The daily sentinel., 1905-05-26

teftu1n1n9 were the commence
ment exercises ut the Park opera
house last night. A more brilliant
program could hardly have been
prepared than the one offered to
the hundreds of Grand Junction
people who gathered at the opera
house and filed IL to overflowing
on last evening. Truly IL was an
auspicious, gloriously bright COM
mcnccment ON the higher and
more rugged pathways of life for
the young ladies and gentlemen
who compose the high school grad
uating class of 1908.
/ There was not an unoccupied sea-
/ in the house. Every section from
parquet to gallery was crowded to its
utmost capacity before the hour OF
Z the opening of the evenings program.
/ II was a representative and apprecia
{ tive audience.
The first thing that attracted the
eyes of those who entered the opera
house was the magnificent floral dec
orations on the stage. The foot lights
and a large portion of the prosceu-
[ ium of the stage We're almost hidden
from view by a veritable flower gar
den. There were dozens of cut flow
ers of every variety, ferns. fruit bios
SONS, radiant leaves, handsome
| palms and other potted plants. This
juniors of the high school and many
were the expressions of delight and
admiration heard in the audience.
The high school orchestra, which
proved so popular on Tuesday even
ing, favored the audience with a diff
ficult and extremely pretty selection.
and in response to the applauding
demands of the crowd rendered an
other excellent selection.
The curtain arose shortly after
$50 o'clock. Occupying seats on the
right of the stage were the young
ladies and gentlemen of the gradu
ating class. In the rear of the grad
uates were seated Superintendent AL
len. Prof. e. E. Cole and the other
instructors of the city schools.
To the front on the left of the stage
were seated President Samuel n.
Wheeler of the school board and his
fellow directors. With the school
board sat Prof. Sanford Bell of the
University of Colorado, the speaker
of the evening.
In the rear of these gentlemen sat
the members of the city press and
other prominent citizens
Near President Wheeler stood a
small table upon which were heaped
the diplomas-the graduates re-
wards for years of hard work. In
front Of the graduates stood another
table burdened with a wealth of love-
ly cut flowers. Over the stage swung
banner bearing the motto of the
class, I'VE will find way or make
one" The class colors. blue and
white, were everywhere in evidence.
Each young lady of the class held an
exquisite bouquet of roses or carna-
tions. II was indeed a brilliant scene.
Rev. James A. Becker, pastor of
the CONGREGATIONAL church, asked the
audience to stand, and invoked the
blessing of the Creator upon the
young graduates and their assembled
friends.
Silmon Laird Smith, the second
honor man of the class, delivered the
salutatory address in manner that
was pleasing to all. He in behalf of
the class. thanked the board of edu-
cation for the many helps and priv
ileges that had been granted the
graduates. Thanks were expressed
to Prof. Bell for his presence. He
expressed in fitting terms the graft
tude of the class to the faculty of the
high school and paid a worthy trib-
, ute to these instructors. Tonight,
! said the young man, I'VE pass from
school life into life's school. As we
part, straing our eyes in an endeav-
or to look into the future, we must
remember that the world is an inn
, partial Judge, and to the victor grants
the spoils. We shall receive what
, we earn, and there is always room at
the top" The graduates must not
live for themselves, but must to a
certain degree stand responsible for
the welfare of the nation and the
fellow man. Having completed the
course of study we are better quail
fed to meet the crises in the history
of the world. Success must be
/ earned and the class aspires to be
successful. The class should work
hard for success and in future years
must measure success by what we
might have been. In closing Mr..
Smith stated that the program of last
evening, ended forever all of the
high school days of the 1905 class
except the many sweet remembran-
. ces.
{ Mr.. Smith is very delightful
speaker; his delivery is easy and
clear. His address was given the
closest attention.
The valedictorian or first honor
o man of the class vas Ernest Howe
= Hedges. The valedictory was some
i what different in its makeup from the
p usual grafton of this kind. There
j was not so much oppressive sadness
e Throughout there was a strain of rich
= humor and ready wit that kept the
= that we're thrown at the juniors were
+ more than pointed. He told how the
S seniors had lorded it over the jun
r iors, sophomores ard freshmen; how
d these less fortunate classes had
/ bowed in humble subservience to the
e wishes ana commands of the seniors
j. The seniors were glad to let the jun
/. iors step into their shoes, and hoped
s. that their class would prove the
|, greatest yet; but the young man hat
e his doubts about this. The sopho
|. mores and freshmen could profit by
IS the great and glorious example of th'
o 1905 seniors. In closing, Mr.. Hedg
e es stated that school life was not ovel
d for the class; but the high schoo
days were. Eacn would probabl!
Il seek higher and greater knowledge
& and attend different colleges. AS
S. class they would part last night for
d ever. He paid a tribute to the facul
ty and closed with a wish of success
e for every member of the class.