The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-06-21
High School Alumni Gather
in Large Numbers
for Reunion
PARADE, ADDRESSES,
AWARD OF TROPHIES

Warmly Greeted = Funds Voted for
Red Cross Work - Glass Reunions
Refreshments Served to $50.
With patriotism as its dominant note,
the Brattleboro High School Alumni as
.sociation held its annual reunion last
might, bringing to a close series Of es-
Iecially noteworthy and enjoyable fea
lures Of commencement week. That the
former high degree of interest was main
tanned was proven by the size of the
gathering of former students and their
husbands and wives, the high school
room, where the closing part of the pro
gram was held, being crowded and the
caterer serving refreshments to 450 per
sons, which is almost identical with the
number served last year. Besides the
Usual reunion features patriotic ad
dresses were given in the Auditorium by
Prof. Raymond Mcfarland Of Middle
bury college and John Spargo of Old
! ennlngton, an orator and writer of note,
/ who recently dissociated himself with
the Socialist party, which he considered
IroGerman and un-American; also sub
stantial contributions were made to the
Red Cross work
/ Japanese lanterns illuminated the
school grounds, and there at a little after
| 1.45 clock the alumni formed for the
parade, which is the annual spectacu-
| lar feature of the reunions. Several hun
dred of the townspeople saw and ap-
Iplauded the parade. Out of considera
tion for the seriousness of the world
events of the present time the usual
noise making instruments were omitted
Jas were grotesque costumes, but class
anners were carried and nearly all those
in line carried United States flags, the
double line of flags making an impressive
scene.
The parade left the school grounds in
double file, headed by the Brattleboro
Military band with Linn ID. Taylor as
Idrum major. Mai f. W. Childs was chief
marshal. On reaching the street near
the Wells fountain the column divided
and turned south, a line marching on
leach side of the street railroad track.
| the junction of Main and Elliot streets
the procession countermarched to point
in front of the town hall, the lines halt
ling and facing each other. The younger
tclasses marching last proceeded between
the lines to the Auditorium, bringing
the older classes i'll last, and in leaving
the building the younger classes went
first TO the school grounds and the same
Iplan was followed as before, bringing
the older classes first into the high
school room.
At the Auditorium Principal E. B.
Smith called upon the audience to sing
THE Star Spangled Banner, led by Fred
C. Adams of this town and the Pilgrim
male quartet Of Boston, printed slips of
patriotic songs having been distributed
q the company fled into the Auditorium.
After this number the quartet sang a pa
triotic march, with lighter numbers in
response to encores. The quartet showed
Itself to be particularly capable and re
lsourceful and won the instant approval
of all. Both here and in the high school
room its work received tremendous APP
plausc.
Principal Smith introduced Prof Me
lFarland as the first speaker. He gave a
stirring address on Service and Sacrifice,
speaking with fervor and imparting to
his hearers large measure of his own
earnestness. He said in part:
i Nations are like men. They have their
periods Of youth, Of growth and develop
ment, and of maturity. Like men, too.
; the character Of a nation is determined
/, by what it inherits, by its environment
and by it's ideals. The Hebrew nation
developed religious ideals that have new
a er been surpassed by any other people
Greece in maturity was crowned with
! beautiful temples and adorns all subse-
. qucnt history with rich literature be
cause her people aspired to excel in the
, finer arts The Romans-direet, practi-
! al and manly-contribute law aud civil
Q institutions as an abiding part of our
Iparent nation and our own.
The true greatness of a nation is
measured by its ideals, not by its sacri-
fees No people of modern tunes have
contributed a greater sum total of rich
literature, of music and painting, of edu-
cation, philosophy, business efficiency
and economic success than the Germans;
! they are suffering and sacrificing with
unmeasured stint for their fatherland.
Yet their motive for sacrifice is selfish,
their ideal is to create something for
themselves to the exclusion of all other
n nations. They are offering up piecemeal
e all the choice parts of their civilization
T III order to find a place in the sun; in
: fdolng this they have become a Benedict
e Arnold among the peoples of the world.
/ On the other hand, the allies are Civ
n ing up the costly fruits of civilization
i'll order that the ideals of civilization
may not PERISH peace, happiness, youth,
IS holy temples, everything sacred is sacri-