News: Neillsville (12 Jun 1902)
Poster: Stan
Email: posted4u@charter.net

Surnames: Haugen, Huntley, Frantz, Ritchie, Tragsdorf, Crocker, Stevens, Sturdevant, Marsh, Balch, Kerr, Longenecker, Ring, Potter, Glass, Calway

---------Source: NEILLSVILLE TIMES (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) 06/12/1902

With a crash of music from Whitcomb’s orchestra, which was stationed at one side of the proscenium, the graduating exercises of the Neillsville High School for 1902 opened.

A solid bank of ferns and vines, festooned at the top with roses, lilies and other showy products of the flower gardens, covered the space between floor and footlights, while on the stage, rising at either side, were masses of green, giving soft lines to the stage.

When the curtain went up graduates Arthur J. Haugen, Marian E. Huntley, Bessie B. Frantz, Robert M. Ritchie, Clara C. Tragsdorf, Alice F. Huntley, Blanche G. Crocker and Orville A. Stevens, and school board, L.M. Sturdevant, S.M. Marsh and R.W. Balch, and Revs. Archibald Stewart Kerr and G.W. Longenecker, were “discovered,” sitting in a semi-circle, while overhead the class motto, “Nothing Without Struggle,” white on green background, hung like a rainbow of strenuous promise.

After one or two preliminary formalities and a song by Miss Ethel Ring, which was well received, Arthur J. Haugen gave the class salutatory entitle “Our Yesterdays.”

Guy Matheson’s bass solo was well sung, also Dell Potter, Miss Daisy Glass and Calway-Glass-Binder, Matheson quartet did well.

Miss blanche Croker’s rendition of “A Second Trial” was admirable, and “The Unknown Rider,” by Robt. Ritchie was a thrilling performance.

Miss Alice Huntley had been chosen valedictorian, and rose to the occasion with a happily rendered and interesting address.

The diplomas were then presented by Rev. G.W. Longenecker in a short, crisp, meaty talk which was greatly enjoyed by the large audience.

An overture by the orchestra was then followed by a season of felicitation, the graduates as the lions of the occasion coming in for much attention, the entire high school and the school faculty, however, being included in the ovation.

During the afternoon one of the high school recitations was turned into a veritable museum of school work, showing the work done by the different grades in drawing, botanizing, chemistry, penmanship, painting, etc., and it was all very fine. Our inspection was necessarily brief but was enough to convince us that city schools have been in excellent hands during the year.

Special mention ought to be made of the work of the scholars in the oral school for the deaf, their really marvelous exhibits of handwork exciting the admiration of all.

While the results of our school expenditures can never be what they should so long as we go on using the old building and equipment, the exhibition of Friday was eminently satisfactory, and the city congratulates itself upon the high standards attained.