The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1904-06-21

| liCA PuPAlS3 dilNl las NAAN[o va w
to impress upon their growing
minds the nobleness OF high
moral courage and honorable
citizenship. Each one of the
graduates was presented by her
with a gold class medal appro-
priately engraved.
The graduates and school, with
invitation extended to the public,
were the guests of the teacher at
a banquet held in the school
room Friday evening, which was
largely attended and enjoyed by
all present. Sandwiches, coffee,
cake and ice cream were served
to the appreciative guests. After
ward the room was put in order
for a dancing party, and with
music by the Custer Orchestra
the nimble-footed tripped time
to the inspiration of the feline
chords till old Sol, the god of
day, winked to all Good Morn
ing"
The teacher was later present
ed with a very handsome silver
desk sett by the Custer School.
Miss Martha keenan,, Superin-
tendent of Custer County Public
Schools, was in Custer during
Commencement week in attend
ance through all the exercises.
She was deeply interested in the
graduating class and expressed
her qualification at the progress
made in the Custer school. AT
the close of the Commencement
exercises she presented the grad.
uating class with their Eighth
Grade diplomas, and delivered
the very mastery address, which
is herewith presented in full for
the instruction of scholars of the
public schools and parents and
friends of common school educa-
ton
ADDRESS OF MARTHA KEENAN,.
Tonight have appeared before
you the pupils of the county who
have passed the Eighth Grade
examination as prescribed by the
State Superintendent, and are
entitled to these diplomas adj
hitting them to any High School
within the State, and to the pre-
paratory course in our State
University.
Il have been particularly in
terested in this class ON account
of the large percentage of boys
constituting it. Our classes
heretofore throughout the county
have been composed chiefly Of
of girls, with an occasional boy.
Here we have the order reversed.
| am glad to see the boys begin
ming to realize their opportunities
and staying in school long enough
to secure at least the fundamen-
tails of an education.
To the pupils still in school,
let me urge upon you the impor-
lance of staying in school till
you have mastered all your home
school can give you, and by the
time you receive your diploma,
it is to be hoped we may have
within the county somewhere the
means of your securing II High
School course.
THE people of the county as
a whole are interested in their
schools, as shown by the liberal
provisions for their support. No
other tax is paid so willingly as
the school tax
There has been a gradual but
nevertheless wonderful growth
in school sentiment within the
past sixtyears. The people are
demanding better prepared teach
ers, and offering better salaries
to experienced teachers who will
come into our county. Previous
to that time eight-tenths of our
schools were taught by teachers
on permits" teachers who
could not, or at least had not
taken the required examination.
Now, the majority of our schools
are taught by college or normal
graduates.
TO the best of my knowledge,
previous to that time but six of
our young people had ever gone
out of the county for anything
in thp yav of higher nduoatinn