The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1916-05-18
SIXTEEN YOUNG
PEOPLE RECEIVE
THEIR DIPLOMAS
Five Graduates Earn HOnOrs
with Average Grade of 80
\ or Better
PROF. BEACH MAKESFINETALK
Big Crowd Sees Annual Exercises at
the High School-Debate Prizes
are Awarded

Sixteen young people, nine girls
and seven boys, ended their school
work in Kennewick last Friday eve-
ming and received their diplomas be-
fore an audience that packed the high
school auditorium to the doors. The
commencement exercises for the class
of nineteen sixteen were probably the
most perfectly conducted and most in
teresting Of any ever held in Kenne-
wick. Shortly after eight o'clock, the
class, preceded by the members of the
school board and the faculty, entered
the room and took their places on the
prettily decorated rostrum to the
measures of Mendelssohn's "War
March of the Priests" played by Miss
Spenser. The invocation was given
by the Rev. Knowles S. Tontz, after
which the high school chorus, grouped
in the balcony, sang Mendelssohn's
"victor's March,"
In introducing the speaker Of the
evening, Professor Walter G. Beach,
Of the University Of Washington, Su-
perintendent Lewis spoke Of the many
pleasant years Of their acquaintance.
which began when Mr.. Lewis was
worker in Professor Beach's classes.
The speaker, in turn, paid Mr.. Lewis
pretty compliment when he told Of the
earlier years of their acquaintance
and testified to the pleasure he had
gained from finding, in travels thru
out the Northwest, so many Of his
former classmen and classwomen "do-
ing the world Of the world in work.
manlike way"
Professor Beach, who is at the head
Of the department of sociology at the
University, is speaker to whom is
is real pleasure to listen. In addi-
tion to his admirable command Of Eng
lish, he marshalled his thoughts in
manner that held the keen attention
of his audience until the last sentence
had been spoken. His topic was ed
ucation and the Present Need" and in
his discussion Of it he dwelt on the
complexities Of our modern life. The
sufficient education of yesterday is not
ample for the demands of today's
strides in business, politics and the
sciences. The educated man of today
has wonderful richness of oppor-
tunities from which to pick and
choose-if he has been truly educated.
that is, has learned real insight, self
control and to discriminate between
that which is and is not really worth
while. "The truly educated man
knows that knowledge must be used
or knowledge is Junk" said the
speaker. "He knows that to be con-
trolled by externals-to live merely
in the excitement and by the excite
ment Of our modern life-is to become
merely follower, 'sideline' man.
The man or woman who would be a
leader must be self-controlled, he
must be master of his own character,
then when crises arise he will meet
them rightly"
Professor Beach's address was fol-
lowed by another selection by the
chorus, after which Superintendent
Lewis presenter the debate prize Of
$25 to Kennewick's interscholastic
champions, Miss Ruth Cresswell, Bar
ton Sherk and William Sly.
The presentation Of diplomas was
then made by M, M. Moulton, presi-
dent of the board, who accompanied
his distribution Of the parchment rolls
by brief talk to the graduates, full
of sound advice and encouragement.
Five Earn Honors
Five members Of the class gradual
ed with honors. These were as fol-
lows, the standing given being the
average percentage for the last five
years Of their school work: Sadie
Earhart, go 1-30, Olive Simsen 81 Gle,
Bernice Faus 80 1882, Edwin 0sgood
80 1896, Gail Boyd, 80 S-33. The Of
fice-s Of the class are Gail Boyd, presi-
dent; Corwin Terril, vice president;
Elsie Moeller, secretary and treasurer.
A brief sketch of the class personnel
follows:
Emil Behrman graduated from the
eighth grade in Kennewick and has
CONTINUED on page eight