Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1908-06-11
WOODBURY. HIGH SCHOOL
COMMENCEMENT.

Thursday evening before crowded house.
Long before the graduates had taken their
places on the platform, the seats bad been
filled, and by the time the orchestra an
nounced the appearance of the class, stand
ing room was scarce.
Green's opera house was tastefully decor
ated with the class colors-blue and gold,
and the pillars supporting the balcony were
draped with crepe paper Of the same hues.
Above the stage, high above the heads Of
the graduates. was an arch Of daisies, and
entwined among these was the class motto
Excelsior" Behind this arch, sus-
pended in mid-air, was an enlarged copy of
the school pin, and beside it an owl, indi-
oative Of the wisdom Of the young grad
uates.
The class OF '0s, seven in number, fled
onto the stage shortly after O'Clock, and
after the Invocation by the Rev. w. E
Reynolds, the High School chorus rendered
one Of Wagner's selections.
| Helen Batten, the first of the class ora
tors, had as her subject ''The Less Honored
Virtues" Holding closely to her subject
she said that people who possessed the lesser
virtues in the eyes of many persons, such
as patience and fornearance, should be re-
speeted as we'll as those who have acquired
fame. The Puritans, she said, would never
haYe endured the hardships on this contin-
ent but for the possession of the lesser vir-
tues, chief among which was patience. The
contented person, she said, was one to be
envied. As an example, she mentioned
the peasant in BUNS sCottars Saturday
Night He was the symbol of happiness,
of love and Of contentment. %We should
have the lesser virtues as well as the
greater
Annie Scott, the next speaker, reviewed
the life of Hamilton, taking for her subject
'sThe True Greatness of Alexander Hamil-
ton.n In boyhood, she said, he resolved
to take part in the worlds history. His
buoyant spirits carried him through many
difficulty, while his high sense of justice
made him respected by all. In the greatest
crises he showed the greatest wisdom,
courage and self-reliance. He was a re-
sourceful politician, and in conclusion she
said he was one who stands clearly forth
among the nations greatest patriots
After Helen and Beatrice Reading had
played duet, Evalyn Day spoke on 'sThe
Benefits of a Struggle for Success Moth
ing, she said, was obtained without effort,
and the kind which attains unto success is
the patient and persistent. These efforts
make us able to cope with difficulties and
even to undergo defeat. Early defeats often
lead to greater efforts and to a glorious
success. In she hot countries no efforts are
put forth, and consequently no great sue
cess is attainable. Struggles, she said,
merely refnes the metal.
Grace Howard next recited two stories in
manner which caused the audience to be
profuse in its praise. The first was en-
titled Papa and the Boy and the second
was Entertaining the Missionary Lady,
Joseph Wilkins took the Panama Canal
as his subject. He gave the whole history
Of the canal told of the early failures Of
the French, and how in the hands of Amer
leans a bright success Is but short distance
ahead. He said that on account Of the
great excavations required if sea-level
canal were built, lock canal was decided
on. He said that the sanitary conditions
had been greatly improved, so that the
death rate now is only thirty-nine per
thousand. Thirty thousand men are em-
ployed, and many of the common laborers
receive forty cents per hour. When finished
the canal will be more like an artificial
lake, he said, and when opened will be an
EVERLASTING monument to the skill aud
genius Of the American people" 80
In the address to the graduates, Presi-
dent Sharpless, Of Haverford College, spoke
chiefly on the subject: us Education
Worth While?v In bis Introductory re-
marks he said that all good work is done in
the face Of difficulties. II is not mark Of
weakness to be afraid Of things, but it is
to back OUT v<~4I
The real use Of education, he said, lis
to make one able to meet the difficulties OF
life. Keep at our studies, he said, till
we conquer them. Cultivate persistent
spirit which always urges US on. Education
strives to do this The hard lessons are
what make the character and those things
which are interesting on account Of She
ease with which they may be done, amount
to little.''
Are the long years spent In education
worth while? Is ii worth while to get all
this knowledgeg knowledge Is not all we
get BY education. We ges the capacity for
doing q great many thinga, both great and