Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1912-06-27
9|2 COMMENCEMENT.
Twenty Three Graduates Receive
High School Diplomas.

The commencement exercises for
the class of 1912 OF Alma high school
were held last Thursday evening in
the Opera House. Twenty-three
young people received their diplom-
as memorial of the completion of
four years of prescribed courses of
study. The commencement address
upon The New Education" was de-
livered by Prof, Walter A. French
of the agricultural department at
the Michigan Agricultural College.
The Opera House was packed with
parents and friends of the graduates,
many whom had come from consid-
cradle distance to attend the exer-
Cises
The beautiful and artistic decora-
tions made a charming setting for
the most important event of the
young peoples lives. Green and
White streamers hung in a large
cluster from the ceiling and we're
strung in a circular effect to the
sides and back of the platform.
Hanging in front from the ceiling
was the class motto in gold letters.
AT the Threshold" Below and rum
ming across the stage were beautiful
ferns.
A little after eight o'clock the
members of the class filed in. The
young ladies carried boquets Of
white carnations while the young
gentlemen wore the flower upon
their lapels. The young people were
seated in a semi-circle while behind
them sat the members of the high
school faculty and the Board of Ed
ucation The program opened with
4 we'll rendered piano solo by Miss
Thco Amsbury after which the Rev.
J. Frank Jackson pronounced the in
vocation. When the Girls Glee Club
had sang a very pretty selection, the
speaker of the evening was intro
duced by Supt. F. T. Ellsworth.
In introducing Prof. w. A. French.
Supt Ellsworth said that the speaker
was one of the foremost educators
the middle west and that he was
particularly actively and successfully
engaged in the agricultural educ alton.
Prof. French opened his address by
complimenting the young people
upon their successful completion of
their high school work and asked
them to remember the sacrifices that
had been made by their parents that
the members Of the class might be
kept in school, for he said, "The
sacrificing mothers and fathers are
the real heroes of this and every
generation" The old education,
ne said, was directed at the indivi-
dual while the new is directed at the
community. The new is broader and
covers the basis of all the different
channels of education. The old
courses of study were planned for
the foundations of the new profess
sions. The need of this country, he
said is conversation and such was
the work of the new education 1t
is broad enough to elicit the interest
of all the children and thus keep
them in school until the finishing of
their courses Four things stand out
in particular for the making of the
child, calling, character, cooperation,
and culture. The speaker took up
each head and considered them fully,
throwing much new light upon each.
The address tended toward the vo-
cation of agriculture which the
speaker pointed out was the coming
vocation.
Following a selection by the High
School Octette, Supt. Ellsworth pre-
sented the graduates of the eighth
grade with their diplomas and Ezra
Smith on behalf of the Board of
the high school their coveted sheep
skins.