Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-06-27
SCHOOL DAYS OVER
FOR MANY PUPILS
Burlington High Sends Out
Class of ZIG Boys and Girls
Graduating Exercises Include
Some Well.Written Essays
and Award of Prizes

Like soldiers setting forth from their
training camp to enter the battle grounds
of a war-striken world, SO Friday 116
graduates of the Burlington high school
class Of 1918 set forth with their public
school education finished to join the
struggling forces Of civilization. The
graduation exercises at the Majestic
theatre Friday morning marked the
completion of the course of study pro-
vlded by the municipal schools.
It was the next to the last time that
the pathways of the entire 116 souls should
ever again cross, the last time being that
night at the reception with terminated
the two days of ever-to-be-forgotten cere-
monies. Preceding the commencement the
graduates grouped together and auto
graphed each others class books, ex-
changed photographs and gave pledges to
ever treasure the happy school days spent
together.
The program of exercises included FIVE
esays and three orations, two vocal solos,
the awarding of prizes and varied musical
features
THE PRIZE-wINNERS
The annual scholarship prizes from the
University of Vermont awarded to one
young man and one young lady from the
graduating class for the most successful
work shown during the four yearss went
to Miss Janice Jane Byington of the
classical course and George Vincent Kid
der of the sub-classical course.
Three scholarship prizes from the will
of Louisa Howard. s25, SIS and $40 in gold
for the first, second and third highest
scholarship ratings for the entire four
years, went to George Vincent kidder.
first, Miss Janice Jane Byington, second
and Miss Amy Luella Hammond of the
sub-classical course, third.
| The alumni of the school provide three
prizes annually, one for the classical SUBJ
classical and English course, for the best
work done the last year in the entire
school. These prizes We're won by Hervey
Macomber of the sophomore year; Amy
Luella Hammond of the sub-classcal
course and Celia Levin of the commercial
course.
| Miss Celia Levin of the commercial
course was awarded first prize for the
best essay and Grafton delivered under
the fund left by the class of 1880 for that
purpose while George william Davenport
was awarded second honors. Miss Levin 8
essay subject was Should Immigration
be Restricted?" while Mr.. Davenport took
Twill Civilization Survivor" for his GRAFTON
subject The judges for this class were;
Mrs. j. w. Votey. Professor Frederick
Topper and the Rev. C. c. Adams.
Green Mountain Chapter, Daughters of
the American Revolution. awarded public
ly their prizes to the members of the
junior class of the school for the best
Essays on Vermont and the Great War"
The winners were Miss Ncrns Holland,
first, and Homer Ashlahd second There
were eleven contestants and the two win
ners submitted such good essays that two
prizes instead of one were given. Miss
Holland received S. gold piece, while
Mr. Ashland received a $3.50 gold piece
Mrs. Watkins represented the society.
The diplomas were awarded by Super
intendent of Schools Merritt D. Chit
tenden. who made a brief address COM
mending the graduates on their splendid
showing. Principal John e. Colburn
awarded the prizes with the exception OF
the two from Green Mountain Chapter
Daughters Of the American Revolution
and also acted as master of ceremonies.
THE ESSAYS AND CREATIONS
SHOULD Immigration Be Restricted?'
the product of Miss Celia Levin, and the
prize-winning essay, in part follows: Visit
Ellis Island in New York, where the imlni
grants are stationed, and lock at then
as they are detained there. Despite theii
beings. Many have the hunted look ant
| have been prosecuted and bounded fo
years They now are in America, the lane
of the free, to seek freedom of thought
, worship and to obtain the rights of human
} beings. 1t is the immigrant who developed
( the intellectual, political and sociai vel
fare of the country. We all are immi
grants in the ttue sense of the word. TIL
f. pilgrims who founded this country wer
immigrants. Under the spirit of libert.
with which the Declaration of hide
: pendence was signed, how can we den.
the right to immigrants to enter tn
United States to be free men? The immi
: grant has always given the country
maximum return for his labor and is al
D asset to the country"
Twill Civilization Survivor" the prize
winning Grafton of George William Daven
port, in part follows: "Civilization ad
| vances in waves. each wave becomin
better than the previous one. The Chinese
Babylonian. Greek and Roman periods @
civilization followed one another and eac
was better. To-day the ideal of moder
civilization is democracy. Germany ha
10000 900 subjects ofe European countre
under the rule of autocracy and If sh
e wins this war she will have 100000, on
more subjects in Europe under that cor
-, troll. Civilization will be swept away an
Il we will go back to the days of barbarisn
n Civilization in the past has been confine
v to certain races only, now it is natior
, wide 1t takes in most of the worlt
!. Civilization must either advance or d.
v cline. 1t cannot remain stationary. Chris
tianity has not failed but the civiize
z world has failed to grasp the meaning
d Christianity. Civilization must advanc
e with Christianity and democracy for Il
e ideals, and must so save the world
# Miss Elizabeth Allen. who in her essa
y took "A King and His People" for III
= subject, told of King Albert of Belgiu
and his people, how he worked anon
IS them, became one of them tried to Il
h crease their efffci acy and then came II
war. With It they rallied to him ar
= though their own own land was destroys
l. they saved the fate of the Christian nj
, tons King Albert is now in the trench