The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1924-06-19
A Brief Comment as to Courtesy
(By Margaret NJ. Chase

How splendid the interest shown by
the residents of Skowhegan in the
Commencement exercises of our high
school last Friday. And too, how
much we enjoyed seeing the young
folks present, keenly interested in a
ceremony in which. they should hope
to participate at a later date. How
sad it is that parents of those grad
uating, though the most elaborate
plans were made, could not have the
principal consideration as to seats.
Those in authority have no wish to
exclude anyone from the audience on
a Commencement evening. They do
deem it fitting, however, and very
much desire, that those unquestion-
ably having an especial interest in
the event should be cared for as to
seats before the general public is
admitted. Presumably, no one
would object to this, but at the door
of the auditorium, last Friday even
ing, there were many who seemed to
abandon all appreciation of the pro-
prieties and who were willing to take
seats to which they were not invited,
even to the exclusion of mothers and
fathers of members of the graduating
class.
The graduates numbered forty-sev-
en- Six hundred invitations were is
sued, each member of the class being
assigned ten for parents, near rela-
tives and family friends. With these
invitations were tickets for reserved
seats, which were checked on the
previous Tuesday and Wednesday
Those having this privilege and not
ayailing themselves of it forfeited
their right thereto and the seats not
checked were thus made available TO
the general public In addition to
those checked off under the plan Just
mentioned there we're forty seats re-
served for the junior class, l2O Tor the
alumni and about ten for the tacuily
of the school. Certainly no one
would question the propriety OF max
ing these reservations. IL was ah-
nounced that those who were 10 DC
cupy the seats thus reserved must De
on hand by 7.45 o'clock; otherwise
the reservation would be canceilea
and the public admitted to make use
of them. -
fishers were appointed to attend TO
oil these matters and it was their
dutv to see that the general puDllc
waited in the foyer and on the stair
WAYS until 7.45. Many of those VINO
arrived were entirely willing to ABIDE
by this rule but others were not ana
elbbwed and crowded by the door,
keepers and ushers in very rude ana
discourteous way. They took the
soats that we're reserved for parents
and near relatives and. as a result
mothers and fathers of the graduating
class. In some instances, were opils-
ed to stand or abandon the hall alto
gether. ,,.,o,, for
A further want of consideration 1or
the rights and feelings of others was
evidenced. by manv who, before the
close of the evening. got up and went
out. apparently not caring no" hiusn
tbejr noisy exit disturbed those VINO
were willing to remain presuhi-
ablv. in part at least. this disturbance
was caused by those who TOOK .he
seats which. upon invitation OF tne
class. should have been occupied by
others. IT. .ro
r. the plan under which seats are
a,Iotted for the annual Commence
ment exercises Is wrong. 1t shouid De
discussed and new one sueses1eu.
The one at present employed mas
been made use OF. practically without
change, for many years ana IT'S Jus
tice has rarely been questioheu.