Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-06-04
TWELVE GIVEN DIPLOMAS
Seventeenth Annual Commence.
ment Friday Evening.

Seventeenth Annual Commence.
mGnt Friday Evening.
Orations and Class Play
Features.
The OVERLOOKING house which
greeted the graduating class at
the opera house last Friday
evening to witness the Com
mencement exercises tells of the
interest the people of this city
have in the public schools.
In the boxes deliberately de-
corated in pink and green sat
the class of '04. Promptly at
8 o'clock the curtain was raised
and the audience enthusiastic
cally greeted the class, who with
Supt. Beveridge, the teachers of
the High School and MIR. y. S.
McGavren President of the
School Board, occupied the ros-
trum. The stage arrangement
was unusually artistic, this
combined with the class colors,
cardinal and cream, the soft
fluffy gowns and vivid color of
the bouquets held by the young
ladies and the bright happy
faces with their expectant
looks made a picture that de-
lighted the eye and over which
all would have willingly linger-
ed in admiration.
The class motto which when
literally translated says, "Not
who but what bespeaks of it.
self the spirit which must per-
wade the young students.
After much appreciated selec-
tions were given by the orckes-
ira and the invocation by Rev.
Barber, Supt. Beveridge in a
few we'll chosen words introduce
ed the class. Miss Lydema
Blaisdell in a pleasing manner
in her essay upon 'The Premi-
ership" conducted the audience
through England's transition
from a monarchial government
to the liberal representative
government of today. Miss
B,aisdell showed a clear concep-
ton of the subject she pre-
scented. Miss Belle Naomi
Evans gave a translation of that
exquisite little tale "Das Edel-
weiss" written by the only liter
airy queen of which Europe can
now boast. Miss Evans has
caught the spirit of the writer
delightfully."-. Mr.. Harry P.
Hardy filled the hearts of his
friends with pride with his easy
delivery as we'll as by the clear
lucid manner in which he gave
his thoughts upon "The Philip
pines"
We are very much mis-
taken if the Interpretation
which Miss Fay Chalfant gave
of the character of "Tita" does
not cause unusual reading of
r omola, that masterpiece of
George Eliot. In imagination
we almost heard the shades of
the author add to the applause.
Miss Stacia O'Connor won the
hearts of all with her charming
manner, her logic, and clear
eaunciation, as shespoke of GIN
dividuality." All the young
people were enthusiastically APP
p.auded. One charm of this
part of the program was the
departure of the essays from
the conventional type of com
mencement productions, the
innovation was very pleasing
and much appreciated by those
who attend exercises of this ma
ture given year by year.
The little comedy "The Fatal
Message" which was the second
part of the program in which
Misses Bess O'Connor, Flora
Hall, Ellen Heron, nellie Mac
Allister and Messrs Harry Al
strand, w. Chas. Rainbow, Judd
Haskins and Orlo Edgcomb
took part was very amusing.
Each young performer did
splendidly and acquitted him
self and herself in a manner
which must have given much
pleasure to their friends as we'll
as to their instructors. There
was much to commend in the
entire exercises; it is no flattery
to say from beginning to end
they were unusually meritori-
Gus and add to the pride which
the town feels in it's schools, it's
teachers and it's Board of Edu-
cation. President j. S. McGav-
rem after a witty little snaech