The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-06-05

{.
= c. r. shumwsy, Agriculture. =
= Gertrude Erickson. Domes- q
= tic Science. q
= Carrie A. Brewster, Domes- q
= tic Science. =
Lynn c. Jones, Manual =
. Training. .
Judge Oscar Hallam OF st. Paul
delivered the address last night
when forty young ladies' and twenty.
two young men received their di.
plomas from the Msnkato high
school. The exercises were held In
the Mankato theatre and the stage
had been arranged with seats for
the graduates and banks of palms
with bouquets OF spirea In the fore
ground. Suspended from the ceiling
toward the back Of the stage was
the year, 1914" worked In snow.
balls and green. r. ....... e.
The program opened with the
playing of n selection from 1.-THE
Barber of Seville" by Lamm's or.
chestra, and then the graduates
marched to their places, going down
the long aisles two. by two and
mounting the stage. There was a
burst OF applause as the prettily
gowned girls with their dainty now.
ers and the more somberly dressed
young men appeared. The rule set
by this class that no gown was to
cost more ti.an eight dollars evil
IDENTIFY was a wise one, and surely
no graduating class ever looked more
beccmingly or better gowned.
After the invocation by Rev. r,
w. Hobbs the semi-chorus from the
high school sang Lovely June"
with orchestra accompaniment.
Address. BY Judge Hallam.
Judge Oscar Hallam OF the state
supreme court addressed the class
and audience as follows: 90, 100.
The class of 1914 Is about TO
mingle I'M the quest and strife OF
life. We have come to bid them
Godspeed. This is an important event
In their lives. But do not think this
occasion is important TO these par
ticipants alone. This occasion Is
important to the whole community.
II is important to this whole state.
IL Is important to this whole nation.
| do not near that the eyes of
the nation are especially fixed on
this occasion. do not mean that
this occasion is more important than
any others of its kind. What J.
mean is that under our social and
political system the interests OF the
various communities are so inter-
twined that the quality OF education
administered in any one, is of vital
concern to all. - 4 sf'
The past few years have been
years OF marked activity In edpca-
tion. Tremendous has been the
growth OF our universities, COLLEGES
and high schools. both in breadth
of research and In the number OF
persons enrolled
Education has been systematized.
! can well remember the time when
the uniform grading OF common
schools or even of high schools. was
a thing unknown, Each school was
graded according TO the notion OF
the particular teacher In charge.
Now there is uniform system OF
grading recognized the country
over.
This growth and development
have involved changes i'm method and
courses Of instruction. Most OF these
changes have doubtless been for the
better. But we should not ALLOW
our appetite for change TO carry
us too far. There are some princi.
pies in education so fundamental
that they never change.
Regard For Primary Branches. !,
Education should always have
first regard for the primary branches.
The three RS must ever be. the
basis OF an school education. A
glib command of the alphabet and
the multiplication table and OF the
elements OF descriptive geography
is as important now as our grand
fathers ever thought II was,
Education must be thorough. IN
desire for breadth we must not
sacrifice thoroughness. Often have
I thought OF little, ,incident of my
common school days. A new boy
came into school after the term
was well started. The new teacher
uroceeded 10 grade him rorafpr n
arithmetic she told him there was
class in long division, another IN
decimal fractions and another In
tguare root He promptly selected
the class IN which were the boys
of his size. which was the most
advanced Of all. With some mis-
giving, the teacher asked II be
understood everything up to thai
uoint We'll mo- he said. II don't