Ashland weekly tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1919-1924, 1921-12-21
PASTORS RESENT
ONE-NIAN HONORS,
II. s. GRADUATION
(From Saturdays Daily


The resolution recently presented
to the city school board by the Ash
land Ministerial association, asking
that action be taken to alternate the
honors yearly in appointment of
ministers to deliver the baccalaure-
ate sermon at the commencement ex-
ercises of the high school gradual
ing class, has been refused, accord
ing to statements of the school au-
thorities.. The graduating class has
always chosen the minister for the
exercises, in Difference to which pre-
cedent, the school board refused to
act affirmatiyely with the resolu-
tion, claiming that the request was
considered dlctatorial, and resented
al such.
For the past four years, Rev. c. A.
Edwards, pastor of the Methodist
Episcopal church, has been chosen
by the Ashland graduating class to
preach the baccalaureate sermon.
According to Rev. Walter Evans,
pastor of the Baptist church, and
president of the association, the
ministers resented the yearly refer
ences OF Rev. Edwards to past hon
ors, feeling that such references was
rubbing it in."
The action was taken by the min
isterial association, Rev. Evans says,
not because of any personal feeling,
but to preclude il possible the sue
cessiye appointment Of any one min
lister.
The school people say that mas
much as the students attend the re-
ligious services of the graduating
exercises OF their own free will and
cannot be required TO do so, there
fore they should be allowed to
choose their own church speaker.
Ii this permission were not given, It
is feared that very light attend
ance would result.
The school board deplores the fact
that the students chose the same
speaker and church four years in
succession and agree to use every
effort to see that 1t is not done again,
being in thorough accord with the
ministers in their contention that
this favor should be passed around.
The school board does not feel, how.
ever, that the students should be
asked to choose different church
and minister every yeas, because
they might not desire to include in
their choice every church in Ash
land, and if the choice were con-
fined to certain churches, who could
say where the line should be drawn?
The following is the resolution
presented to the school board by the
association:
Inasmuch as the public school sys-
lem is part of the general life of
The community, and all the churches
and ministers are equally interested
and glad to give cooperation and
to its success and
general welfare, and all are expected
% cooperate in its commencement
And whereas in most communal
les the commencement services are
leld in the different churches in or
Ter OF rotation;
And whereas it has not been the
case in our community;
Therefore, be it resolved. that we,
he Ashland Ministerial association, .
in regular meeting assembled, do .
'ecommend that, beginning this
year, the precedent be established
Of alternating with church and
preacher, the commencement service
inC commencement sermon. And in
'ase the auditorium of the enter
.aining church is~not sufficiently
arge to accommodate the eeryice,
hat such church hold the service in
he Armory, which is always avail
lble for public use.
We further recommend that the
commencement service this year be
held In the First Baptist church, and
that the Presbyterian minister be
;hosen to preach the baccalaureate
sermon.
This need not deny the gradual /.
ng class the privilege of naming the
commencement preacher, but will
grant to all members of the class an
equal right, in view of the fact that
he class is generally composed of
Young people from all the churches
IN the town.
Signed: Walter L. Evans, presi-
lent; c. F. Koehler, secretary.