The Mena weekly star., 1917-05-17
SERIOUS THOUGHTS
 IN COMMENCEMENT
Most of the Exercises of Class of IT Had Relation to the War and It's Effect on the People of
 the Nation.

of the Mena High School, which was held Thursday night in the presby- terian church, marked the gradua- tion of class of fifteen members-a class of two young ladies and thirteen young men, reversing the usual or der of things in the High schools the country over, where the inverse ra- tio generally prevails. The mem bers of the class of 1917 are Hubert Patton, Louise Durham, Frederick R. Boughan, Harry A. Gallagher, Carol Hilton, Edwin D. Parrish, Warner St. John, Fred Whiteley, Roy A. Webb, Bethel Van Wagner, Paul Kaylor, Harold Conklin, Parry Barnes, Bert Ogden and Noel Lyons.
 The members of the Junior class had artistically decorated the church with the class colors of white and green, and a profusion of roses, other flowers and potted plants, placing bank of flowers on the choir rail, making a beautiful foreground, back of which the grad uates were seated. The Juniors al so acted as ushers.
 The exercises were characterized by an earnestness and simplicity in harmony with the troublous times thru which our Nation is passing, and the invocation, the salutatory, the valedictOry, as well as the com mencement address were each de- voted to viewpoints touching the na- tional crisis brought upon us by the world war, and the awful con- sequences of which are just begin ming to dawn upon the American people.
 Aside from the closing song, when the audience joined in singing one verse of America" there was only one musical number, and that when the members of the class marched into the church and took their places on the platform.
 Edwin D. Parrish, the salutatorian of the class, used as his subject Americas Duty to France review ing briefly the attitude of the French republic toward this coun- try in the struggle for independence, and pointing out from this review the plain duty of the American na- ton to rally to the support of France in this death struggle with the Imperial government of Ger many.
 Hubert paton the valedictorian of the class, in a splendidly written oration, discussed The Struggle of Democracy Against Despotism," us- ing as the theme of his story the struggle of the people of Russia un- der the government of aristocracy, administered thru methods of medi- evalism, and by a czar, almost insane from constant fear of assassina- tion. He pointed out that when the people did break the bonds that had so long enslaved them: They thought themselves shackled, but found that they had only been asleep. They considered czarism a powerful citadel, but in reality it proved to be only a house of cards, and when the gesture of the people turned into vigorous self-assertion, the few men who held the nation in their hands were cast off with such ease, that within forty-eight hours the autocracy lay prostrate at the feet of triumphant Democracy"
 Miss Bethel Van Wagner, as the class prophet, in an unique and clev- erly written story, told of the ac- complishments of all the members of the class in i9i2, getting much of the information of the success and work of the members from Prof. U. F. lobe, whom she met in Glenwood Springs, Colo, where he was filling an engagement as chautauqua lecturer.
 The commencement address de- livered by Prof. w. c. Murphy of the History Department of the State University at Fayetteville, like the sautatory and valedictory, was de- voted to present day conditions, pre- sented from the viewpoint of stu dent of history, and had to do large ly with the demands that are going to be made upon the best efforts oi every man. woman and child, that our nation may pass safely thru the crucial test of being part Tn the struggle for greater human liberty. Referring to Creasy's story oi the fifteen decisive battles, he suggested to the young people that there were decisive battles other than those fought with gun and sword, ana these are the battles they will De called upon to fight almost daily as they enter life's duties. The great thought expressed by Prof. Murphy was that out of this struggle there will come spiritual reNolullon.' which, if fought out to end, Will bring this nation in closer ana fuller harmony with the teachings of the Master.
 Mark ?. Olney, substituting on short notice for Minor Pipkln pre- sented the diplomas to the class on behalf of the Board of Education and the patrons of the school, and m doing so. urged the members ot the class to aim high in all thelr en- deavors, pointing out that Tn all walks of life there is still room at the top. Thus was closed a com mencement which will go down ih history as the most serious ever held in the Mena High school, tor' fl -Is nH If