Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-29
HIGH SCHOOL WAR.

the graduating class Of the Jersey City
High School. and we have reason to be-
lieve the principal Of that institution has
made himself unpopular. Nay, more, he
has flown in the face of a time-honored
| custom, for he has determined 10 allow
but one essay to be read at the coming
| commencement, and to diyest the exer-
cises Of those attractive features which
have hitherto made such occasions en-
| joyable. In other words, the principal Of
| the Jersey City High School has resolved
to squelch the sweet girl graduate" and
to draw the line against her in the leafy
month Of June-that month when she has
hitherto shone resplendently.
While charity prompts us to withhold
the name of this bold, bad man, we quote
the threats he uttered some time ago, and
which he now proposes TO carry into exc
cution. There are three things" said
he. (which, If 1 live to be principal Of the
new high school, 1 shall strive TO abolish
at commencement exercises--dress, fiow-
ers, and essays"
Think Of 1.-THE wishes to interdict the
three prime essentials to the happiness,
welfare, and grandeur of the sweet girl
graduate"
So far as the dress OF this charming
but unsopbisticated class is concerned,
we do not-Ho, we cannot-place literal
construction on the language of the
threat, but as to the flowers, we suppose
they must &c. But, above all things. we
would fain cling to the essays--those pot
pourris wrought by innocent, youthful
minds which burst into rhapsody when
the clanking, chatting chains of educa-
tional thraldom are cast aside, and the
maid fits forth, lovely butterfly from
a gloomy chrysalis.
And the jersey City schoolmaster, not
content with the threat he made some
time ago, is quoted as saying that at the
coming commencement the time usually |
devoted to reading essays will be taken |
up by competent" speakers. This is add |
ing insult to injury. Are we, the great, |
indulgent public who go forth by the hum |
dreds TO attend school commandments, |
to infer that the average essay is de- |
livered by Incompetent speakers-to-wit, |
the sweet girl graduates? And even |
supposing, for the sake Of argument. that |
these compositions do not contain matter |
calculated to revolutionize the world, does |
the personality OF a charming lass in |
some specialized fogy with bald head |
and not a particle of sentiment? Let the |
vote be taken wheresoever you please, as
against whomsoever you select, and when
soever you like, and the sweet girl
graduate" Will always prove a winner in
the face of opposition.
1t is not a matter Of surprise to us that
the Jersey City girls are protesting
against their principals decree, and that
the Board of Education will be asked to
reverse the decision Of this unsympa-
thetic schoomaster. Commencements are
the GASES in the dreary educational de-
serts which must be traversed by the
young and to our mind these occasions
should be regulated entirely by the wish
es Of the pupils and students. Those
who find them boring should stay at
home and surrender their places TO the
scores who are generally turned away at
the doors
And, lastly we say: Long live the
sweet girl graduate" She is the har-
Dinger of glorious summer-the summer
Of nature and womanhood. Even as in
he vegetable world the June flowers
make way for more substantial fruits of
he earth. so the schoolgirl with her
diploma steps forward at this happy sea-
son TO abandon frivolty and assume
hose duties without which our existence
would be a blank.