Evening star., 1937-05-30
.June in Capital Gay
With Commandments
Scores of Public, Private and Parochia]
Schools Have Programs Filled
With Interest

officially determined upon as the clos
ing day of school.
Across the continent old grads and
their relatives and friends fondly re-
member the grace and charm Of the
folk dances upon the green and COM
mencement plays in the natural am
phitheater of the harrington Chevy
Chase Junior College, and of the
hospitality so graciously dispensed
afterward by the members of the
faculty and the undergraduate stu
dents to Its guests upon these annual
June occasions.
College for the Deaf.
Commencement exercises at Gallau-
Diet College, Kendall Green, are unique
for Gallaudet College is the only col
lege for the deaf in America. Gradu-
ates in most instances, despite the
fact that they have covered class
A college course, cannot hear the
speaker, but must either read his lips
or depend upon the simultaneous in
depreciation of his speech in the sign
language. To the fairly flying fingers
of Miss Elizabeth Peet, Gallaudet's
dean of women, and the third genera
tlon OF her family to be prominent
in the work for the deaf, is usually
dedicated this task. Assistant Secre-
tary of Commerce Ernest Draper, who
was Gallaudet'S commencement speak
er last June, is the son of a former
professor in the college and is one
of the few high Government officials
OF our Nation who, because Of his
boyhood experiences on Gallaudet's
campus, can himself converse in the
sign language Of the deaf and from
his knowledge of lip reading follow
a conversation without hearing the
spoken word.
Eminent prelates of the Roman
Catholic Church are often COM
mencement speakers at the George
town. Preparatory School. Gonzaga
College, Catholic University, Brook.
land, and at Georgetown University
upon the heights of Georgetown
whose beginning antedates that oi
our Capital City itself
Similarly is this true OF the COM
mencement exercises at the famous
old Georgetown Visitation Convent
where successive generations of IA
nous families, American and Euro.
pean, still continue to send theil
| daughters; at Dumbarton College, mo-
tivated by the Sisters of the Holy
Cross, up on the elevation overlooking
Rock Creek Park, or at the Sisters
of the Sacred Heart School, Indel-
IDLY associated with graduations al
these educational institutions is the
memory of almost heavenly chora
music and of harp ensembles.
Gunston Hall Exercises.
Another commencement associated
in the minds of its alumnae with
beautiful music and the dignity OF
extreme simplicity is that of Gunstor
Hall. Its lower school graduates
carry clusters of red and white roses
and those in the junior college sprays
OF blue delphinium and yellow roses
AS awards are present in the schools
auditorium, a colorful picture Of
youth and loveliness is projected
against the green of banking palms
and the eam-colored Colonial colon
nades of the school, on the estate
from which George Mason. its old
owner, used to visit his nearest neigh
Dor, George Washington.
Another commencement OF com.
pelling interest because OF its planned
simplicity Is that Of the Potomac
School, whose pupils range from kin.
dergarten age through the eighth
grade.
Usually, a month in advance Of its
commencement. the school holds its
parents and friends open house day
when the children's work along many
lines is exhibited Much is made, too,
OF the children's festival which this
year centered about the customs and
folk dances Of Norway. So, on the
final day Of graduation, the program
is devoid OF any features except those
which have to do with the spirit of
the day itself. In simple white frocks,
carrying identically similar bouquets
OF Spring flowers, symbolical Of Froe-
bels ideas that the education of youth
should center about growth and
beauty in garden, its eighth grade
pupils step forward to receive their
certificates. A unique feature centers
about that moment when the tiniest
kindergarten tot at Potomac proudly
comes forward carrying a composite
Colonial-type bouquet, which often
seems larger than herself. This she
presents to the president of the eighth
grade, or graduating class. A paper
ruff holds together individual nosegays
to the exact number Of the pupils In
the seventh grade, to whom they are
IN turn presented as indicative Of the