Arizona republican., 1910-06-04
Commencement Exercises
 of Fifteenth Class THE TRIUMPHANT FORTY
The Brilliant Setting Amid Which Graduates Faced Their Admiring Friends. Address By Former At torney General Clark

l Under the blue canopy of the star 1 lit sky. green grass beneath furnish ing a velvety carpet, stately palms forming an ideal background, the whole enhanced with a bank of flow CTS, the tributes of loving relatives and friends, the fifteenth annual com mencement exercises of the Phoenix | Union High school were held upon ! the lawn upon the south side of the ] high school building last evening. Ma ture provided an auditorium more | beautiful and more practical than could have been secured in any other manner. and the art of man could add to the surroundings little. if any, effective adornment.
 A broad platform had been erected facing the school building at the extreme southern end of the lawn. and many rows of seats had been placed in the space intervening and extending back to the school build ing. Festoons of electric lights were strung along the aisles, across the front and rear. while a large banner extending entirely across the upper platform partially concealed other lights.
 ''Faber Suae Fortunae" Everyone the Architect of His own Fortune), appeared upon the broad banner. this class motto furnishing the inspiration for those participating in the exer- cises. Directly in front of the plat form was seated the Indian School band, which furnished delightful mu- sic at intervals throughout the even ing
 Shortly after s o'clock the strains of an inspiring march played. by the band marked the opening of the ex- ercises and soon there appeared upon the steps of the high school building the members of the faculty and the speakers of the evening. These were followed by the members of the graduation class. Slowly the process sion wended its way around the great assemblage in waiting and took it's place upon the platform. The strains of music died away and silence fell over the audience Opening with the Lords prayer and following with an earnest appeal to God to watch over the men and young women who were
 
 life, Everett N. Phillips of the First Christian church offered an invoca- ton.
 Superintendent Alvin K Stabler delivered the introductory remarks, in the course of which he Stated that this years class is the largest in the history of the Phoenix Union High school The first class had but three members. while this years class has forty. The next largest class was that graduated two years ago. when twenty nine members received diplo- mas. Another remarkable feature of this. years class is that it is equally divided, there being just twenty young ladies and twenty young men enrolled
 It was stated, too, by Supt Stabler that Miss Rita Rodenbeck had earned the honor of delivering the vaIedic- tory by reason of having completed the course in three and one-half years. She made the remarkable average of 90 per cent in all her studies and Miss Ruth Percival came next with a record of 94 l3-32. James Bryant was selected to deliver the salutatory by a vote of the class Two pupils will receive two diplomas. or rather diploma and a certificate for excellent work in the commercial school. These are Donald Charles Goodman and Herbert August Fres- ton. From TO to 1S0 pupils took the commercial school work this year. showing the increasing popularity of that course
 Following another selection by the band James Bryant was introduced. His introductory was a masterful ef- fort and showed careful study and re- search. Addressing himself to the parents. teachers and friends, he said that the class of 1910 was just enter ing upon life in a new and strange atmosphere whether it be in the world at large or in an institution of higher learning. We have built our homes on high ideals and have kindled the spark of ambition until tonight it has burst into flame said Mir Bryant. Continuing he said; Your encourag- ing presence prompts us to believe that you have confidence in our abil- ity., It is an incentive to struggle to the topmost pinnacle of whatever vo- cation we may follow. It is an assur- ance that there will be some to con- dole with us in our misfortune and re- joice in our achievements"
 After welcoming the faculty. the school trustees and. those assembled. l Mir Bryant stated that the members
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