The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-05-21
COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES
OCALA HIGH SCHOOL


SOTO speak lightly OF graduates. 1t |
is assumed by the comic press, and
tacitly admitted by much of the press |
that should be serious, that the COM
mencement is somewhat OF an amateur
theatrical, in which the graduates are |
Impractical performers, taking them |
selves all too seriously, and receiving |
applause more from the good nature /
of the audience than from their own
merit This one-sided view. fortified
by thousands of illustrations, and |
added to by countless inuendoes. is |
largely concurred in by the careless |
public. too much given to accepting
without investigation any side of
subject presented to it in an enter
tanning manner.
This impression would not be wide
spread, in fact would hardly exist, if
the people in general were better ac
quainted with the schools. Public
school education is necessary and free,
nevertheless many boys and girls grow
up without 1t, and of those who enter
and work thru the lower grades COM
paratively few reach the high school
and graduate. The necessity of going
to work early with many, misfortune
with some, IaZiness with not a few,
renders the graduating class of every
school small in proportion to the bulk
of the students Our high schools, too,
are somewhat archaic: they cumber
their courses with some studies that
have no business in a public school,
and some that are not needed in any
school except an institution devoted to
archaeology The proportion of grad
yates being small, the public interest
iS a
respectable minority of the population
has a living acquaintance with the
subject.
The truth is that graduation is one
of the most important events in the
life of any young man or woman. It is
the gateway thru which he or she en-
tiers formally into individual life. To
leave the school is second in import
ance only to leaving home. The school
represents a dozen years of object, of
effort and association. It's customs
have become much a part of life
with the student that it takes a wrench
at the heart strings to tear them away.
There friendships have been formed
generally more enduring than any that
will be cemented later in life. School
days are days in which the young can
plan and dream with an earnestness
With all they deserve-and from nearly
all who know them receive-respect
and sympathy for their plans and
ideas. They are mostly cleaner and
more generous than in later days, and
il they cannot be put into full effect it
is more the fault of selfish and care
less world than of the enthusiastic and
earnest young men and women who
make them.
Whatever other places may do, Ocala
is always loyal to its high school.
There was large and brilliant assem-
blage at the Temple theater to witness
the commencement exercises last night
The students and some of the teachers
had been busy all day preparing the
stage and the result was an honor to
their zeal and good taste. Beautiful
flowers and feathery ferns and the
delicate tracery of bamboo had been
skillfully arranged until the stage
looked like conservatory. The black
and yellow colors of the high school
were conspicuous amid the flowers and
greenery and the class motto, "Per
Aspera ad Astra'-thru trials to glory
stood out in golden letters on the
curtain above
Places on the stage were taken by
the graduates, Prof Workman, Mr.. L.
n. Green, Prof. Crimson, Rev w. H
Dodge and Mr.. L. w. Duvat At the
beginning of the exercises, the audience
arose and reverently listened to the
Invocation by DR.. Dodge.
piano solo, "a la Bien Aimee" was
beautifully rendered by Miss Thee
Wallis, after which the first of the
graduates, Miss Irma Blake was intro
duced by Mr. l. n. Green, who acted
as master of ceremonies.
Miss Blake's subject was "The In
fluence of Music Clad in simple white
with an immense bouquet of American
beauty roses in her arms, Miss Blake
looked like a nymph attendant on the
deity of her art. Born and reared in a
musical atmosphere and able to sing
before she could talk, it is no wonder
that her subject was ably and inter
estingly presented.
Sturdy and determined looking Alfred
Turner. genuine country boy, and one
who will be heard from some of these
not far distant days. emphatfcally and
interestingly detained upon the
ever fascinating Character of Napo1-
con-" Everybody complimented this
address and its delivery
'Doan You Cry Nah Honey was
sweetly sung by the fresh young voices
of the high school chorus. half a hum
dred boys and girls. who had been most
efficiently trained for the event
More than one young mans heart
sang to itself
Her brow is like the snow drift,
Her throat is like the swan"
As Miss Annie Laurie Perry one of
Ocala's fairest girls, rose to give the
class history. Miss Perry's essay was
after the style of "Hiawatha'' and not
so very far after, either. The lines fell
from her lips as nimbly as Minnehaha's
moccasins ever tripped thru the forest
Her classmates bent in eager interest
cited them, and the audience laughed
and laughed again a her happy hits.
Prophesying is serious business, and
Miss Irma Seckinger is such serious
looking young lady that the people
feared when she arose that she would
prove another Cassandra. They Were
pleasantly disappointed for her witty
forecasts Of the future were most en-
PERTAINING and her classmates will be
more than average happy If many of
them are fulfilled.
After the audience had listened with
pleasure to a piano solo. "Olav Try
gvason." by the talented young mus
ician, Carlton Erwin. the strong histor-
zeal subject, The Saxon" was fitting
~ presented by Wiley Burford 1t
firm foundation stone OF our own. and
it was evident that Wiley had made
extensive researches into his subject.