Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-05-26

Seven years ago, a representative
of the New Mexican, just from the
east, attended the closing exercises of
the Santa Fe public schools in the
Within Hall on the south side. The
principal, Mrs. Fl. l.. Dunning, the few
teachers and the pupils made as brave
a showing as their equipment and the
circumstances permitted, but to the
visitor from the east it was apparent
that Santa Fe Jagged behind other
towns as far as ITS public. schools
were concerned. The following day
there appeared an editorial in the col
umns of the Daily New Mexican advo-
eating modern school buildings at
Santa Fe, which inaugurated a seven
years campaign for better schools.
Property owners who had lived here
many years said that modern school
buildings for Santa Fe were out OF
the question; the Old contingent OF
knockers pointed to the county debt,
to the poverty of the people, the pre-
valence of graft and sneered at the
idea of progress in this town, at the
same time using their little hammers
vigorously by voicing all sorts OF ar
guments, ranging from politics to re-
ligion, why Santa Fe would never be
as progressive as other cities.
A Great Advancement
But what change since then. Seven
years ago Santa Fe had no high
school, 1t had no brick or cement pave
ments, it had no free delivery of mail,
no Santa Fe Central Railway, no
union depot, no electric street light
ing, there were practically no build
ing operations in progress, and the
possibility of commencement exercises
of a graduating class from the Santa
Fe High School, held within seven
years in the finest public school build
ing in the entire Southwest, seemed
like fantastic dream.
These thoughts are parallel with
those expressed last evening by
Charles F. Easley, member of the
City Board of Education. as he pre-
sented diplomas to the six graduates,
four of them native-born in Santa Fe.
He said he had Ito pinch himself to
make sure that he was awake and
that it was all true. And no doub
the older residents in the large audi
ence which crowded the spacious au-
ditorium on the third story of the fine
High School building, had thoughts
similar to these, as they looked about
them and listened to the orations Of
the graduates. The commencement
exercises were the first use made Of
the building by the public schools and
they therefore marked the beginning
of a new epoch in the educational his
tory OF the city, which is now erecting
another modern school building and
has planned three more for construc-
tion in the near future. They gave
promise Of the great future of the
Capital City, which has been its ufti-
mate destiny from the beginning.
The Orations.
Superintendent James A. Wood pre-
sided at the commencement last even
ing. He led the members OF the grad
Mating class, Rev. J. l.. Shively and
Charles +. Easley, as they marched
upon the platform to the strains Of
music from string orchestra. He in
troduced each of the speakers in turn.
Rev. j. L. Shively pronounced ferv-
ent invocation. Harry G. Hogle was
the first orator Of the evening. His
topic, "The Coming Nation" was we'll
handled. He told of the duties of good
citizenship and the need of it at the
present day.
Miss Laura W. Wood followed with an
grafton, let There Be Light! which
abounded in classic quotations and al
lusions and was eloquently delivered.
Miss Lotta Newhall spoke we'll on
Oneness Of Purpose" and presented
very convincing arguments for the me-
cessity of concentration in this age of
specialization.
Modern and Coming Inventions