The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-06-09
|nraduates of 1917 Finish Their
Elementary School Work
and Receive Their
Certificates.
COUSINS IS ORATOR
Ir1oouent Iowan Gives Sketch
Of Thomas Bracket Reed,
Commencing Character
to Glass.

Recognition OF the Iact tnaE tneo
re war class" and that two Of
,he;r number already had cast theii
~, ~ under the folds Of the flag Of
So,,ocracy. was made by the class o.
so,5 of Keokuk high school which
10 10 duated last evening. Standing a.
eaS,te the class gave the pledge OF
ol,egiance to their flag. carried by
.ha;r president, Lyman G. Beach. II
mas an impressive and dramatic
soana The class had taken its place
ou the stage, when the flag was car
ried to the front by Mr.. Beach. AS
10 turned to face the class, the
man,hers came to attention, and then
cave their pledge to their flag and
their country. .,
The address to the class was fit.
ting in that the life and character OF
ono Of the foremost figures OF Amer.
lea parliamentary history was the
theme. and that the speaker, the Hon
Robert G. Cousins, commended the
characteristics of Thomas Brackett
Reed of Maine, to the young people,
&c worthy of emulation. The speak,
ar who was himself one of the col.
lossal figures of congress, drew a
beautiful word picture Of the great
sneaker of the house, telling or the
characteristics that marked his life,
and made him great.
The class Of 1917, the fory-sixtli
n he given diplomas from keokuK
high school, has the distinction of
having member who has made the
highest scholarship record in the
history OF the school. Miss Bertha
Louise Plug, winner Of the first
Kilbourne prize, has made record
for the four years of 9S.S and for
senior year her grades averaged
9S.75. DR.. R. l.. Reid, in announcing
the honorss spoke of this unusua,
scholastic record and complimented
Miss Pflug on her Accomplishments.
The Opening Exercises.
The exercises began last nlght
with an orchestra program. given by
the high school orchestra, conducted
by Prof. P. C. Hayden. The program
included the following numbers:
Overture-The Scarlet Crow. N.
Bennett.
Flower Song Alteration G. D.
Barnard.
Waltzes- Wedding OF the Winds
j. T. Hall.
March-Garden Of Melody-W. F.
Sudds.
After the class had taken its place
on the stage, the exercises were
opened by William Aldrich. superln-
tendent of schools, who introduced
the Rev. DR.. e. B. Newcomb, pastor
of the First Westminster Presby-
terrain church, who gave the invoca'
ton. Dr. Newcomb gave thanks TOR
the provisions for education OF the
young people as are found all through
this country, and especially in our
own city. 1t was a heritage to which
We had dedicated ourselves from the
days of the Pilgrims, he said
Following the invocation, the prin-
cipal of Keokuk high school, DE-. Il.
l. Reid, introduced Hazen l. Sawyer,
who was to introduce the speaker OF
the evening.
Iowa Proud of Speaker.
Iowa" Mr.. Sawyer said, is
proud Of a great many things. one
of these was her many great men
who have brought honor and glory.
She has beep proud of her Hepburn,
her Kirkwood, her Dolliver, her Cum
Minis and her Kenyon. Not the least
OF these is one who has made the
prairies of Iowa known for the elo-
quence they have produced, one
whose speeches are known from
ocean to ocean"
In this manner Mr.. Sawyer present
Cd the Hon. Robert G. Cousins OF
Upton, Iowa.
Character Sketch Of Reed.
Mr. Cousins subject was a charac-
ter sketch Of Thomas Bracket Reed,
probably the greatest figure in the
national house of representatives
and in the parliamentary history tof
this country without an equal. Mr..
Cousins said that advice Is usually
laken through experience or example,
ana he hoped through the medium of
ms character sketch of this great
american to bring to the class some
lessons which would be Of help to
mem. and to present characteristics
worthy Of emulation.
Thomas Bracket Reed was born
n Portland, Me-, October 80, 1899.
he grew, according to the speaker,
o be six feet and six inches tall
IND stout accordingly. He grew,
lkewlse, in intellect. until his name
vas known throughout the nation.
no king, no senator ever held such
sway as did Thomas B.
'eed. the speaker said.
49,. Worthy Of Emulation.
Thomas B. Reed seems singularly
VI interesting and worthy character
contemplate and emulate" the
peaker said. Worthy of contemp-
allon by his genius, and of emula-
ion through his mighty steadfast-
less to purpose"
me speaker told of the ancestry of
!, ne Reed family, which was one of
Ne ones which early had Joined the