Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1901-06-26

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Motto-"Nunc aut nunquam."
Colors-Red and Blue.
A large audience assembled at the
Grand Opera House last Thursday eve
ming, the occasion being the annual
commencement exercises of the Decorah
High School. A class consisting OF
three boys and five girls, having COM
pleted the course prescribed for the
High School, were successfully sent
out, either to pursue further study or
take up the duties of life. 1T was an
ideal night for such an exercise, the
weather man being specially kind in
granting cool weather.
When the curtain rose at S:l5 o'clock
it revealed the class tastefully arranged
on either side of the stage and that, to-
gether with the palace scenic effects,
made very appropriate and pleasing
appearance and added much to the
success of the evenings exercises.
The program opened with selection
by the Grand Opera House orchestra,
followed by the invocation by Rev. A.
w. Smith. The orations We're on the
general subject, IA Century's Develop
ment." This was discussed from var
ious standpoints by the several men,
bers of the class. The first speaker,
Miss Ida Davidson, took as her subject
the development in methods of travel,
and in very pleasing manner traced
the century's advance in transporta-
ton. Maurice Daubney with a good
voice and commanding appearance fol-
lowed, telling of the advances in the
methods of transmitting news. Miss
Grace Webster then discussed "Tech-
nical Education" showing the place
this mode of training occupies in mod
ern education. The history of the class
from the beginning of their school life
in 1889 to their graduation was told in
q convincing manner by Miss Stella
Peck. James t. Chinook, speaking
on the subject of Territorial Expan-
sion," gave strong argument for pres
ent expansion from the standpoint of
the acquisition of territory in the ear
lier history of the country. Miss Alice
Burt spoke of the "Dialect Literature
of this century and very charmingly
gave number of humorous quotations
from several of the more prominent
writer's. Miss Beatrice Hopperstad took
subject from economic history, dwell
ing specially on the development of the
Factory System" Fred Bierman
closed with the "Class Prophecy" He
looked forward to the year 1915, and
told how the various members of the
class appeared in his imagination at
that time.
Supt. f. l.. Coffeen then presented
the class and f. w. Holway on behalf
of the Board of Education presented
the diplomas, prefacing this with few
very appropriate words of advice to the
class. The gist of this was for each OF
them to seek some special line of work
or study and become proficient in it, to
"ride hobby, and ride it hard. The
audience was then dismissed by Rev.
A. w. Smith.
The music by the Grand Opera House
Orchestra deserves special mention and
was up to the high standard usual with
this well known organization. The
success of the evenings exercises
showed that the class motto, "Nunc
Aut Nunquam, ""Now or Never,n had
been wisely chosen and lived up to-.
Take it as a whole this was one of the
most successful Commencements neld
by the High School and due credit
should be given Supt. Coffeen and his
able corps of assistant teachers for the
years work and its successful close.