The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-06-09

spoke well for the schools that made
such results possible.
Ruth Ramona Mills greeted the school
board, the superintendent and the citi-
zens, thanking them one and all, not
only for their attendance, but for the
earnest efforts that have been made for
the welfare of those who were about to
leave their high school and take up other
duties of life. Her salutatsry was fol-
lowed with her graduation essay on mil
ton, the Man of Thought, and Cromwell,
the Man of Action" two characters of
undying fame that appeared in one of
the most troublous time of England's
history. She drew forth from their lives
lessons that should be of value to all
succeeding generations. Knute j. Knut-
son gloried in the marvellous achieve
ments by Electricity, the Great I'm
known" and expatiated at some length
on the wonders that it may reveal to
mankind in the future. "The Decorative
Art of Japan" was described by Josie
Irene Manderfeld, who gave vivid idea
of the achievements along that line by
the inhabitants of the island empire of
the far east. Morse A. Gates was to
have given an essay on Good Roads, y
but was unfortunately prevented by ILL
ness from making the necessary prepar-
alton. His non-appearance occasioned
much regret on the part of his friends,
who felt that in view of his past school
record his grafton would have made a
considerable score for him. Jessie Drys-
dale Mills told of 'The Huguenots and
Their Influence on American Civiliza-
ton" giving an excellent historical re.
sumo of the trials and final triumph of
that noble sect. Civil and political lib
erty in the land of the Muscovite was
prophesied by Edwin Lamont Halves in
his grafton on "The Revolutionary Move
ment in Russia" He logisally traced up
might be readily deduced. Edward D..
j. Coughlan sounded note of warning
on "The Trusts" and declared that the
people must awake to the situation and
see that the matter is taken properly in
hand, Jennie Matilda johnson expressed
lofty conception of "The True Aim Of
Education" As class valedictorian, she
babe farewell to the noble preceptors un-
der whose devoted guidance those who
were about to go forth into other fields
of life had worked and prospered so
long.
Superintendent Mcconnell presented
the class to President Evan Hughes of
the school board. Mr.. Hughes congrat-
ulated the class and the community on
the large number of the graduates, and
yet he could not see that the class was
as large as it should be. There were
forty-fy now, but, when these forty
five started in, they probably had in the
| city classmates enough to make total
of hundred and forty-ive. What has
become of the hundred? Possibly lack
of capacity, sickness or death could ex-
cuse fifty, but for the other fifty not be-
ing there he could see no valid reason
Part of the blame rests upon the board
Of education. 1t is the duty of the board
to weed out every incompetent teacher
and, though this is an unpleasant duty,
it is most necessary one. Parents are
also largely responsible for the absence
of the missing fifty. Many parents, not
thrifty enough to provide for their child
rem until the latter have finished the
school course, are eager to take them out
of school as soon as these children can
earn few cents. Other parents neg
lect their children and let them run the
streets instead of going to school. Mr.
Hughes closed exhorting the graduates
to show by living worthy lives their
gratitude for what their own parents
and the community have done for them
Diplomas were now presented to the
graduates and the benediction invoked
| by Rev. Davis.