The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-05-24
PUPILS CROWDED OUT.
Principal Hopkins Wants
Only" Competent Speak
ers" at Commence
ment.
A HIGH SCHOOL EARTHQUAKE
Pupils Caught by a Neat
Snare--Policy of Delay
Afterthoughts, Now.

There is to be but one essay at the Jer-
sey City High School commencement, that
is, If Mr.. Hopkins has his way. This Is
70 be the valedictory address and will
not exactly take the form of an essay. 1t
win also be very limited, according to
Mr.. Hopkins, covering but one sheet Of
foolscap, and the time usually devoted TO
essays will be taken up, as the High
School principal expresses it. by "compe-
tenlt speakers" AS yet he does not know
who.
Heretofore sthe graduating exercises
have always been for the pupils and con-
Quoted by the pupils. but this is Mr.. Hop
kins' first year., and he seems determined
to change the programme. As one young
lady expressed it. .sOur class is the expert
mental class. All the new experiments are
tried on u.s.
When Mr.. Haskell was Principal essays
We're written and read by the pupils with
great regularity every month for at least
six months prior TO commencement. in
order to prepare them for that event. This
year nothing has been done OF said about
essays until very recently. The matter
was worrying the class not a little as the
day was drawing nigh, and essays take a
considerable time to prepare; therefore,
one of the young men was commissioned
TO ask MI. Hopkins what his intentions
were in the matter. In answer the class
was simply told to write the subjects fer
essays in a book the Principal kept for
tina purpose. This some of them did, but
they might have saved themselves the
trouble
That was about two weeks ago, and
since that time the Principal apparently
has not even looked over the subjects. or
course there was considerable comment
among the pupils, and on Monday a meet
ing was held and the question of essays
was incidentally brought up. During the
Mr.. hopkins sent down word that
he wanted a special committee meeting
called for the following day, but as the
class intended a trip to Eagle, Rock on
Tuesday Mr.. Hopkins when reminded
came down to the meeting at once.
stAt last murmured the class, we
shall know all about the essays,
This. however, was not Mr.. Hopkins
errand. and nothing was said about essays
until after considerable whispering and
nudging one of the boys got up and asked
the Principal for a decided answer
.TWen,'' said Mr.. Hopkins. Il suppose
it is too late now to do anything but have
them"
There was a little surprise at this as
nobody had dreamed OF having a COM
mencement without essays.
spToo late to do anything but have
them!'' said the young gentleman. 4
think it is too late to have them. We
could not write essays between his and
commencement"
Mr.. Hopkins smiled a smile of satisfac-
ton.
81 will make a bargain with YOU said
he. IF you will all promise to do away
with lowers will promise to a but
one essay. the valedictory address"
He had gained his point and at the same
time made it appear as though he was
doing the school a favor.
OF course his was a strain taken from
the minds of the pupils and for the mo-
ment they felt no other sensation than
that of relief. They did not then realize.
as they do now, that their commencement
was being taken out of their hands and
that it was to be run entirely for some
body else's glorifcation.
There are three things" said Mr.. Hop
kins before the close of his interview with
the class, (which, if 1 live to be principal
of the new High School. l shall strive to
abolish at commencement: dress. flowers
and essays"
Nothing definit has been yet decided in
the matter Of the essay or essays, as the
case may be. The matter has been left
with Mr.. Hopkins, and, as he has said.
nothing since the meeting, the graduates
do not know where they are at.
Another thing which worries the class
is the matter of the Academy of Music,
which, this year, if procured at all, Will
have to be paid for at a high price. Here
tofore the Academy has closed its season
in May, and the High School was able
to procure it for commencement at a low
figure. This year, however, the Academy
Is running an extra session and refuses TO
%relinquish one nights performance, except
at a sum large enough to compensate its
loss, and this sum the graduates feel they
carrot pay.
1t is customary at commencement for
the pupils to buy seats in whatever pro-
portion they please. md distribute the
tickets among their friends and relatives,
who come 10 hear them. in this way de-
fraying the expense of music hall, etc.
There are now two places besides the
Academy under consideration, the Taber-
nacle and No. Q SchColhouse. Mr.. Hop
kins is in favor of the latter, and If the
Board OF Education and graduates con-
sent to hold the exercises there, win do all
in his power to get the said Board TO
,defray al expenses of music, etc. Be-
sides this. the graduates will each have
ten tickets given them gratis.
There are two classes graduating, the
January class and the June class, each of
which has a committee of seven. Those
Pferson. Hattie Cleveland, Ella Mullry.
Jennie Chamberlain and Messrs. Samuel
Il. Tussey, George Hollingshead and
Thomas Keegan. Those of the January
class are:-Misses Rosine Newton. Minnie
Blizzard, Elizabeth Carey, Emma Mullry,
Christy Crawford and Mr.. Albert Listen.