The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1911-05-26

| evening was packed with persons in
terested in the commencement exer-
cises of the class of nineteen eleven,
!. Ocala High School While the large
crowd was assembling the Ocala Or
chestra played several lively and en-
J joyable selections.
The stage was exceedingly prettily
, decorated with quantities of nastur-
tiums-the class fiower-and masses
/ of sunfowers and black-eyed Susans
gold and yellow being the class
, colors-and never before had the
stage been quite as artistic The pi-
with the brilaant golden blossoms,
and all around the orchestra railing
were low bowls of nasturtiums at
/ regular intervals. The boxes were
adorned with Ocala High School pen
nants in gold and black, and the class
motto, "Esse Guam Videri,' in gold
and black occupied a conspicuous
place over the upraised curtain.
! Occupying seats on the stage were
the seven young graduates and Rev.
i w. H. Dodge, Rev. W. H Coleman,
Mr.. R. A. Burford, Mr.. L. W. Duval
Mr.. ]. H. Brinson, Mr.. J. H. Work
man and DR.. Farrah of the University
of Florida
The exercises were opened with a
; beautiful prayer by DR.. Dodge.
| Mr.. Burford presided over the ex-
ercises with dignity and grace, and
his announcement of the opening pi-
ana solo-Kamenoi Ostrow-by Miss
Irma Blake, provoked a smile of
amusement throughout the audience.
Miss Blake executed her piece with
much ability.
Mr.. Paul Weathers was the first of
the young graduates to speak His
subject was American Idols OF To
day." and it was an excellent produc-
tion and splendidly delivered, the
young speaker being in excellent
voice. He began by saying that
throughout the world all nations had
had their idols, even from the pre-
historic times, and that idol worship
ping is now greater than ever. He
spoke of the idols of Egypt, and of
the many remarkable laws Of that
| country. He said that the ancient
Hebrew idol was more grand and
noble one-to teach righteousness.
| The old Greek idol was beauty, which
is next to honness, and which the
Greeks placed on an equality with
holiness. There were many lesser
Greek idals which went toward max
ing that nation such a wonderful one.
How different were the idols of
Rome-that of military glory, great
generals and glorious conquests. Also
many satisfactory laws and courts
+, have been handed down from Roman
, civilization Coming down to the
modern nations he said that Ger
many's idol is perhaps the most laud-
able one-that of education. The En-
glish idol is for the most powerful
navy in the world How different, he
said, are the American idols of to-
day. The greed for getting money
solely for moneys sake and the most
! lavish expenditure of money for show
both in our homes and big places of
business That this sole desire to get
rich is bound to weaken the charac-
ter of many. Another American idol
is the striving for political prefer
ment, which inevitably leads to
grating, and the struggle for social
prestige, to the detriment of every
thing else. The latter idol is more
especially noticeable in the great cit
les of our country. Can the result of
these things said Mr.. Weathers, "be
conducive to character building?"
The same social conditions are no
ticeable in our great colleges and
must be gotten rid Of If the Ameri-
can nation is to rise to the grandeur
of Greece and the glory of Rome she
must cast aside these petty idols that
are now the sole aim and purpose of
the nation.
Following Mr. Weathers Mr.. Leon
Leitner gave a splendid defamation,
choosing Senator Hoar's wonderful
speech on the Philippines. AS he pro-
gressed along in this remarkable
speech Mr.. Leitner warmed up to his
subject and waxed eloquent, and
when he reached the peroration he
became so enthused that the audi
ence was delighted, and had they not
known differently would certainly
have thought the speech was his own.
The high school scholars who occu-
pied seats in the boxes then assisted
the graduates in singing very pret-
ty chorus, REST" from Rubinstein's
Melody in F.