Waterbury Democrat., 1901-06-21
NAUGATUcK NEWS
Graduating Exercises at the Gem
 Opera House Last Night.


 The graduating exercises of the class of 1901 of the Naugatuck High school were held in the Gem opera house last night, before the largest audience that has ever been collected in this hall The exercises opened with selection by the orchestra, followed by the "Sol- dier Chorus from Faust" by the glee club. The address of welcome by Class President Miss D. M Tolles was well and ably delivered in a manner that showed great training Miss Tolles's speech was followed by an- other selection from the orchestra, after which the speaker of the evening, pr F. Spencer Baldwin, was intro duced in short speech by Prof San- born. Prof Baldwin took for his theme Democracy and Education" and started his speech by short review of the relation of those as seen by prominent men of the present time. MT Baldwin stated that he would not attempt an exhaustive debate on the subject, but would just fully explain the relations of one to the other. The speaker stated that colleges were just beginning to realize that all men should not be educated for the life of com mercialism, but some should be in- duced to follow life to fit them for a life of action, not only in commercial ism but also in sociology. MT Baldwin stated that the coming forces of this nation are the gigantic organizations of capital which are being formed in every state in the Union to-day; also stated that it has been the custom to instruct the scholars to industrial life and send graduates out into the indus trial part of life, and not with higher and greater ideal of culture and intel lect. The professor advised young men to turn to academic pursuits and 1n such manner counteract the force of commercialism, at present in force He stated that was fast becoming the ruin of this nation to have every man count his greatness by the amount of gains, and also that colleges and churches were being reckoned as to their greatness by the amount of re- ceipts of their box office and not by the intellectual wealth of the institute at all. He stated that this was deplor- able state of affairs and should be rem edied by the instruction of the young men of to-day to go into life with stern realization of this fact, that com mercialiSm is not the highest aim of life. He also stated that it seemed to be the great thing to-day for this na- ton to control the commercialism of the world. The professor stated that the young man of to-day would have the best points brought out of them in education and also to have the other points drilled into him so as to make his education of the best. The speak CT also stated that it was the duty of every man to have some interest in the public affairs and not do as some of the men of to-day are doing, or in the words of one man, let the politician rob you, as you can make more money by neglecting public affairs than the poli- tician can rob you of. In conclusion the professor stated that if this higher standard of education was carried out that the nation would become grander and nobler than has ever been imag- ined in the glorious past. The class his tory was given by Mary B. Lines and told how the class had dwindled from thirty eight in the freshmen year to eleven at the close of their High school course. Miss Lines went on to say that the class has had five teachers in Latin, and also that it was their wish to be the first graduating class from the new High school building, but in. this they were disappointed and that the class would like to see the class of 1902 have the great honor which they coveted. Miss Lines finished her ad-
 
 the past. After Miss Lines's address the glee club again favored the audi ence with one of. their songs. The next was the presentation of diplomas bElthe president of the board of edu- cation, William T. Rodenbach, in a short address, in which he congrat,1- lated the class on behalf of. the board of education. Class prophecy was given by George Pinton Hotchkiss. The exercises were closed by the or chestra with a selection There are eleven members of the class, as fol lows: Estelle Marguerite Brennan, Matthew Raymond Grove, Nina Maude Goodwin, George Benton Hotchkiss, Allan Burnside Lawson, May Edith Lines. Lydia Belle Squires, George Thomas Patchett, Marguerite Elford Stille. Leonard Walter Wood, Edith May Tolles.