The Savannah morning news., 1904-06-30
DIPLOMAS GIVEN
81 GRADUATES
OF SAVANNAH HIGH SCHOOL
AT CLOSE OF COMMENCEMENT
PROGRAMME IN THEATER.

WIN
Blocks and Building Larger ana
More COmmodious Homes.
With the presentation of the diplo-
mas the 1904 graduating class Of the
Savannah High School last night closed
their public school days The COM
mencement programme was rendered
in the theater before an audience which
crowded the building 10 overlooking.
The graduates grouped themselves
in semi-circle on the stage in the
front ranks sat the girls and just back
of them the boys. Back of the class
were seated relatives and friends Of the
graduates.
In the center of the group sat Col.
George A. Mercer. president Of the
Board of Education. Supt. Otis Ash
more. Principal H. F. Train, Mr.. ]. NJ.
Cannon of the High School, Messrs. ].
r. Saussy and Lee Roy Myers, men,
bers of the Board of Education, and
DR.. James Y. Fair. who offered the in
vocation.
Every number on the programme was
very creditably rendered and the au-
dience showed its appreciation by gen.
erous applause. The essays on Friend
ship by Miss Dena Florence Smith:
on The Sixth Sense" by Miss Eliza
beth Hazlehurst: and 1.-THE ADVANTAGES
and Disadvantages of Novel Reading"
by Miss Annie Starr showed that the
essayists had given the subjects long
nd Cor f,rI
The contest for the alumni medal
offered for excellence in debate and
defamation, was won by Joseph NJ
Byck, whose selection was from Henry
w Grady's speech, THE New
South" The only other contestant was
Robert Newman, who gave an excellent
rendition of The Republic Never Re
treats" Morris Lazaron, who was to
have been a contestant. did not appear,
owing to the death of his uncle, Rev.
DR.. l. P. Mendes.
The judges of the contest were Judge
Samuel B. Adams, Capt. Robert NJ
Hitch, and United States Attorney
William r. Leaken. The announce
ment of the winner and the presenta-
ton of the medal was made by Judge
Adams.
Col. MERGERS Address.
The commencement address was de-
livered by Col. George A. Mercer, pres
ident of the Board of Education. The
address was practical. short and to
the point, and made a strong impress
sion.
Taking for has theme Huxleys state
ment that we are all born into this
world in misery and ignorance. and
that each ones duty is to do what he
fcan TO tighten the misery and disperse
the ignorance in his own little corner,
the speaker forcefully pointed out how
each graduate could do his and her
share in this work.
There are great inventions yet to
be given TO the world" he said. and
/ believe that they will be given. Some
of You may bring them forward. But
should you fail in these great under
takings, do not forget that you still
have your own work to do. Because
you cannot build a city does not sig
nifty that you cannot plant a garden.
Become useful citizens of this beautiful
city that you call your home"
For More Beautiful City.
Col. Mercer then pointed out the ways
in which each might become a help
TO the city by making it more beauti-
full. He warmly advocated the doing
away with the lanes and making the
city blocks larger. He plead for larger
and more beautiful homes. homes that
would adorn the city, homes surround
ed with flower gardens and with ma
lures beauties. He advocated the
building of summer homes in the form
of one large double hal, thus designed
to catch each and all of the summer
breezss.
Turning to the girl graduates he
said: You may think that the pass
ing of ordinances and the building of
homes is a matter for -he boys alone.
Such Is not the case. 1 would not
give much for the woman who could
not make her husband build her the
kind of home she desired. The home
is the woman's place of abode, and it
should be built as she desires it,
He warmly advocated the paying of
more attention to the physical devel-
opment OF woman, highly eulogizing
that woman's college which would not
issue a certificate Of graduation until
they could issue a certificate that the
graduate was in perfect physical
health. Until more attention is paid
TO the body and its development, he
said, the highest standard of woman
hood ana wifehood cannot be attained.
His Closing Thoughts.
In closing he advocated the use of
flowers in and about the homie, claim
ing that the man who entered his door
under a canopy Of flowers vras made
more beautiful in thought and IN NOR
| ais. He ended his address with an
| earnest appeal for broad and liberal
| thought
"A few days ago. he said, IT wit
messed a confirmation in the sylna-
gogue. Above the pulpit hung a small
red light, burning constantly. AS the
rays Of the sun in all their glory stole
4 through the stained glass windows Of
the synagogue. the small light seemed
to have gone out But II had not. II
was simply swallowed Up in the
! greater. higher glory.
And with the thought comes a beau
tiftH lesson. the hope Of that time
when our little lights shall become
part Of the greater glory. look for
ward % that time Of intellectual free
dom when a man can express hts re-
ligious opinion without a ban and
chain attached 20 II. the time when
narrow sectsrianism viii be swallowed
up in the greater glory Of the religion
o. humanity. The time when people
viii ask of a man not What church
does he attend? but rather, II be a
! good husband and an honest, noble
/ MANI"
Diplomas Presented.
Following Col MERGERS address the
| diplomas were presented 70 the sue
cessfu graduates The three honor
1 pupils were Miss Emily Askew. Mr..
Norris Samuel Lazaron, and Mas
Mary Neoora Lackey Miss Ruth
/ Stern was called out by Principal Train
! and complimenfed upon her work DUR
4 ing the year, she making . htgh aver
age despite the handicap = - iiiuess