The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-05-25
Commencement DELAYS.
High School Students Indig-
nant at Mr.. Hopkins
Dilatory Policy.
NO TIME NOW FOR ESSAYS
Nobody Connected With the
Schools Seems to Know
of the Innovation.

Principal Hopkins policy of one essay
at the High school has caused more
| comment than that gentleman could lave
| possibly dreamed of. In his policy he
| seems to be entirely alone. as none of
the Board of Education appears to know
| anything about it. Superintendent of
Schools Snyder knows nothing whatever
about the matter, but says it has been
the wish of the Board to reduce the es-
says at to a reasonable
number. President Firm says:-'Of
course there will be essays. The matter
has not been brought before the Board
yet, but will probably come up at the
meeting on Thursday"
Some of the graduates are a little sore
on the matter Of no essays, but the ma
| jority can fea4 nothing but the sense of
| relief at the idea of not having to write
them at this late hour. All, however.
are impatient at the delay in the whole
| commencement arrangements. Yesterday
| a committee meeting was held, which,
before its close, took the form of an in
| dignation meeting. Shall we act with
| out Mr.. Hopkins?' was the question.
The discussion which followed was
long and hot, but nothing definite was
| decided. The debate was not SO much
on the subject of the essays a. on the
| dilatory action of Mr.. Hopkins through
out the whole affair.
Il am afraid commencement this year
will be a izzle,'' said one pupil yester-
day. we know nothing whatever about
it. If essays are to be read we should
have some drilling. Last year the grad
uating class was drilled for at least a
x,,,+l rrfor - 4fa oxArnicnc 1y Mrc
Caroline Paddock Pratt. but this year
we have not even written a single essay
outside of our English lessons. We do
not even know who have won honors."
Another pupil said:-"We cannot know
about the essays till Friday, nor about
the Academy till Saturday. This will
make US very late with our printing and
other arrangements, and necessitate our
attending school till the very last day.
Even the date of commencement has not
yet been fully settled. though we think
it will be the June 81"
Aside from Directing to dress, flowers
and essays at commencement, Mr.. Hop
kins, this year, also objects to two
nights, one for the exercises and one for
the reception. He thinks that by doing
away with essays the time consumed by
| Inc GAcIClSGS WOuiu DC Sloi TX dio
give the pupils plenty of time to end
their dance at a s~easonable hour. Last
year the dance was not over till five
o'clock the following morning, and the
dancers were completely worn out. That
/ is the reason this years class has de-
| cided on two nights, Notwithstanding the
fact that Mr.. Hopkins has stated that he
will show his public disapproval by re-
naming away from the reception"
Mr.. Hopkins, when interviewed, said
the matter of essays was not yet de-
cided, but would be by next Wednes-
day. He does not care to state his OBJ
j~ections to essays until the question is
i decided, but said that the general public
did not care to listen to a lot of COM
positions which at the best lacked pol
| ish. That at a time like graduation. the
| pupils hould receive advice from those
| experienced with the world, not give it
| themselves. He spoke of procuring as
| speakers such men as Seth Low and As
| sistant Superintendent of Schools O'BTien
of Now York, who, he thinks, would be
very interesting. When asked about the
prizes offered for essays he said they
could be disposed of in a quiet way in the
school,. AS for the salutatory address,
Mr.. Snyder said he. gives the adj
dress of welcome, which covers that
Mr.. Hopkins thinks the Board of Edu-
cation should control the reception as
we'll as the exercises. At least, so he
has told some of the pupils.