The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1916-06-01
80 YOUNG Men
and WOMEN ARE
GIVEN DIPLOMAS
HIGH SCHOOL COMMENCEMENT
EXERCISES HELD WEDNESDAY,
IN CAUGHREN THEATRE
POWERFUL ADDRESS FEATURE
MISSES BERNICE ERICKSON AND
MARGARET HILSDALE DE-
LIVER HONOR THESES.

With as kindly admOnltlOn, sound
advice, hearty congratulatiOn and uni
versal bids of God-speed as received
by any graduating class which has
ever passed through the portals of the
Sank Centre High School, 80 young
men and women were Wednesday
night ushered across the last thresh-
old of the institution out into the
worlds of their own making.
1t was a gala night at the Caughren
theatre despite the inclement wealth
er. The class of 1916 bears the dis
tinction of being the largest in the
history of the high school and crowd
ed the stage of the Caughren to its
corners. The theatre auditorium was
jammed to capacity by relatives and
friends of the graduates. The decora-
lions were simple-a row of pOtted
flowers and ferns across the apron of
the stage and two pennants in the
class colors, cardinal and white, one
blazoning the year of the class and
the 9th = the class motto, BE
Square" The young women grad
yates all carried armsful of red roses.
In keeping with the policy of the
high school the exercises were with
out ostentation. The splendid High
School orchestra, directed by Mr..
Christianson, opened the program and
also gave several selections during the
evening. Invocation was pronounced
by Rev.R. w. Duel Only two
members Of the class participated &C.
lively in the program, Miss Bernice
Erickson bearing the salutatory hon
ors, and Miss Margaret Hilsdale being
valedictorian. Both young women ac-
quilted themselves splendidly, having
prepared weighty yet sensible theses
and delivering them admirably.
Miss Erickson dwelt on the rami-
fications of transportation of knowl-
edge by teacher to pupil j." Interest,"
ing and instructive manner. She
pointed out the advantage of employ
ing only the best teachers, and on the
other hand cited that success can
come to pupil in securing knowledge
only through his own industry, pictur-
ing wildly the cost of idle moments
and over-indulgence in social pleas
ures and other waste of time. She
said that the success of a school can
best be measured by it's school spirit,
and the enthusiasm of its students.
Miss Hilsdale depicted the change
which has come in educational meth
DDS, from the old days when TO De an
inspiring orator was considered the
pinnacle of education, down to the
present day Of elective courses, social
and economic training and special ex-
tension work. She cited the Junior
High Grade School idea as one of the
most recent advancements and COM
mended the board of education for
embodying the system in the local
school scheme. She pointed out how
the student in the grades tires Of the
same studies yearsafter year, and how
the new system with new studies
every year will overcome this evil
and cause the student to remain inter-
ested year from year until gradual
ing, instead of dropping out in the
Eighth Grade, as so many do at pres
ent because of disinterestedness in
their subjects. In conclusion Miss
Hilsdale expressed for the class their
debt of gratitude for the sacrifices Of
all who had aided them in finishing
their courses, that they had been
taught to meet the world, that they
had been given courage and expressed
the hope that they all might live use
full lives in the world at large.
DR.. James E. Freeman, rector of ST..
Marks Episcopal church bf Mime
apolis, delivered the address of the
evening and gave his hearers an in
tellectual treat. He is easily the best
commencement speaker Sank Centre
has heard in many years. Easy OF
poise, pleasing of voice, ready OF wit
wealthy of Renaissance, wide travel
ed, broad of mind, patriotic and Amer
Jean to the very core, rich in thought
and logic-he swept through a thous-
and or more different thoughts in his
hour on the platform in such interest
ing manner that the audience regret
ted when he concluded his address.
Patriotism and loyalty to the Unit
ed States were his constant keynote,
no matter into what channel Of
Continued on page 3.