Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-06-29
SCHOOL DAYS OVER.
High School Commencement-Ei Eighteen
Diplomas Granted-Interesti
Exercises,

VII 1feou 1hol oudy evening Gu0 6X-
ercises marking the completion of an
other years work by the Watertown
High school were held in Turner Opera
/ house. Perhaps no better evidence Of
the great interest taken by our people
in our representative educational in
stitution could be had than in the
| presence on this occasion of such q
large and select audience. The opera
house was completely filled and every
hearer was held interestedly from
first to last by the participants in the
excellent program, which was given
with perfect dispatch and graceful
ease.
The stage was prettily bedecked,
on one side being bank of palms
and on the other a bank of mar
| guerites and roses. In the background
was large American flag. Besides
! the graduating class, there were
seated on the stage the high school
faculty, members of the board of
education and Superintendent G. F.
Viebahn. Two tables loaded with
flowers for the fair graduates lent
| noticeable effect at the base of the
stage. The class colors were red,
white and blue, and the class motto
ssVirtue and Self-Control, Twin An
chOrs of the Soul"
A piano selection, Rubenstein's
''Kamennoi-Ostrow," capitally rem
dered by Miss Lydia Pease, opened
the program and was followed by an
Introductory address by Prof. Viebahn.
He referred to the wide extent Of
education throughout the United
States and the excellent effect it has
in the upbuilding of our country and
in fostering our splendid quality of
patriotism. The public school sys-
tenn is one Of the greatest Of American
institutions and the first stepping
stone to successful career. 1t costs
much to maintain this system, but
the same is given freely and with
sense of patriotism. While the
schools of Watertown have accom-
plished a world of good for our youth,
there are still greater possibilities,
which might be enchanced with the
addition of a manual training depart
ment and a public library, both of
which he hoped would soon be insti-
tuted. In closing Prof. Viebahn
introduced the class Of '9S.
| Estelle Z. Jones was the first of the
graduates to appear, the subject of
her essay being Lights and Shadows
o. Chivalry." In olden times chivalry
was a paramount attribute of man.
Its influence modified barbarous war
| fare. Some of the nOblest characters
| of the middle ages were nursed by
chivalry, and woman for the first time
was revered. To large extent the
| church moulded the nature of chiv-
airy and the effect was the springing
up of new type of humanity-the
knightly and Christian gentleman.
In 1.-The Misery of Despot" Ida
s5arganz well showed the double life
of the monarchial ruler. While to
outward appearance his existence is
one of luxury and ease, it is in reality
a continual round of anxiety and fear:
he wields a golden sceptre that may
at any moment be snatched from him.
| This has ever been the case in the
worlds history. The powerful Xerxes
was shining example. Depraved
despotism was a leading cause of the
French revolution. As a rule the
despot's triumph has been brief and
his power usurped by jealous Subjects
The remarkable progress of the
female sex was portrayed in Else
| Wiggenhorn's effort, "Woman in
History" Ancient Greece showed
supreme contempt for woman and
she was nothing but the domestic
slave. Few privileges were then &C
corded to women, except foreigners.
| The Spartan woman was talented
and education soon had its effect. In
the feudal ages woman was adored by
the knights of chivalry and she thus be-
came placed on higher plane. Her ad-
vancement since then has been rapid,
until to-day she occupies position
on par with man and enters all the
avocations Of life. Miss Wiggenhorn
thought, however, there is danger that
woman may go too far and sounded a
note Of warning for her sex to emu
late true wOmanly ways.
One OF the most interesting and best
presented features of the program was
the debate on the question, "Shall
Boys and Girls Receive the Same Kind
of an Education?" Margaret E. Killian
and Anna E. Habhegger spoke for the
affirmative, while Edna Voss and
Frieda Hoermann argued for the
negative. In opening Miss Killian
averred that the feminine sex is en-
dOwed with the same amount Of mental
strength as the masculine; then why
| should woman not be given the same
opportunities in life? OF course, in
all cases wOmanly virtue and modesty
| should be paramount attributes, and
no true woman will seek to evade
home duties; but her education should
nevertheless be on a par with mans,
and it never tends to lead her from
her real paths of duty. She needs
mental training as much as man and
higher education is necessary in order
to further business insights, which she
is often called upon to comprehend.
Women have been rightly accused of
chOOSinO wTOnU OccrnationC bl,+ tho