The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-06-10
INTERESTING COMMENCE
MENT EXERCISES.
A Class of Twenty.Six Goes Forth From
the High School to Enter the Larger
School of the World..-Orations De.
livered on q Variety of Subjects.
Supt. Varney Makes Plea For the
High School,

The opera house was owdedFriday
evining, despite the heat by the
friends of the Mankato high school
who had come to witness the gradua
tion of the largest class that ever
went out of the school. The stage
was decorated with bunting and
flowers, and was occupied by the
graduating class. the high schoo
faculty, and chorus of pupils. The
members of the board of education
occupied the boxes to the right Of
the stage. The scene presented from
the audience was very attractive
one, as the ladies of the class an6
choruses were tastefully arrayed il
white and generally wore flowers.
The following is the roll of the
class:
LATIN COURSE.
Mary Agnes Clarke, William Fer
dinand Liedloff, Thomas Job Davis
Ida Mae Nicholson, Jessie Elizabeth
Dredge, Clarissa Adele Osborn, Alice
Celia Davis, Carolyn Almira Sundt,
Mabel Greenwood, Frances Martha
Thompson, Amy Elmina Hickok, j ohI
Thurston Willard, Alma Sophia Han
son.
GERMAN COURSE.
Elnora COnstans, Charles Oswald
Hoerr, Rose E. Jost. Oscar Garfield
Jache, Mary Louisa Mansfield, jake
Charles Wagon.
SPECIAL COURSE.
Harry Charles Barney, Jessie
Beulah Brown, Abbie Vivien Cragan,
Oscar Gustave Erickson, Maurice
Vaughn Evans, Anna Katharine
Johnson, Emlyn Beebe Roblee.
The class motto is Non Finis Sed
Initium, meaning "Not finished, but
begun" and is very appropriate.
The curtain rolled up at $50 o'clock
and the exercises went off promptly,
without verbal announcement, the
program occupying less than two
hours. The usual interest shown in
graduating exercises by the public
was manifested, and hearty applause
followed each number on the pro.
gram.
Rev. Geo. Fl. Davis pronounced an
earnest invocation.
The high school chorus, directed by
Miss Deem, sang"On Life's Journey
The chorus appeared several times on
the program, and each time showed
the result of the careful training
which it has received.
Miss Davis had the honor of giving
the salutatory address. Her thought
and delivery were both excellent
She spoke of the benefits OF education
and likened the school house to the
light house. The public school sys
tenn stands for freedom and equality
the national fundamental principle
What sculpture is to marble, educa
tion ais to the human soul. Miss
Davis referred to the faithfulness OF
the teachers, and said that she was
aware that the work of the members
of the class was not now completed
but that the life which they were
e-tering was large school. She ex'
pressed the gratitude OF the class fol
what had been done for it's members
Miss Hickok gave an grafton on
1.-THE Beauty and Power of Music, -
showing that she had given the sub
ject much careful thought. She said
that music is the best and most ade.
quate expression of our feelings. The
present musical test of our people is
very low. but effol is are being made
by some to improve it, 1t takes the
grander music to .raise souls out OF
trouble. Music is taking it's just
rank as moral educator, and it will
continue to be the comforter of the
human race when in sad affection.
Miss Sundt srecited "a Russian
Christmas" in an easy and pleasing
manner.
Mr.. Roblee followed with an ora.
tion on ''The Stability of Our Ma.
tion." He pointed out that every
great nation has met it's ruin from
within, not from without. The
strength of nation lies in the moral
force of it's people. He spoke of cor.
ruption in politics and the decadence
of the senate, and said that civil ser.
vice examinations and the Australian
ballot are accomplished reforms. Edu.
cation Of the masses is a vital neces
sity to our form of government, and
the final object of the American
school system is to build up good
citizenship. Mr.. Roblee spoke with
force and dlstinctness.
The hioh cchoO1 choruc copo GsNo1r,