The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1921-06-10
DIPLOMAS ARE !. ( | !.
GIVEN SENIORS
OF HIGH SCHOOL 4
Principal Bolt Contrasts Com.
mencement of High School
of 10 Years Ago
1921 CLASS LARGEST
Nfty-Seven Graduates Mark
High Water Mark in
Schools Development

Schools Development
Fifty-seven graduates Of tho Bis.
marck high school received diplomas
at tho annual commencement exer.
cises of he.school last night. Several
hundred people in the auditorium ap-
plauded the graduates as each step.
ped forward to receive the priced
! sheepskin. i :
In presenting the diplomas Prof. c.
F. Bolt, principal of the high school
recalled the first commencement OF
the high shool at which he handed out
diplomas. This was ten years ago.
Contrasts Two COsmnencements.
The exercises were held in the ol !
BijOu theater ON Main street." he
said. "and there were 13 girls and
two boys in the graduating class.
There are more boys in the 1921
class than inN the entire class of
ten years ago the first year I was
In Bismarck. The class of 1921, with
81 members, is the largest class in
the history of Bismarck high school,
Must Develop Character
Education which develops the intel
lect but does not strengthen moral
character is a failure, Judge A. M
Christiansop told the graduates in his
commencement address. = 2
Human ingenuity has never yet
devised a form of government, but you
come to a place somewhere where the
power to decide rests with some man
or body of men, he said. Provide
whatever rules. establish whatever
balances you desire, ultimately the
rights Of life, liberty and property
are determined by men. The very
existence Of those rights eventually
depend upon somebody having tho will
to recognize and enforce them when
it is in his power and may even seem
to his interest to ignore them. The
guarantees of. life, liberty and prop
erty are of little value unless the
man, or body Of men with whom the
power to determine and apply them lies,
have the will and the courage to do
right. So we cannot escape the con
clusion that In the last analysis not
only the rights Of the individual, but
:. the very fate ofs.g0vernment, itself
rests upon individual character"
''The reason American institutions
and traditions have been maintained
10 that the American people have
maintained high moral standard =
he said, pointing out the failure at
tending government in many Repub-
lies, notably in Latin.America, which
have constitution and laws Of broad
and Just government but fail in execu-
tion because of the lack of character
of those charged with executing the
laws. t.
Z * Moral Standards Rule E
Judge ChristiansOn, developing his
theme, THE Foundation of Individual
and National Achievement said that
in government like ours, where the
people are the source Of power, and
the will of the majority constitution.
ally expressed the law Of the land, the
rights of the individual citizen, and
the fate of the nation depends upon
tho moral standards Of the great body
of the citizenry-they must have the
will and the courage to do right.
Telling the graduates that strength
OF character is the chief requisite In
success in business, he gave an ex-
ample OF q brilliant man who had fail
ed because he lacked strength Of moral
character. This man, he said, he met
in the state penitentiary while he was
serving on the pardon board. He
came before the pardon board and
gave, a lecture on psychology that
was Z masterpiece; he was loved by
the inmates and when he finally. lett
was given gold watch by other pris.
oners But he had used his talents
to win men to him and his keen bust.
ness intellect to deceive business men
in many states and to deceive his
friends, the speaker said. Had he
kept the straight road he could have
achieved great success.
. III at the time his character was
forming more time had been spent in
developing his moral character and
less time spent on improving his in.
tellect he would now be a useful citi.-
zen instead Of menace to society"
said Judge Christianson.
Foundation In N. o.
Stating that 1T has been the settled
policy Of America that her citizens
have suificient opportunity to develop
intelligence enough to permit the 80.
luton Of her problems" and that this
policy was not only that of the nation
but of the state of North Dakota,
Judge ChristiansOn drew lesson of
the provisions of the constitution Of
the state, drawn in 1889. =
The first statement Of the consti-
tuition on the subject of education was:
"A high degree of intelligence patriot
ism. integrity, and morality on the
part of every voter In government
by the people Being necessary in or
der to insure the continuance of that
government and the prosperity and
happiness of the people, the legislat.
i've assembly shall make provision for
the establishment and maintenance Of
system of public schools which
shall be open to all children Of the
state of North Dakota and free from
sectarian control. The legislative re.
!quirements shall be irrevocable with.
out the consent of the United States
and the people of North Dakota"
No License Money
{. At the very outset, he said, the state
of North Dakota, realising the import.
ance Of education, provided that edu-
cation should be open to all children.
The constitution provided for the
establishment of higher institutions OF
l>oruin~ hn min tod ont charged fke