The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1904-06-03
BRILLIANT OCCASION.
First Annual Com
mencement
OF the Punta Gorda High
School.
DELIoHrED CROWDS ATTEND THT
CLOSING EXERCISES.

The city hall was filled to oyeraowlnJ
on Tuesday evening with the friends o
the pupils OF the public schools VIII,
came to witness the exercises Of the frs
evening OF the commencement.
The progran opened with the playinI
OF Shenandoah March" by the or
chestra, which was composed Of Mr.
Harry Goldstein, frs, violin; Capt. X. d
Harvey, clarlonettei Mr.. II. NJ. HlggIn
botham, baritone; Mrs. X. b, Harvey
plano. Their music was much enjoyet
throughout the evening.
Mr.. W. r, Marshall delivered the ad
dress Of welcome. This gentleman sale
In part that the pas, year had been .
critical one In the history Of the public
schools Of Punta Gorda. II was a year
Of advancement In the schools. II was
the first year Of actual junior high school
work, But he believed that ere long the
Punla Gorda schools would equal any
schools Of the same grade In the coun-
try. Mr.. Marshall then paid a we'll de-
served tribute to the teachers who had
worked so faithfully to drill and prepare
the pupils during the year and for the
evenings entertainment and retired
amid applause.
"we>Are a Merry Set Of Boys" was
we'll sung by the boys Of the fifth and
sixth grades, Masters George Dewey,
Jesse Hill, Bruce Camp, James Cooper,
Hammond Stetson, Neptune Newsome,
Willie Demere, Oakley Hickman,
Thomas Grlggs, KIngsmore Johnson,
Oscar Thomas, Charles Curry, James
Sandln and Ira Davis.
"The Trials Of a Country Editor" de.
lighted the audience as was evidenced by
repeated laughter. Ira Davis, the editor
and chief Of 1.-THE BANNER with Tom
Hobson as assistant, were good In their
parts. Carl Fries as Mr., Smith, Nathan
Wakefield as Poetaster, Julian Jordan as
Joe White, Marion Willis as Mr.. Scot,
with his big whip and Miss Blanche Ad,
olson as Miss farroit, played their roles
we'll.
''The Noblest Hero" by the fourth
grade pupils, was presented by Misses
Della Warren and Maggie Rusk aud
Masters John Hin, Shine Tyson, Braxton
Blount, Clarence Gatewood and Charley
Grlggs. This piece won much applause.
The orchestra rendered the schottlsche
"Dont Forget to Tell Me That You
Love Me, Honey"
Then followed dialogue entitled
"The Gossips," by four girls from the
fifth grade, Ellen Armstrong, Ruby
Tucker, Minnie Bateman and Claire
Sheffield. This was one Of the brightest
performances OF the evening and re-.
celved much applause.
Next the girls OF the seventh and
eighth grades presented drama,
"Young DR.. Dlyine.n Those participant
ing In this we're Misses Kate Duane,
Ellen Cooper, Nellie Llnquish, Blanche
Addison, LibbIe Pexa, Emily Written,
Maggie Rusk and Beatrice Meshaw. The
young ladies showed careful training
with excellent results.
Miss LlbbIe Pexa recited "The Wreck
OF the Hesperus" In pleasing manner.
Then the seventh and eighth grade boys
and girls sang the popular song "Tessle,"
receiving the only encore Of the evening
One OF the prettiest features OF the en-.
tertalnment was fan drill, participated
In by twelve girls, Lemmle Baieman,
Ruth Brown, Claire Sheffield, Della
Lewis, Ruby Tucker, Loren Johnson,
Nellie Hall. Undlne Jordan, Susie Hall,
Lille Taylor, Ellen Armstrong and Lena
WhIdden. These drills are always very
popular with Punta Gorda audiences,
and the one on this occasion was fully
appreciated and admired.
The songs OF the fifth and sixth grades
"Lis,, IT'S Music Stealing" and the
"Twilight Song" were both well sung
and we'll received by the audience.
Miss Lille Taylor gave pleasing
recitation entitled "Lines 70 Kate" using
the blackboard to show the qualities OF
the different Hates. This performance
was well delivered and was a very happy
on the usual recitation.
An amusing one-act farce entitled"Bos
and Fox" was given In a spirited man,
ner by Miss Emily Written, Vernon
Jordan md Arthur Roe. The audience
was highly delighted with this perform.
'nce as was evidenced by the prolonged
applause which followed 1t. All OF the
dialogues as given by the differen, grades
'how careful training and much work on
he part OF teachers aud pupils.
The last recitation Of the evening was
given by Miss Ellen Cooper, and was a
most creditable performance. Niles
Cooper showed natural ease and grace in
peaking and "Lasca," as delivered by
Ter, was pleasing feature Of an enter
ainment whose every number was en-
oyable.
A well Satisfied audience left the hall
o the strains Of the symphla waltzes
iseoursed by the orchestra In Its usual
leasing manner.