The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1902-06-19
HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION.
, T.. 81 VI MONS :.
MISS ; ARGE.N I,


The graduation exercises of the Belfast
High School class of 1902, held in the Opera
House last Friday evening, included num-
Der of innovations which met the approval
of all who are interested in our schools,
The decorations We're arranged by the
whole school instead of by the Junior class
alone, as formerly. Each class had it's al
lotted space which was decorated with the
class colors, class flowers, etc The Juniors
had seats assigned them in the front of the
! hall, with the class colorS, purple and gold,
draped on the settee, the numbers 03 on the
back, and the class flags at each end. The
Sophomore seats were at the right in front,
and were draped with the class colors,
garnet and gold. A groundwork of yellow
was dotted with peonies and green leaves,
and the year, '04, was on the wall, enclosed
in diamond shaped rim of gold, the design
of the class pin. The Freshmen had the
left side in front, and their decorations
were background of white, with the class
colors, green and gold, in the floral decora
| tons.
lle Slttst NdS tt'l III litteC FNl hVlI-
dcular sections of yellow and white hunt-
| ing, with various floral decorations. A row
of fed daisies, the class flower, extended
across the central space OF yellow above
the middle entrance, and above this were
number of large white blossoms arranged
in pyramdal form, with the class emblem,
an inverted triangle enclosed in a crescent,
/ al,
motto. 'sBy Virtue and Toll in gold letters
was extended above the whole. The stage
was carpeted with fur mats. \ bank of
green and white was at the left OF the stage !;
ferns and daisies at the right, and here, on
an easel, was the fine bas-relief the class
was to present to the school. A row of steps
was built along the front of the stage fer
the chorus.
| Seated on the stage We're ChaS. 5. Bick-
| ford, chairman of the School Committee; !;
} Ohm Il. Dunton, Superintendent; Rev. +.
$ Phibrook; W. r. Howard, principal; ;
| Misses Caroline w Field, Ellen y. Town
| send and Annie l.. Barr assistants; and
the members of the graduating class.
The exercises opened by prayer by Rev.
Eugene S. Philbrook Rev. G. E. Edgett
had been announced on the program, but
was kept away by illness.
Then Percy John Simmons gave the saIu-
tatory and essay. He first extended the
greeting of the class to the visitors, the
Superintendent, the School Board, the
teachers and the members of the other
classes, with thanks to the teachers and
others in authority and words Of cheer and
advice for the pupils who are to follow the
class of o. The subject of his essay was
"The Canals of Mars" He described the
appearance of the so-called canals, and gave
in brief some of the theories that have been
advanced by scientists as to their nature
origin, etc. He did not agree with those
who consider the canal artificial structures,
and gave some strong reasons for his belief.
He favored rather the theory that they are
phenomena of vegetation He also gave
lucid description and a plausible explana-
tion of the double appearance Of the canals
at certain seasons, and conciuded with the
statement that with our present means of OBJ
servation our ideas on the subject must
remain theories, but that posterity will
know # the true nature of the so-called
canals.
The .hird number on the program was a
chorus by the school. In former Yeas
band or orchestra has furnished music for
the graduations, but this year vocal music
was rendered by the school, The Seniors
, stood in their places on the stage, and the
Juniors, SophomoreS and Freshmen took
positions in front of the platform and
facing the audience. The whole school was
present and participated, E. S. Pitcher was
, themusical director, and Miss Evelyn Wood
'O4, presided at the piano. The selections
were all high class music, and the most
critical hearers were convinced that the
work of the music teachers in the schools
has produced most gratifying results. The
first selection rendered by the school chorus
was the Waltz Song by Abt, followed by
''Flow Gently, Sweet Alton, as an encore.
Miss Frances Adelia Sargent had an essay
on ''The Children's Crusade" She told of
the eight Christian crusades to Jerusalem
and their cause, and then said that between
the fourth and fifth, in the year 1912, the en-
thusiasm Of the people ran so high that
the children were seized with the idea and
one imaginative boy organized a band to go
to the Holy City. 1t was remarkable
spectacle and afforded a striking exhibition
| of the ignorance, superstition and fanati-
cism of an age which could sacrifice inno-
cence and helplessness in response to what
seemed duty. Five thousand children sailed
on this mission, but those who safely reach
| ed Mohammedan soil were treacherously
| sold as slaves by the merchants who had
| offered them transportation. The children's
crusade marked the elimination and decline
marked the first crusade was dying out, but
the mere contact of East and West produced
an awakening that makes the children's