The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1907-06-07
TWENTY SEVEN GRADUATE.
LARGEST CLASS IN NORFOLK
HIGH SCHOOL HISTORY.
OMAHA SCHOOL MAN LECTURES
uperintendent Davidson OF Omaha
Said the Highest Aim Of School is
the Making Of Good Ctizens--Fea.
lures Of commencement Program.

Twenty.seven of Norfolk's young
men and women said goodbye to high
school days at the Auditorium Wednes-
ever graduated from the Norfolk pub
lie schools, and one of the most Ell
cient.
a large and representative audience,
attending the commencement cXercis-
es in the Auditorium, proved the es-
by hundreds of friends in Norfolk.
Gifts to the graduates from admiring
scores were unusually beautiful
The semi-circle of graduates pre-.
sented an attractive picture on the
Auditorium stage. 1t was a concave
the audience when the curtain rang
up--a chain composed of twenty pure
white gowns of pretty girl graduates,
with here and there the intermingled
seven dark links to mark the presence
of the seven young men who had re-
manned true to class colors and fin
ished the course.
The address of the evening was de-
livered by Superintendent w. Nj. Da-
wilson of Omaha. Orations were not
delivered by each member of the class,
as is sometimes the custom. A de-
lightfully pleasing program, however
i'm which number of the class mem
bers participated, took place during
the evening.
The stage of the theater was effec-
lively decorated with potted plants
and class colOrs, the large figures, 7"
being suspended in purple and old gold
in midair at the stage center.
Boxes in the Auditorium were occu-
pied by members of the junior class,
who became seniors when the com
mencement exercises had been fin
ished, and who loyalty cheered their
predecessors during the evening. The
boxes occupied by this class had been
decorated with their colors, pink and
green.
The first number on the program
was a piano solo, strikingly executed
by Miss Lois Gibson. Miss Gibson
exhibited a superior art in her rendi-
ton of the solo and elected much en-
thusiastic applause and highly cOmpli-
mentary comment
Invocation was pronounced by Rev.
]. l.. Vallow of the Methodist Episco-
pal church.
Voice of the Western Wind" was
prettily sung by Misses Gretchen
In1 rn1o Toll 10
tilda Hermann, Glennie Shippee
Eleonar Mueller, Edith Estabrook,
Georgia Brakeman and Rebecca Dug
gan.
In a brief but clear-cut and effective
address, Miss Margaret Hamilton, who
had been chosen by her classmates as
salutatorian, extended a welcome to
the audience in behalf of the class of
graduates. Miss Hamilton's welcome
rang with sincerity and created an ex,
celent impression with her auditors
The address was delivered with an
ease and grace which made the speak.
er at once a favorite. The salutato,
rian is one of, the two "honor" stu.
dents, Miss Hamilton being highly pop
ular with her class mates.
Mr.. Davidson's Address.
Superintendent w. NJ. Davidson, at
the head of the Omaha city schools
delivered the commencement address
Mr.. Davidson spoke on "The Problem
of the School," and said in part:
"The problem of the school has to
do with the problem of training for
citizenship.
"The noblest product of education
is the good citizen.
Amy system of public education
which comprises less than this in the
scope and aim of its purpose is and
ought to be a failure.
ANY kindergarten school, any pri.
mary school, any grammar school, any
high school or any institution of high,
as its highest aim fails in the dis.
charge of it's duty to society and the
state.
ANY teaching, no matter how bril-.
liant and otherwise successful, which
does not have this in view as the cul
mination of its ideal fails utterly in
its comprehension of the educational
problem in its relation to the republic
1--WE boast of a free public school
system as the foundation of a free
and self-governing people and well we
may, for from it has come the upright
and intelligent citizen of the past and
from it is to come the intelligent and
honored citizen of the future.
Young ladies and young gentlemen
of the graduating class: If the train
ing that you have received at the hands
of the public school of the city does
not make each of you a better citizen
than you would have been without such
training in the public schools, then
so far as you are individually con
cerned, your time and the public mon
ey has been spent in vain.
II am a believer in the dynamic
force of ideas, and of the ultimate
triumph of pure and lofty ideals ant
| would have you remember in meas
/ .1aNs