The San Francisco call., 1904-06-08
FORTY MAIDENS
TAKE DIPLONA
Elisha Brooks Gives Parch-
ments to His Last Class
at Girls High School
HIS MODEST FAREWELL.
Witty Address by PrOfes-
SOr H. NJ. Stephens of the
University of California

OnlNC1 Sltl VI OdIIIO1lllN
The great hall of the Girls High
School presented scene last evening
that did San Francisco proud. Every
seat in the auditorium was taken by
parents and friends of the members
of the class of 'O4. On the broad stage.
against a beautiful background Of flags,
palms and lilies, were seated the two
score members of the class. arrayed in
simple white and more attractive than
the beautiful flowers of California, huge
punches of which they bore in their
hands. 1t was their graduation night
and the event was made doubly mem
orable for them by the fact that it was
also the graduation of their beloved
principal. Elisha Brooks, after twelve
years Of noteworthy service as head of
the school Besides speeding the part
ing guest, the class had the pleasure of
welcoming the coming principal of the
school in the person of Professor
Brooks' successor, DR.. Scott of Oak
land
Alfred Roncovieri. president of the
School Board, presided. The pro-
gramme opened with two choruses ad-
mirably sung by the entire class s>under
the leadership of their competent sing
ing teacher, Miss Estelle Carpenter.
The songs were HandePs Largo" and
Schuhert's 'Hark, Hark, the Lark"
Then President RoncOvieri read a brief
address, saying among other things:
The United states was the first nation to
realize that schools destined TO supersede
garrisons as factors in the worlds civilization.
Our public schools our greatest glory, for
they are developing the highest types of men
han 4
teachers were employed in the public schools,
with nearly Il, coo, 600 pupils under them Al
most S4Oo.OeoOO0 annually is the cost of these
schools. and when We capitalize this sum and
add the permanent capital invested in build
ings and apparatus IL is seen that the Ameri-
can people have given more than sentiment TO
the education Of the children Of the rich and
the poor.
one Of the most significant facts in Ameri-
can education is the vast number of young
women in our schools and colleges. We have
demonstrated that there is nothing unhealthy
or abnormal in this Women are as worthy Of
education and endure its demands upon the
physical and mental outfit well as men.
Their education has an important bearing upon
the general question of American education,
for the great majority Of them are destined
70 preside homes and to become the teach
ers Of their own children. Thus the work of
educated mothers will promote the highest
morality and the pohlest citizenship and
greatly advance the democracy Of learning,
which is the ideal OF American life.
STEPHENS WITTY ADDRESS,.
The Shoogy Shoo," sang it, too, in a
fashion that made every one in the
room glad he was there. Professor
Henry Morse Stephens Of the Univer-
sity of California was introduced for
the leading address of the evening-an
address full of wit as well as of COM
mon sense and fatherly counsel to the
young debutantes in life. He faid in
part:
had about made I'D my mind to make my
remarks this evening expansion Of Charles
kingsley's beautiful lines beginning:
Be good. sweet girl, and let who win be
But happily I bethought myself to consult one
OF he brightest girls in my classes at the uni
Versity. She is q sophomore, and therefore,
wise woman said, Don't talk to these girls
girls. Just talk TO them you do 10 your
boys" And 1 shall try TO follow her sage
advice. remembering my responsibility in view
OF the fact that many OF you are likely to come
over to the university and become members Of
To- night I can think Of nothing more impor-
tant TO impress upon you than the old saying
that the three things most worth while
reverence obedience and the purer life OF
the last little need be said. because purity is
a distinction Of American life. But does not
a lack Of reverence? No doubt there are good
reasons why this should be. The American
boy or girl has little reverence for the past
because ne sees few relics of It, In England,
and still more in Italy, the past is all about
the young student, and he grows up IN reyer-
ence for the things that have endured But
in America how far back can any boy go2 In
Chicago to the fire. (Laughter) Even in Cal
ifornia, with our interesting ruins OF the mis-
sions we have little else . excite reverence
for history But We need TO cultivate the
spirit, for although American Institutions
are superior TO those Of the Old World, We
can understand them only by studying their
origin in the history OF other nations. 1t was
the work OF these that made possible our med
ern civilization and its blessings.
But more important still Is obedience.
think the principal difference between the
English and the American student Is that the
former does what you tell him to do. The
American student, particularly a girl. asks
''Whyg'' Oaughter.) Now, curiosity is ad-
mirable sometimes, but there are times when
even life depends upon swift obedience One
reason why I believe IN college athletics is
that the American boy learns the football
field what We seem unable to teach him in
the lassrOon-namely, TO do what he is told.
II is the people who ask ''Why?" that
making excuses for failure TO do their duty.
Excuses are, only known IN American schools.
AMERICAN PARENTS OBEY.
The American parents are the best in the
world fApplause.) They have learned the
lesson OF obedience, II their children have not
Q4aughter) They slaves to their chill
dren American mothers, as l have often had