Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1915-06-13
STUDENTS GIVEN
THEIR DIPLOMAS.
Good Program at High School
Commencement Disturbed
by lncipient Mutiny

The auditorium Of the ]. II. Wealth.
erwax high school was packed Thurs.
day evening. when g graduates, eiev.
: en- boys and nineteen girls, received
their diplomas. The exercises were
well received by the audience. as was
the scholarly address OF L. r. Alder.
man. superintendent Of the Portland
city schools. There were supposed to
have been go graduates. but Harold
Spoon and Cecil johnson failed to ap.
pear, and Oscar Madison received an
unsigned diploma on account of hav.
ing failed to pass the exams In geom-
etry and botany
A Tempest in . Teapot
A delay in the presentation of the
diplomas occurred, and for a time II
looked as though, the principal event
on the program would be omitted. ow.
ing to the insubord:nate behavior of
some Of the boys OF the graduating
class. a number Of the members re-
fusing to go upon the platform unless
Oscar Madison, who failed to pass by
several credits, was given a diploma.
After a consultation with two mem.
bers Of the board Of education, il was
decided to give Madison an unsigned
diploma. whereupon the incipient mu-
tiny ended-but not the trouble
E. B. Crazy, who as vice president OF
the board, in the absence Of President
Weatherwax. made the presentation.
informed the audience that one OF the
diplomas was unsigned, but that it
was given conditional on the student
finishing his senior years work. when
1t would be signed. Mr. Crazy did not
name the pupil. leaving the audience
to wonder which of the 80 was the
delinquent. fact that rather got on
the nerves of the class. A committee
Of three OF the graduates waited on
Mr.. Crary Friday, under the i'm
preston that he had promised to de-
ceive the audience by saying nothing
Of the blank diploma. Mr. Crazy
promptly assured them that he had
made no such promise. and showed
the students plainly that their insub-
ordinate action placed the mutineers
in a position where instead Of receiy-
ing diplomas. they were subject to
summary expulsion from the school.
From the best information obtain.
able, the failure of Madison was his
own wilful fault, he apparently de.
pending upon the class to force his
diploma. The faculty has for months
endeavored to have him keep up his
work in the two studies in which he
was lame, but without avail. He fail.
ed to attend the geometry exam. His
mother was notified, and to give him
chance, a special examination was
given him. at which time his marking
was but is. In botany it seems to
have been the same, he securing but
little over 40 per cent
A practice that has obtained in the
Aberdeen high school for several years
appears to have underlaid the discon-
tent of.the students at the refusal to
graduate an unqualified student. 1t
appears to have been a custom to per-
NIT students, who from sickness or
other valid cause failed in one study,
to complete their work after the grad
uation, giving them an unsigned d.
ploma. at the commencement exercises.
AS was to have been expected, the
practice begun from worthy motive.
was found to operate against the eff
cheney of the school. 1t was not only
taken advantage Of by idle students.
but it gave rise to an impression that
certain students were being favored
by the faculty, creating an evil atmo-
sphere throughout the senior class.
To remedy this situation. the board
Of education. in June 1914. adopted q
resolution abolishing the issuance OF
blank diplomas. That this action OF
the board was not given much pub
licity, was the reason that the faculty
compromised with the class in the
Madison case Thursday night.
Superintendent Miller stated to the
Herald yesterday that no more de
ception would be permitted. in the way
Of giving blank diplomas. but that the
decree Of the board would be rigidly
adhered to in the future. C. M
Weatherwax, president Of the board
who was unavoidably absent from the
exercises. is quoted as saying that II
he had been present he would have in
vited the graduates to the platform tc
receive their diplomas, with the in
formation that their connection with
the Aberdeen high school was to close
that night. and that 1t was up te
them to close that connection witt
diplomas or as expelled students.
The school authorities seem Of thu
opinion that the little storm Thursda,
night will prove a blessing to thu
school. by making it public that pro
motions and diplomas will hereafter
90 only to those whose work entitle,
them to such advancement and honors
Bic Class at Montesano.
Commencement exercises. held