Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-04-12
HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES AT
ATLANTA'S GRAND OPERA.

The announcement that the high
school graduating class of Americas,
ten students who have completed the
eleven years prescribed course, will
attend the grand opera to be given in
Atlanta in May, has attracted consider
able attention in other cities and is
generally commended as a very sensi-
BILE change from the old commence
ment exercises. In other cities the
graduates and their friends are pack
ed into close theatre, on a hot sum
mer day, and compelled to suffer two
or three hours of sweltering tortures
while the graduates unfold their es-
says and electrify the world with their
immature views on all sorts of ethical
and political questions about which, as
matter of fact, they know absolute
ly nothing.
This antiquated idea of honor and
enjoyment has been senstbly abandon
ed in NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. forever,
we trust. In former years the Board
of Education here went to considera-
BILE expense in keeping up this absurd
custom of public exhibitions. The
theatre was engaged, an orchestra was
brought here from Macon, and various
other expenses were incurred in an eff
fort to make the event memorable. To
tell the honest truth, it was a tedious
performance. Even the fond parents
welcomed the change when some in
spired genius suggested three years
ago that this sort of thing be cut our,
and the grA3 ,ates given tho money fer
trip to the Norfolk exposition. The
avidity with which the graduates took
to the proposition, amid the applause
of the public, showed that the sugges>
ton had struck the bulls eye The
trip to the exposition was a great suc>
cess, enjoyable and educational
throughout. Last year there was no
desire to go back to the old system
again. The money was used for a trip
to the national capital fitting finale
to the course of study in the high
school, intended to give the children
some comprehension of civic govern
ment.
This year an even greater treat
is in prospect for the fortunate class
of 1910 The seven girls and three
boys comprising it will receive their
baptism in the great world of song.
At AtIantas musical festival they will
hear the chief singers of the world,
presenting the masterpieces of the
worlds greatest comp sers. 1t will
open to them, as no'lr2g else could,
the doorway into tina. region IF
higher culture where art-for music is
but a branch of art-reigns supreme.
It will broaden their comprehension If
what life holds to the man or the wo-
man who is not willing to be bound
in the chains of materialism, It viii
inspire in them a love, as no amount
of reading could possibly do, for that
which is highest and best in music.
and insensibly perhaps, awaken IN
them aspirations to commune with all
that is noblest and richest and most
elevating in the blessings that genius
has conferred upon the world. It will
Introduce them, at a bound as it were,
to that wonderful realm where the
human mind and the human soul to-
gether have poured out their wealth
unsparingly in flood of wondrous
melody, where intellect and spirit have
joined hands in the expression of all
human emotions in the superb Ian
guage of music.
How far removed such an experience
from the utterances of common PLACES
at a commencement exercise, from the
heat and tedious hours Of WEAKNESS
passed in the old Americas theatre
on blistering day in June! Happy
graduates, that such good fortune
should be theirs! Strong the common
sense that brought the change that
permits such delightful anticipations
to be their portion, and rich the never
.ceasing memories of that week of mu-
sic at Atlanta, the memories of Lohen-
grin, La Tosca, Aida and others of
the worlds greatest operas, as inter-
preted by the worlds most famous
musical organization. And the wonder
only grows that other cities do not