The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1910-06-23
GRADUATION EXERCISES.
Continued from Page One.

COntlnueQ from rage One.
pay their respects by pulling the ears
of those whom they wish to greet
The South Sea Islander gives rather
cool reception to a caller by fling
ing jar of water over his head
Among the North American Indians
to smoke tobacco or to use the ges-
ture sign for it is their mode of salut-
ing.
1t Is by none of these curious forms
of salutation that the class of 1910 ex-
tends its greeting to you this evening
With no outward symbol save words
that come from grateful hearts do we
welcome tonight those who have come
to hear us speak and to see us for
the last time as students of Skowhe-
gan High school. Citizens, parents
end teachers, this evenings entertain
ment can be only a slight compensa-
ton for the loyal support, the gener-
Gus sacrifices and untiring help that
We have received from your hands
during our high school course. But
be not hasty in your judgment of us
and may 1t be your privilege to OBJ
serve by our lives as the years go by
that your efforts were not made for
US in vain. Under classmates whose
companionship we have been allowed
to enjoy and with whom many happy
associations are connected, it is with
pleasure that we include you in our
greeting.
ORATION-"A MAN OF CIVIC
WORTH"
An essay, "A Man of Civic Worth"
the first Grafton was given by Abner
Emery Mitchell. 1t was splendidly
delivered. He took for his example
Judge Ben Lindsey and he reviewed
the life of this remarkable man from
boyhood to the present time. Lindsey,
though a poor boy, has arisen to the
height of civic worth by his work in
the Juvenile Court.
"a great part of Judge Lindsey's
success with the boys" said Mr..
Mitchell, rs due to his frank and
friendly ways. The boys have trust
and confidence In him. He makes the
boy feel that the law Is working for
him and not against him. But he
impresses the boy with the fact that
the law is to be respected and obeyed.
While Judge Lindsey has caused
the enactment of law, Furnishing
shirky parents and others, who might
properly share responsibility, he does
not so much blame home or school, as
social and economic conditions. A
shocking increase of crime, beginning
among children has resulted from
non-attention to certain problems,
namely,-how to satisfy in crowded
districts the desire of the normal
child to play; to do things; to go with
other children, without getting into
serious mischief; to exercise his curl
osity; and to find lawful vent for his
desire for fun and adventure.
He tells the following story of a
little seven-year-old, who was trying
to reach the door knocker of neigh
boris house, when the minister, COM
ing along, lifted the little fellow up.
He gave the knocker a whang and a
bang,-then scooted down the street
as fast as his little legs could carry
him, only to turn and shout to his
friend, Hey, Mister, you'd better run
like the devil, or you'll get caught
Right here was the minister's OPP
portunity to teach the boy-if he knew
how-where fun ends and the law be-
gins.
1t has been said of big railroad
companies, that if they would spend
for a public play ground, small part
of the thousands, annually invested
In furnishing Juvenile trespassers and
thieves, the old adage An ounce of
prevention is worth a pound of cure
would literally come true both in mon
ey and civic rectitude.'
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 1910.
The Autobiography of 1910 fell to
Miss Gertrude Emery. This part is
always one of the most interesting
and entertaining features of the
program and this time it proved to
be more so than ever before. Miss
Emery's method was somewhat orig
inal In that she compared the class
of 1910 to child growing. She
showed how the child grew from
year to year and she said, Il was a
beautiful child and my mother, Alma
Mater, was justly proud of me, for
although l was never as large as
her other children | weighed 1855
pounds and was 127 feet and n inch
tall" Miss Emery went on to tell
of the child 1905 difficulties during
the four years and the many joys