The times., 1901-06-20
STUDENTS SAY PAREW ELL
Pupils Of the High Schools Receive
Diplomas and Prizes.

Four Thousand Persons witness the
Exercises - Addresses by Commits
si0ner MacfnrIand and Colonel
SanGer-Thc scholarship winners
In the presence of four thousand admir-
ing relatives and friends the 1873 graduates
of three of the Washington High Schools
received their we'll earned diplomas last
night at Convention Hall and bade adieu
to the citys public institutions of learn
ing. After course of four years of ar
duous labor and careful training under
the direction of their teachers they last
night reached the goal of their efforts
and started out upon the real struggle of
life equipped with the best educational
advantages. The scene at the commence
ment was imposing and one which will be
remembered all their lives by the young
men and women who participated in 1t.
Seated upon the broad platform erected
along the west side of the hall, which was
gayly decorated with many flags and the
class and school colors. the graduates re-
ceived the congratulations of the school
officials tor work well done and listened
to wise words of counsel given them for
their guidance and direction in future life.
The young ladies all dressed in white
and the young men in their dark suits
and cadet uniforms presented a striking
picture, while above them were canopied
the school 1olors in broad stripes of white
and bl;1e. In front of them upon the
platform sat Gen. II. V. Boynton, J.
Holdsworth Gordon, Mrs. Henry Litch-
field West, MIR. Bundy, Mrs. Francis, and.
G. H. Harries, members of the School
Board; A. 7. Stuart, Superintendent; Mrs.
l. G.. Myers, Assistant Superintendent:
W. S. Montgomery, Superintendent of
the colored schools; Prof Lane, Director
of the High Schools: Prof. Percy Hughes,
Principal of the Central High School;
Miss Edith Wescott, OF the Western;
Prof. NJ. F. F. Swartzell, of the Eastern;
Mrs. Hegelsberger. of Central; Miss
Holmes, Of the Western; John Joy Ed
son, Dr. a. p. Pardon, tse Rev. T. S.
Hamlin and Mrs Hamlin. David Cham
bers, a committee of the Daughters of
the American Revolution, and Commits
sioners Macfarland and Ross.
A score of undergraduate IS acted as
ushers The musical programme was
rendered by the United States Marine
Band, under the direction of Prof. sfn-
telmann. and included: Overture. War
rior's Feast" Killing; selection, Foxy
Quiller." DeKoven; characteristic dance.
Guiana" Chambers; march, The High
School Cadets" Sousa; waltz. The
Debutante," Santelmann; Slavonic dance,
Dvorak; march, The Dawn of Peace"
Pierson, and a cornet Colo, "Infamma-
tus," by Otto Lehnert.
Commissioner Macfarland presided.
After the graduates had marched in TO
the music Of The High School Cadets"
the divine blessing was invoked by the
Rev. DR.. Hamlin. In his Introductory
which followed. Commissioner
said:
1t is easy not TO despair of the Repub-
lie in this presence. We deserve no credit
for optimism on such an occasion Even
the dyspeptic who has come to doubt
everything and everybody except himself
until he doubts truth might cheer up If
he looked into these faces, radiant with
the luminous hopes of well-trained youth.
It is pity that even Convention Hall is
too small TO hold all the people who ought
to get the inspiration of this scene. 1t
would be a revelation. doubtless, to many
men and women who have lived for years
in Washington without knowing anything
about the city beyond their own restricted
spheres. 1t would show them the real life
OF the National Capital. and in it, as an
index. the real life of the nation, still in
its prime, still buoyant with confidence,
vibrant with ambition, ready to go from
TO strength, yes, from night to
fight, rejoicing.
We who are passing across the stage,
and who will so soon be gone, look upon
you who are to be our SUCCESSORS with an
interest, q sympathy that you cannot ap-
preciate or reciprocate. For you remind
us of our own youth, while you cannot
imagine adequately your period of ma
turfty vet to come We are moved by our
remembrance of what we wish we had had
when We were young TO try TO give you
the costly earnings Of our experience II
we could only start you off with the ad-
Vantages of your years and the acquisi-
tfons of our years. But to learn that We
cannot: we have only to try.
Every generation has. in books, the
wisdom of all the generations that have
gone before, but every generation wants
to GO through the old experiences for it
self and IN the main it does so, helped
only in general and rather indefinite ways
by the advice of those who have gone be-
fore Still we cannot help Offering you
our counsel, since 1t may be in some
helpful and you are courteous
enough to listen to 1t. And / suppose the
best Of II IS to remind you of those great
laws Of God for man which we all know
to be the immutable DEGREES for success
full living. You would be justly surprised
md shocked if we should Offer you in
stead the sordid aXims of the market
place or the cyniosl epigrams of society
You know as well as We do that to live
selfishly, idly. imparely, dishonesty, Is to
live ignobly and wretchedly; to make
and eternal failure. Because
we believe that you have the ideals and
the purposes which the children OF n
Christian nation ought to have, We can
look forward to your after careers with
smiles instead of tears tonight
Col William Cary Sanger, Assistant
Secretary Of War, was the principal
speaker of the evening. 1t was practically
his first address in Washington since en-
-ering official life here. and he was greet
Cd with fatterins applause. He said in
part:
Honesty. truthfulness. and goodness
mauifesting themselves in the individual
men and women OF a country are the
upon which national great
ness must rest. You young men and wo-
men with thousands OF others all over the
and are going forth from the institutions
Of learning where you have been prepar-
ng for the work which awaits you. To-
night we cheer and applaud you as We
3attle and shall watch with keenest in
crest the way in which you do yovr work,
What, it may be asked. is the idost i'm
)ortant work that lies before you?
"Of Americas greatness, OF her cuPeri-
,rity in manufacture over other countries,
# her almost fabulous wealth, there is
10 need to speak. Our wonderful develop
nent along these lines will undoubtedly /
but We know with absolute GER +!
ainty that with this future Of wonderful /
development the country needs honest /!
nen who, in every relation of life will /
tand for truth as they see II, who will I
lot by sOphistry or casuistry justify ac- !
ions irreconcilable with upright conduct /
nd the public veal; and we need women /
Who, daughters, sisters, wives and /
Mothers. VIII from the quiet Of the home, /