The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1927-05-28
LARGE CLASS
IS GRADUATED
y AT JUNEAU HI
Final Commencement Exer-
cises Held-Ablc Address
by U. S. Atty. Harding.

The largest group of boys and
girls ever to be graduated from the
Juneau High School, 10 in number
received their diplomas last night
at the exercises in the High school
auditorium.
The hall was crowded and many
were forced to stand Justin w. Hard
ing, who gave the principle address,
spoke interestingly and convincingly
and the remainder of the program
went off smoothly and creditably.
The platform, upon which the class
to be graduated sat, as well as the
speakers, was decorated charmingly
with flowers, ferns and potted plants.
and presented a fitting background
for the girls in their white frocks
and their bouquets of flowers.
The Junior Orchestra did splendid
ly, as people have grown to expect
it to from past performances. The
invocation. which was given by the
Rev. c. e. Rice, was simple and
appropriate. Arthur Burke and Ben
Stewart did very craditably in their
flute duet and the plaintive strains
of the Melody in F seemed appro
pirate to the mood of the evening.
Day" charmingly, and the clarinet
trio given by Brian Harland. William
Herman. and Dana De Vighne, was
greatly enjoyed.
"Whither Goest Thou?"
Mr.. Harding took for the main
topic of his address the old greeting
of the cross roads, Whittier Goest
Thou?" The fascination of the tide
waters and ships coming into and
leaving ports was mentioned by him
and the class to be graduated was
aptly compared to great vessel put
ting out. to sea, with a cargo, un-
known to the by-stander, unknown
adventures ahead, to enter unknown
ports. THE class is outward bound
and goes into a new world. The
worlds progress from primitive days
was traced and the vast improve
ments in transportation, amusements,
and communication brought out clear
ly. also the fact that the class was
outward bound into a new and amaz-
ing world, and into an old world new
only to them" said Mr. Harding.
Youth itself is not new, nor is
flaming youth. The fathers of mem
bers of this class, no doubt put on
their derby hats, climbed into the
old buggy and thought they were
the last word in flaming youth. Fash
ions change but human nature re-
mains much the same"
Man Product of Evolution
Mankind is product of evolution
the processes of which are old and
the records dim, was the beginning
of a short explanation of the devel-
opment of mankind" Mr.. Harding
said. Man has no memory of his
past, and some men. when they view
ed some of their supposed ancestors,
hated to admit their decendance,
even, in Tennessee and tried to clint
nate their distant past by legislative
enactment. But in spite OF this legis-
lation the past remains. not only in
archaeological records, but in man
himself The old Neanderthal Man
sleeps in us all, physically, mentally.
spiritually, and morally. In view of
some of the acts of mankind. the
idea that occasionally our deeds are
influenced by the remnants of the
Neanderthal, instead of being done
deliberately after long reasoning, is
more just to Divine Providence than
planning them on it,
Mr.. Harding mentioned the great
struggle Of mankind, as something
of which to be proud. The floods,
famines. volcano eruptions, pestil-
ence, and other forces which have
attempted, in vain, to impede the
onward march can only. now. be
imagined and the heroes have vanish
ed into oblivion. The great drama
of life continues, unto its ultimate
goal, he said, even though the actors
of the drama pass like the SHOWS
of yesterday. Man now feels a sense
of responsibility to the world. his
country, state and his family. instead
of just to himself as formerly.
Old Standards Serve Purpose
In the struggle of mankind up
ward certain codes have developed,
Mr. Harding said, and though they
may seem imperfect and outworn, to
the young people about the step into
the world as masters of their own
destiny and captains of their own
souls. they still serve the demands
of the we'll being and happiness
of the whole people better than any
rules which the individual can build
in day. He urged the young men
and women to start out into the
world with the accumulated knowl-
edge and wisdom of centuries. in
stead owaiting to learn everything
from hard experience.
Cannot Beat Lies Game
Life must be played according
to the rules. and one cannot. beat
the game. went on Mr.. Harding, it.
self cannot be cheated, the only one
who can be cheated is the person
who tries to forget the rules laid
down. "You cannot evade yourself.
and you cannot escape yourself" +"
He urged the young people not to