Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-21
BUSINESS GRADUATES
High School Commencement
at National Theater.
MANY FLORAL GIFTS
THE DIPLOMAS CONFERRED By
COL. JOHN BIDDLE.
Addresses by Judge Chambers and
District Commissioner mcfarland
Scholarship Awarded.


The National Theater was the scene Of
happy gathering last evening. when one
hundred and forty-eigh young men and
women on a stage banked with great
Quantities Of overs and palms. listened to
words Of advice from their elders and re-
ceived diplomas in the Business High School
course from the hands Of Commissioner
Biddle. Over the heads Of the guests and
speakers at the front Of the stage hung
large facsimile OF the class pin, sus-
pended from the arch of the proscenium. 1t
was shield in orange and blue with "B.
II. S.-l9O4' in large characters on its face
the whole bordered with glowing incandes-
cent electric lights. The auditorium as we'll
as the stage was crowded with a happy
throng. while back and forth on the stage
and In the side aisles tripped dainty flower
girls who. as fast as the floral gifts Of
friends arrived. banked them effectively
across the front of the stage.
Inc week OF commandments, which be-
gan last Thursday evening, according to an
ADDRESS made at the time by Commissioner
Mactarland, has furnished no prettter event
than the Business commencement. Grad
uates' undergraduates teachers. parents
and visitors were delighted The boys and
siIls OF the class entered from opposite
co occupied all but about one quarter of the
space. An unusually effective scenic dis
play and side lights. arranged by Mr.. Frank
reward completed the beauty Of the stage
MIR. Macfarland Presides.
commissioner mcfarland, under whose
immediate jurisdiction the public schools
OF the District come, presided. The fnvo-
cation was made by Rev. DR.. Wallace Rad
ciife, pastor OF the New York Avenue
oS.erian Church. Judge William Lea
chambers. commissioner Of the Spanish
treaty claims commission and late chief
Justice of the international court at Sa
moa, made the address to the graduates
The scholarship offered by the Washinp-
ton School of Law was announced bv Sn-
perintendent A. T. Stuart, and the Engineer
Commissioner, Col. Biddle conferred the
diplomas as the names of the graduates
We're read by Principal Davis of the Rusi
ness High School. There were also present
on the stage Mrs. Ellen Spencer Mussey.
dean of the Washington School of Law
and several ladies and gentlemen, mem
bers of the board of education plea sing
program Of orchestral music was rendered
during the evening by portion Of the
Marine Band, under the leadership of Lieut.
Santelmann, and Mr.. Lucien H. Cohen, q
member of the orchestra, played a very
pleasing violin solo.
In his Introductory remarks Commission
er mcfarland said that this educational
department was IN every sense business
school When one visits it, he said, he
thinks he Is in the Offices Of some great
corporation. and II he examines its annual
exhibit he Is impressed with the skill and
care manifested In the work. He said,
ALSO that the Commissioners would en-
deavor to get for the school whatever 1t
should be In need of in the future, even
after the new building is completed.
Mr.. mcfarland then introduced Judge
Chambers. referring to him as a man with
a business knowledge Of many lands.
Address by Judge Chambers.
For an average, perhaps, Of ten years,
the golden decade for education getting"
said Judge Chambers. you have been the
beneficiaries Of a system Of public instruc-
tion-not the recipients, as some think, of
a colossal charity-whch with all its de-
fects is the best the world has ever known,
eliminating in special course Of business
training comparatively unknown to the
general system Of public education through
out the country.
1.-The very exceptional advantages you
have just enjoyed are best evidenced by
the fact that not above 3 per cent of the
city systems profess to furnish any such
equipment, and the village and country
schools make no effort whatever in this
direction"
The speaker then referred at length to
the different ideals in business life. say
ing that above everything else integrity
and honesty for its own sake should ac-
following motto to the class: "Gratitude.
reverence, respect for authority. honesty,
truth. faith and personal purity" These
virtues he called the American beauties
of education. plated into glorious
wreath Of business success by the hand of
unselfsh activity"
After simplifying his Ideas of each of
the virtues recommended in the motto,
Judge Chambers spoke against selfishness
in business. He said the man who worked
entirely for Individual happiness would
never be happy. He closed his address
with poetical quotation on the theme of
higher ideals than the amassing of wealth.
Superintendent Stuart was introduced by
Commissioner mcfarland. who spoke Of
him as the ancient mariner Of the school
ship, and complimented him highly for his
efficient work at the helm. Without TAX
ing occasion to reply to the good-natIred
sally about his age. Mr.. Stuart thanked the
Commissioner for his complimentary re-
marks and proceeded to announce the
prize scholar of the two years course
Miss Addie Woodville Chewing. He said
that Mrs. Mussey. dean OF the Washing
ton Law School. had not intended to give
scholarship this year. but the young
lady law student to whom 1t was awarded
last year was so efficient that she was
moved to renew the offer.
Col. Biddle's Mission.
Commissioner Mcfarland next introduced
Colonel Biddle in the following words:
although he is the handsomest and
most brilliant Engineer Commissioner We
have had. yet he still has the unhappy
distinction of being bachelor. Yet there
Is hope for him. for he is the unanimous
choice of this beautiful galaxy Of gradu-
ates. In the front rows. for the presenta-
ton Of the diplomas and this is leap-year
too
Although Colonel Biddle had not expected
to make a speech. he was equal to the oc-
CASTOR. When he had thanked the class for
the beautiful flowers he had received during
the day, he said the main thing about a
commencement was the receiving Of the
diplomas. he who has to give them out
must, therefore. be the most important
man Of the evening. 1t reminded him of an
incident in Cuba. he said, when officers had
been sent out to make certain payments.
A brother officer had just finished long
speech and the paymaster was called upon
for some remarks. The latter. not being a
man Of many words said he could not
make long speech nor use such eloquence