The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-06-21
Miss Beard Wins First, and Miss Marsh, Sec Ond Barnum Prizes in Essay Contest-Ja Jacob DOlid, Miss Burr, F. G. A. Roth and Miss Fin kelstein Win Prizes.

 In addition to being the largest class eyer graduated from the Bridgeport High school the class of 1916. had also the distinction of being the first to hold it's commencement from the new school gbuiIding An audience of more than 1,50o relatives and friends of the young people was present at the exer~ cises beld last evening in the audito- rum of the new school The stage had been extended, and the 1Ss grad uates were seated upon the Gered seats Once again. for graduation, the girls had gone hack to the flrny white dresses in preference to the cap and gown instituted by a former class, and again the sweet girl graduate looked her sweetest upon this night of nights. Following the overture by the senior class orchestra and the chorus selec- tion Largetto, from Symphony II, Beethoven, by the graduating class, Miss Minnie Miller, salutatorlan' stepped to the front of the platform and welcomed the guests, saying Dear Friends.-
 It is always a very pleasant duty to greet those whom we love. but the members of the class of 1916 feel that ing fine first to welcome you, dear parents and friends, to their com mencement exercises in this beautiful building which your noble generosity reared youth of this city. The well lighted class-roo1ns, the spacious corridors, the perfectly equipped laboratories and this splendid auditorium all tes-' tify silently to the great interest which you have in the future of the boys and girls of Bridgeport
 May you feel rewarded, in the years to come, by the characters which have been nodded here, for your ezpendi ture in time and money, which the school system of Bridgeport repre- sentz
 If our education here has taught us to face these two great facts in life to see duty and not be swerved from performing the difficult task-to seek the truth and not grow weary in the search-then 1t cannot be considered a failure
 TO one and aI1 in the name, of my classmates, thank you for your gra- cfous preserce here this evening and bid you most cordial welcome
 Miss Katherine Beard, speaking on opened the contest for the Barnum prizes She was followed by Miss Elizabeth Gertrude F'orestelle, who spoke on People I Should Like to ..Tuskegee the Ultimate Solution of the Negro Problem ? Izador Novak, on .-The Romance of Synthetic Chenis- try and Mss Lucille Amelia, Marsh on People I Should Like to Have Known
 It was a c1ose contest The essays were delivered without hesitation or prompting
 MT. Neva1. the one young man on the program made a gallant fight for the honor of his sex and many people thought his clearly written one of the prizes When, however, it was made known that the Judges, Jonathan Godfrey, Rhi1o Calhoun and pr. D. C. Patterson had decided that Miss Katherine Beard was en- titled to the first prize of $50, and Miss Lucille Amelia Marsh to the sec lond one of $2Os there was much satis- faction and a storm of applause
 The Fairchi1d chemistry prize was awarded to Jacob DoIid- The i'm proyement prizes of $5 each, given by the class of 1908 to the young man and young woman who make the greatest Improvement between their junior and senior years, were awarded to Miss Aretta Sherwood Burr, and Friedrich George Alexander Roth, while similar commercial prize of $1e to young man woman was awarded to Miss Dorothy Maude Fin k1estein
 Elmer H. Ravens. president of the Board of Education, awarded the prizes. and diplomas. and read a let ter explaining the Margaret Faith Somerset Memorial fund
 Superintendent of Schools, Samuel J. Slawson made an address congrat- ulating the graduates upon their achievements and then followed the valedictory address by Miss Lillian Frances Lewis. who said:
 To The Board of Education--
 This class of 1916 has looked for word with even more than usual eag- erness to the commencement exer- cises tonight because it is the first class to graduate from the new build ing, and, although we believe we have spoken to the Board of Education be. fore of our gratitude for their care and thought in connection with oul new high school. we think we maS venture to thank them once more Not only because it is larger, hand soner, finer, than the old one do we want to thank them but because we shall think of it as synboIfcaI of the larger nfes the larger opportunity tC which our entire high school course has helped us. We shall renemDel the little red school house on the hiIP' for it's memories of our years ol apprenticeship but we shall rem ern Der the new building as representing the greater service and greater oppor- tunftfes of the years that are te come And SO. we say one last. sincere, and hearty Thank Your to eur Board oi Education,
 Mr. Slawson.-
 I am sure this class will always re member gratefully the ready interes of our superintendent in us, in oul new building. and even in the socfa life of the school. when he had knowT