The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1915-05-20
..,ual commencement Exer-
cises of High School Held in
Gymnasium Friday
pROF. BRATTON, WHITMAN,
DELIVERS THE ADDRESS
n.h,tine Team Presented with Cash
pr,ze for Championship in State
Interscholastic Series

aYour lives are before you. So live
them that you may continue in the
possession of that which gives you
The right to respect yourselves, to
merit the good will of your fellow
men and the favor of God" This is
the concluding thought which Prof.
~ A. Bratton, of Whitman college,
lsft with the young men and women
of the Class Of 1915 at the commence
ment exercises of the Kennewick High
School last Friday evening.
As usual these exercises were the
climax Of series of pleasant social
and educational functions attendant
upon the formal closing of the school
year. A feature Of the evenings pro-
ersm was the singing of the high
school chorus Of so voices and the SEN
ior quartet under the direction of Miss
Shier. The program opened with a
grand march played by Miss Burling-
anne and her violin pupils. The COM
mencement procession. was led by the
Juniors as escorts to the graduates
who were followed by Supt. M. S.
Lewis and Prof. Bratton, retiring prin-
cipaI H. E. Groom and Principal-elect,
VIM. Meikle, other members of the
high school faculty and the school
board. The platform was given a
pleasing and attractive setting in a
profudon Of cut flowers, ferns and
class color decorations. sss -.
In presenting to VIM. Sly, John
Hamilton and Barton Sherk the $25
prize for the district championship in
the state interscholastic debate, Supt.
Lewis said: "It gives me great pleas
ure to be able to present to you this
token Of your superiority in debate.
The money Of itself is significant of
not so much as the championship
which you have won. The champion
ship means not so much to you as the
training, the power and the self-reli-
anne which you have acquired in your
preparation"
After congratulateing the people of
kennewick upon the evidence of thrift
and progress which he had noted dur
ing the day, saying that the appear
ance Of the town and country was a
testimonial to the fact that foresight,
courage and optimism had become
part OF the peoples daily life, Prof.
Bratton announced as his subject:
The Relationship of Education to
democracy" The speaker pointed out
some Of the more common and popu-
lar criticisms of the educational sys-
TEN in the United States. "But, it is
said the college graduate does not
succeed in business any better than
'ne man who has had little or no
schooling" said he. "You do find in
stances where the man of little learn
ing succeeds where the college bred
man fails. but invariably these sue
eesses are cases Of sheer ability tri-
umphing over handicaps. To condemn
0ur whole system of education because
u these few concrete examples is
.'Ae uprooting a tree because of one or
TWO diseased twigs."
10 illustrate the influence of edu-
'As'on upon people as whole and to
prove that the public school system
. Sne OF the essentials to democratic
sell seir-government, Prof. Bratton
svmpared the Philippine Islands with
,neaco. In 20 years, he said, the
~ Hsed States had transformed the
say trlbesmen of the islands into
~ Sru respecting, ambitious citizens.
.t 's transformation has been brought
~ u' oy system of education plan
h,:,,. su and moulded for the purpose of
~ usunolng up the spiritual character,
%, 1 industrial efficiency and the politi-
a. ~ capacity of the whole people. Here
fou paoiic school system has made the
d. dunaation upon which to build a
;ocracy. On the other hand Mex
sm,,S -, ae SAID, furnishes striking ex-
o.. p.e OF an attempt to erect a dem
chny ey where the influence of home,
noa,,, n and school is lacking. The
n.s. suiaelon OF Mexico for the most
49,, made up of the same class of
fn,ip p'e VINO have been taken success
Nsv into a our citizenship in Arizona,
MexlcO and Lower California