Semi-weekly herald., 1916-06-05
COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES

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public announcement had been made
that the doors of Red Men hall would
not open until 7:45, there were hun
dreds in waiting to gain admission
when the doors were thrown open. BY
8 o'clock the hall was well filled and
by $50 there was no longer standing
room. Not by any means could the
big crowd be accommodated at Red
Men hall last night so interested were
the citizens in the large class that
appeared for graduation.
The evergreen decorations and the
beautiful class colors of green and
white were most appropriate for the
occasion and Indicated excellent tast
on the part of those who had charge
of that part of the program.
The graduates appeared at their
best, the ladies in their caps and
gowns and the gentlemen in similar
attire. 1t was m)st magnifi-
cent and inspiring occasion for those
who have centered their thoughts on
this worthy class of 1916. No doubt
that each young lady and each young
man in that number of A felt proud
of the fact that he or she could be
listed as one, but there were others
who were just as proud as were the
graduates. The fathers and the
mothers, the brothers and the sisters,
the uncles and the aunts as well as
the cousins and the grandparents were
there and it was evident that to them
this was one Of the proudest moments
of their lives. And these We're notable
aspirations. For all these years they
have been watching these Durango
youths as they have passed from
grade to grade. They have signed
their monthly reports and each time
we're glad to know that another step
had been made. Certainly they were
proud of the moment that they should
realize along with these young people
that they had finished the work pre-
scribed for them by the Durango
board Of education and carried out in
most excellent way by the most
competent force of instructors under
the efficient supervision of Superin-
tendent Emory +. Smiley.
The Program.
At the appointed time the members
Of the class We're appropri itely seat
cl on the beautifully decorated stage
and Rev. John II. Yates of the Epis-
copal church delivered most appro.
PIRATE invocation.
The class as Il whole sang the
opening chorus, "Spring Time p
which was greeted with applause
from the crowded house.
Miss Mary Lee King was the first
individual of the graduates to appear
on the stage for the delivery of an
essay on "a Homestead" The
thought of this composition was in
line with the development Of Colo
RADIO and the west and was beauti-
fully rendered. 1t too, met with gen
eral applause.
Vernon Thomas Mckinney gave u
reading on Gardening adapted
from Charles Dudley Wamer-This
was very entertaining to the audience
who gave evidences that they could
appreciate with him the difficulties
to be met with in the gardening bust
ness when one goes into it with tn.
hoe in earnest. 1t was some take
off on the garden business. 1t pre-
sumed to look at the comical side of
that work with serious aspect. Yer
non was at home with his subject and
certainly entertained all in a most
pleasing manner.
Hiss Helen Robert Sloan then rem
lered in most pleasing way piano
solo, entitled, "A La Bien Aimee
Valse," by Edward Schutt This
pleased the audience and the manner
in which they responded to it's rem
dition gave every indication that she
finished long before the audience was
ready for her to finish. This is GER
tainly a most wonderful accomplish
ment when it is remembered that Miss
Helen has taken her musical course
at the same time carrying her school
work thru the grades and the high
school.
Miss Frances Willard Dodson, next
entertained the audience with read
ing on Mistress Sherwood's Victory"
by Eva l.. Ogden. She too, was az
her best and all listened with closest
attention as she gave in most ma.
tural manner the details of the vic
tory as asciibed to Mistress Sher-
wood. She closed in an able manner
and was greeted with the applause of
a well pleased audience.
Wallace Graham Mollette gave an