
tanned In a commencement edition OF the
High School Register which was a handsome
number rejecting credit upon the editors,
Messrs Eyerts and Underwood.