The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-06-10

The good people of Sank Centre had
Just cause for pride Friday evening,
June, 3. when a class of twenty-five
young men and women received diplo-
mas from the Board of Education
certifying that they had completed
the course of study in the public
schools. While the school has sent
out many fine classes, it is doubtful
if there ever was better one gradual
ed than the class of 1909. The orator
of the evening, Hon. Frank M. Eddy,
whom Sauk Centre always delights to
honor, expressed the sentiment that
found warm response in the mind OF
every person present, that:
'Sauk Centre has always been proud
of its public schools, but has never
been prouder than tonight; she has
felt just pride in the corps of
teachers that have educated young
people within the walls of the school
room, but she is prouder of the pre-
sent corps than of all others; she has
been proud of the classes that have
graduated during the past twenty
eight years, but she has never been
prouder of any class than she is of the
class of 1907.
Everything seemed to combine to
make the commencement of 1909 a
success. Nature smiled by providing
a brand of weather without a flaw;
the opera house was never decorated
more tastily with class banners,
plants and flowers, all the handiwork
of the enthusiastic Juniors; there was
never more appreciative audience
present; the program never was more
attractive or moved along more
smoothly. There was peculiar signi-
ficance in the choice Of the Hon.
Frank M. Eddy for the orator of the
evening, for he gave one of the finest
efforts of his life, and his daughter,
ranking above all in this class of ex-
cellent scholarship, won first honors
and entertained her audience with
the valedictory as they have not been
entertained for some time if ever; and
this is no reflection upon preceding
valedictorians; Miss Eddy's production
was in a class by itself.
The music, too, was fine. The pu-
pills of the High school, under the
efficient tutelage of Rev. S. L. Nit
chell, sang three selections in high
ly creditable manner and were
given we'll merited applause.
The salutatory, given by Miss Alice
Cass, was much above the average
and was delivered in fine style. Miss
Cass fairly won second honors in the
class by her ability and application
and was given due need of praise by
the audience Friday night.
Geo. c. Ingram, secretary of the
Board of Education, in presenting
the diplomas, departed from the beat
en- track somewhat, and his efforts
were fully appreciated. 1t would
have been a difficult matter for any
person to have filled this number on
the program more acceptably.
OF course the ''sweet. girl grad
uates' looked pretty. The toilets of
the young ladies were especially hand
some and appropriate. Each young
lady carried fine bunch of roses, the
gifts of admiring relatives and friends.
The young gentlemen made a good
appearance, too. Masculinity occupi-
es an unfortunate position when it
comes to adornment of the person; on
formal occasions it can do little more
than array itself in black and try
to be as self-effacing as possible. The
class sat in a semi-circle on the stage,
with the members of the Board of
Education modestly sustaining a
pratial eclipse in the background.
Down on the main floor, just in front
OF the stage, sat an attractive bunch
OF undergraduate femininity, whose
pretty toilets and bright young faces
were a distinct feature. And when
they sang they captured the audience.
There were a few boys among them.
just enough to balance up the chorus.
The opportunity to stand in the spot
light will come to some of these young
people next year; to others later.
And unless appearances are exceeding
ly deceptive there is plenty of good
material in the bunch.
While, as matter of course, the
interest centered in the graduates,
yet Mr.. Eddy's address was the piece
de resistance of the evening. The
feature of Mr.. Eddy's address was an