Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1903-05-29
FIFTH ANNUAL
COMMENCEMENT
OF THE ANNAPOLIS HIGH SCHOOL At
COLONIAL THEATRE.
Address To The Graduating Glass By Hon.
William N. aTins-PTogam
Of Exercises.
FRIENDS AND RELATIVES ATTEND
COMMENCEMENT.


Comparisons are said to be odious, but
the fifth annual commencement of the
Annapolis High School School, held last
night at the Colonial Theatre, far eclipsed
its four predecessors.
Perhaps some cf this was due TO the
atiractiveness OF the beautiful theatre in
which the commencement exercises were
held, where the acoustic properties are
perfect. and where, for the first time, the
essays and orations oil the graduates could
be heard in every part of the house.
Perhaps it was due to the very abe
address to the graduates by MIR. William
NJ. Marine. OF Baltimore. the orator OF
the evening, or perhaps IL was due to the
training OF the principal and excellent
care of the teachers, but. be that as it
may no previous commencement OF
the High School has equaled that of last
night, which far outshone all others.
Nearly every seat in the theatre was
occupied by friends and relatives of the
graduating class. On the stage were the
graduates, School Examiner +. Eugene
Wathen, the principal, Prof. Irving L.
Iwilley, and entire corps Of teachers, the
clergymen of Annapolis, DIR. Thos. Fell,
president oil 81. Johns College, Com'dr
Benson, of the Naval Academy, repre-
senting Superintendent Brownson; the
orator oi the evening and thirty pupils OF
the school, who sang several choruses in
sweet voices, perfect time and showed
careful training by the vocal instructor.
The program, which was inlerspersed
with selections by the Naval Academ my
orchestra. opened with an invocation by
the Rev. Joseph p. McComas, rector of
81. Anne's p. E. Church., alter which
thirty pupils of the school sang "When
Life Is Brightest." The graduates were
arranged in semi circle at the front OF
the stage and made handsome appear
ance. They, with the subjects of their
essays, were as follows
Rachel Bryan ........The Rise and Fall OF Nations
Jennie Collision, Education, theArchimedian Lever
kyangeltne kaiser.-......The Elements OF success
Agnes sMace..................T The Value OF Criticism
theodore Linthleu. The Poverty of Rich
John sciDle Man, Progressive Being
Mary Wheatley......The influence of the Minority
Each spoke in a clear, distinct voice
that could be heard all over the theatre,
and that at once drew and held the
attention OF the large audience. The
graduates were all very young, two Of
them being fifteen and sixteen years, re-
spectively. Their papers were strong
ones and cleverly written.
The usheTs of the evening, selected
from the school. were Miss Beatrice Wells,
teacher. assisted by Misses Florence
Childs, Frances Hopkins, Ethel vansant,
Charlotte Steele. They seated the large
audience with the ease and grace OF
professionals.
THE SALUrAToRY.
MIR. Dennis Thompson, who took the
second honors OF his class was the salu-
Ialorian. He said in part
"The pubic school oil our own city
was buiit in 1896. and was re-
modelled in 1898, when in addition to
having only Primary and a Grammar
department it was High School, rank
ing among the first OF the State and pre-
paring the student with an education
sufficient to work his way through life in
al ordinary pursuits; and for the am
bilious. laying foundation upon which
Such one can build.
"This, your school Of today and its
excellent sy stem OF instruction is the re.
suit of carefully drawn Act of Assem-
bly,, a BoaId OF Trustees chosen by rea.
son OF manifest interest in public school
| education and corps of teachers select
ed and appointed because OF deemed
| fitness.
The following suggestions were made
for the future OF the public school sys-
| tenn:
That the public school system OF the
/ future be placed under the fostering care
| of the State as a whole, and not remain
/ under the control of the counties as i.
| now the case were such the condition, Z
/ uniform session of so many months
| could be the rule for all the counties anc
not as present varying for the differen
counties that the pay of the teachers b'
made sure, graded and definite, thus
doing away with the desire, of which M
one can blame them, Of seizing every op
portunity TO make change for the bet
Ter whenever the shadow of a chance
| presents itself there are those who thinl
the teachers work mere pleasure. hys
hours OF pleasant question asking anc
soul refreshing conversation with uni
formly we'll reared and well behaved
scholars, a grown up audience of thirsty
seekers after knowledge, such have my
sympathy-let them give their experience
/ after "taste of the pudding. would
that the teachers work ceased with the
experience of those FIVE hours, then there