The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1919-05-30
ANNUAL COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES OF
OCALA HIGH AND GRAMMAR SCHOOLS

The high school graduates were
with us again this week and are now
entering upon life, the success" OF
which is yet to be seen.
The future is one of promise to
them, if they care to make it such,
and their friends have confidence
that their ambitions will carry them
forward to successful and honorable
careers.
We who have passed through the
schools and are now treading the
rougher and sterner pathways of life
welcome them to our midst, and sim
cerely wish that success may be
theirs in their chosen vacations in
life. But Of this we have no fear,
for the indomitable win power Of
Yaung America knows no insur-
mountab1e obstacle. There is al
ways a way and this way they Will
find. We are proud of our young
graduates and trust that the years to
come may be ones of honor and
glory to them.
On last Friday night at the Temple
theatre the beginning Of the COM
mencement exercises was the class
play, "A College Town., in which all
of the seniors assisted by several Of
the other high school pupils took
part. This play was pronounced by
all who saw it to have been the best
class play ever produced in Ocala and
it was also big financial success, the
class clearing one hundred and forty
dollars after paying all the expenses
This money will in all probability be
given to the school athletic associa.
tion or for some other school work
The stars of the play were Leon
ard Wesson, Loureen Spencer, Sara
Herndon and last but not least, for
he was the real star, Lamar Bar
nett, as Leiticus, the Ace of Spades.
The entire cast was good, each one
doing his or her part excellently well.
=
Sunday morning at eleven o'clock
at the Temple theatre the annual
baccalaureate sermon was preached
by Rev G.. M. Britain, the new Bap-
fist minister. For number of years
it has been the custom to have the
baccalaureate sermon preached by
one of the local ministers, rotating
from year to year in selecting min
lister from the different churches. and
this year it was the wear for the
Baptist minister ami it was most
pleasing that so many people were
in this way given such splendid OPP
p0rtunity of hearing our new Baptist
minister for the first time. DR.. Brit
tain's subject was Drifting" his
text being the 9Th verse of the 10th
Psalm. He said that he had felt
like choosing his text from the Satur-
day Evening Post from an article
about the famous Sergeant Alvin
York, of Tennessee, who when asked
to tell of his achievements answered
that he played the game straight"
Or. Britain besought these young
scholars to play the game straight"
and warned them against drifting"
Drifting into idle habits, drifting into
had companionships, drifting into the
gambling habit, drifting into the
drink habit, drifting into dissolute
living, etc. His sermon was splen-
did one and was listened to most at
tentively by the young graduates and
the large audience present.
Other numbers on the program
were two anthems, 20 Lord, How
Manifold" and "Judilate-Deo," sung
by Mesdames H. M. Hampton, Fl. M.
Black, Leverett Futch, r. G. Blake, G.
w. Martin, r. nj. Martin, III. s.
Chambers, H. B. Clarkson, and
Messrs. A. e. Gerig, C. G. Frazier,
Frank Gates, c. S. Cullen, Lester LII
cas- and j. J. Gerig, Miss Irma Blake
playing the accomplishments
There were also several hymns, a
Scripture reading and several pray
ers.
At one o'clock Monday at the Arms
House the teachers of the high
school entertained at beautiful DIM
ner. their guests being the members
of the graduating class The dinner
was served on two tables decorated
in the class colors. green and gold,
and centered with white and yellow
daisies. A delicious dinner OF tried
chicken. cold meats, vegetables, 70.