The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-06-24
BENNINGTON HIGH
SCHOOL ANNUAL
COMMENCEMENT
Thirty-fourth held Last Evening
in Opera House
SEYMOUR VAN SANTvOORD
Speaks on Success In Llfe-ExercIses
Followed by Senior Banquet at
Putnam House.

ment of the Bennington High school
was held Friday evening at o'clock
at the opera house. The audience
crowded the capacity of the auditor
ium. The stage was decorated with
ferns and wild-fowers andat the rear
of the stage hung large reproduc-
ton of the class pin, shield with the
numerals II, outlined in electric
bulbs. Following the opening selec-
ltion of the orchestra, Rev. George s.
Mills delivered prayer for the sue
cess in life of the young people gath
cred on the stage.
THE Vermont of Tomorrow" an
essayby Miss May Gladys Fauley
was the portrayal of the early Yer
monter with his struggles, the gradu-
al rise of the state of Vermont, the
present problems OF the common
wealth and their future remedies.
The essay showed a keen perception
LOT Vermonts present difficulties.
Vermont, said the speaker can
never hope to become great manu-
featuring center" Its destiny lies
along another path. The solution of
Vermont's difficulties is better rail
road facilities and a development of
the states great natural resources.
The Book and the Deed" an essay
by Miss Irene Olsayer White was an
lappreciative delineation of the in
fluence Of books upon the whole life
of man, from the time when in the
nursery he hears fairy stories read
to him TO the day when a book spurs
him on to win a world. The speaker
cited the case OF the indolent boy
who is fred by ambition to make
place in the world for himself through
the reading of single book of adyen-
ture. The essay showed a deep ar
lpreciation OF the use and plan of
books without the fallacy of books
for books sake" The book as
means OF awakening the mind to its
possibilities was the underlying
theme.
The Answer of the Present to the
Cry of the Children" an essay by
Miss Mary Elizabeth Robinson, was a
stating of the problem of child labor
and neglect of the children 1t was
an indictment of the present for the
enslaving of children in the mills, the
crushing of them in the slums, the
stealing from them of their rightful
heritage of health and happiness by
depriying them of their. opportunity.
With a cleyerly-wrought analogy,
Joseph Fiyez O'Brien worked out the
resemblance of life to the theatre
under the title of the Stage of Life"
The past is the great audience, the
future is great posterity waiting in
the wings and the stage.manager is
God. None save the audience know
whether the play be comedy or
tragedy; there is both sorrow and
humor here upon the stage as in
every we'll balanced play but only
the last act can reveal all the plot
In his address to the class Duane
Robinson Bassett, the class president
recalled the four happy years they
had all been together, of the good
times they had had, their triumphs
and trials. He concluded by thank
ing in the name of the class, the
; |
pairing them to meet life's battles,
the Principal and Superintendent and
the Board of Trustees. Then turning
to the audience. he thanked the PEG
pie OF Bennington for maintaining the
Bennington High school.
A violin solo, Revere" by Henry
Vieuxtemps rendered by Abraham
Noveck met with ready applause.
Following the solo, Principal Dickin-
, son introduced Hon. Seymour Van
, Santvoord.
Mr. Van Santvoord took as topic of
his address Success in Life" In a
short talk he dilated upon the mean.
ing of the word success. The speaker
stated that each had different ideal
, of himself and that as he attains that
} ideal, he meets with success in life.
: AS a means to success, money and
q the acquisition of it, is a good thing
but as success itself it is q mockery
i Three things said the speaker, are
p necessary to success, capacity to dc
q things, courage, and conscience. In
o the "alliterative tripod" capacity tC
. do things comes first All mankind is
= divided into two classes, those who
c do things and the onlookers. To the
q lcapacity to do things must be added The
4 courage to do them; and to affair
q moral courage, one must do The
r. things from which he shrinks; by thu
constant reiteration of the process o
G turning from evil to good mora
a courage is built up. Conscience i
70 necessary for lasting success.
10 Following the presentation Of di
4. plomas by Superintendent Albert w
IS Varney, the class adjourned to tn
In Putnam house for the class banquet
Is The class is composed as follows:
r. Duane Robinson Bassett, president
10 Jane Helen Burgess, Flora Cornell
Burgess, Ruth Maria Burt, James Ru
nc sell Carpenter, treasurer; +Mau
=. Abigail Edison, *May Gladys Fauley
r. vicepresident; Polly Matilda Hal
an bour Gertrude Anna Mcclure, Abri
nv ham Noveck, *Joseph Fivez O'BrieI
n Mildred Louise Peelor, Mary Eliz;
beth Robinson, secretary; Elizabet
os Felena Shea, Elizabeth MacAlpin
g Stuart, *Irene Olsaver White. "Hol
orary appointments.