School: Colby (8th Grade Graduation – 1914)
Poster: Stan

Surnames: Kautsky, Carver, Braddick, Phalen, Sims, Hudson, Goeltz, Holtzhausen, Baumgart, Allen, Fitzgibbons, Peterson, Dins, Hungerford

Source: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) Thursday, 06/11/1914

Eighth Grade Commencement

The Eighth Grade Commencement exercises were held in the lower hall of the school building Friday evening.

The decorations were in pink and white, the class colors. Pink and white streamers hung from the center formed a canopy over the stage which occupied the alcove before the main entrance.

Ferns and pink geraniums hid the front of the stage before which was a table holding two bouquets of pink roses, the class flower, and one of white lilacs. The class motto: “Just Beginning,” was suspended above.

At half past eight the class of six girls and three boys entered and took their places on the stage.

Miss Ruth Kautsky and Miss Dorothy Carver rendered a beautiful piano duet, followed by prayer by Rev. R. R. Braddick. The girls of the sixth grade sang a song of welcome after which Prof. Phalen of the Stevens Point Normal School delivered the address of the evening.

Prof. Phalen of the Stevens Point began by delivering a message from Pres. Sims to the people of Colby in which he said that nothing but the death of a life long friend and relative could have prevented his being present that evening.

Prof. Phalen’s address was most practical and entertaining. He urged the boys and girls of the graduating class not to be satisfied until they had acquired the best educations which our high schools and colleges could give them. He assured them that lack of money was no obstacle to the boy or girl who possessed determination and a willingness to work.

The enthusiastic applause and many favorable comments from the people present showed that Prof. Phalen’s remarks were deeply appreciated.

At the close of the address Miss Dorothy Carver sang a beautiful solo and in response to an encore sang “Absent.”

The closing number on the program was the presentation of diplomas by Dr. E. V. Kautsky. In a few words Dr. Kautsky congratulated the class upon their success and urged them to continue their endeavors, assuring them that nothing they might acquire in school of in after years would be of any real value to them unless it was acquired honestly.

The following are the members of the graduating class, all of whom expect to enter high school in the fall:

Frances Hudson, Margaret Goeltz, Helen Kautsky, Irma Holtzhausen, Meta Baumgart, Tillie Allen, Thomas Fitzgibbons, John Peterson and Albert Dins.

Saturday evening Miss Hungerford entertained the members of the class at the hotel. They were served with ice cream at the drug store.