Source: North Manchester Journal, May 21, 1896

Commencement, 1896

The fifteenth annual commencement of the North Manchester High School will take place with the usual appropriate ceremonies at the opera house tomorrow evening. It promises to be one of the most brilliant affairs of the kind ever known here. These occasions are made of much importance by the people and it speaks well for the town that such is the case. This year there are eleven graduates, ten handsome young ladies and one lone boy, Wilbur Helm, almost lost to view in the bevy of female beauty. The young ladies are Jessie Adams, Grace Eckman, Lenore Burton, Anna Eichholtz, Eva Blickenstaff, Louie Bonewitz, Phoebe King, Ollie Miller, Bertha Meredith and Grace Overly. Seats for this occasion are at a premium. One section was set apart for the friends of the graduates and when the board was thrown open to the public it took only the time to make the transaction for every seat in the house to be taken. The exercises will be of the usual character and no doubt very interesting. The JOURNAL is unable to give any particulars concerning them for the reason that no program has been given us, which fact we regret very much. The baccalaureate sermon to the graduating class was delivered last Sunday morning at the Lutheran church by Rev. R. P. Burton to a very large congregation. It was an able effort in every way worthy of the occasion and is highly spoken of by all who heard it.

Source: North Manchester Journal, May 26, 1898

Commencement, 1898

The seventeenth annual commencement of the public schools of this city will take place at the Lutheran church Friday evening. There are six graduates this year, as follows: Misses Blanche Blickenstaff, Winnie Pearson, Beulah Noftzger, Messrs George Grossnickle, Charles Garber and Charles Smith. The usual interesting program of exercises will be given, though with the variation from former commencements that the graduates will not deliver their orations. Instead an address appropriate to the occasion will be delivered by Rev. Dr. Ort, president of Wittenberg college, Springfield, Ohio. This plan has come in vogue in many places as the correct thing in commencements. As has always been the custom in the past there will undoubtedly be a very large attendance on this occasion. Tickets may be obtained at Burdge's book store for the usual fee.

Source: North Manchester Journal, May _, 1900

Commencement, 1900

NINETEENTH COMMENCEMENT--A Class of Fourteen Will Graduate from the Public Schools on Friday Evening, May 31.

The invitations were issued this week to the nineteenth annual commencement of the North Manchester high school. The exercises will be held in the Lutheran church on Friday evening, May 31, at 8 o'clock and the customary preparations are being made for the event by the class and their friends. The baccalaureate sermon will be preached at the M.E. church at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, May 26, by Rev. James Houghton. The graduates will not speak on the night of commencement, the address of the evening being delivered by Dr. Sherman Davis. An interesting musical program will be carried out.

The graduating class consists of eight young ladies and six young men, said to be one of the strongest classes that has ever graduate from the schools of this city. Their names and the titles of their graduation themes are as follows: Ethel Shaffer, "Tito and Romola--a Contrast"; Harold Houghton, "The Power of the Speaker of the House"; Anna Hazel Rufle, "Rural Life in Switzerland"; Ollie Ulrey, "Rosa Bonbeur"; Maud Banks, "Queen Victoria"; Vaza F. Kohr, "School Education of New England in the Colonial Period"; Blanche Minnetta Forrest, "A Plea for American Art"; Georgia R. Browne, "Mormonism, the Outgrowth of Hypnotic Power"; Charles Ream, "The Voice of the Crowd"; Ruby Willis, "Jean Valjean--a Character Study"; Walter Smith, "Riley, a Student of Human Nature"; Elmer H. Gilbert, "What are the Opportunities of a Young Man Today"; Esther E. Helm, "Burke, the Friend of the Colonies"; Kent S. Gingerick, "An Influence of Platonic Thought upon Christianity".

Source: North Manchester Journal, May 25, 1905

Commencement, 1905

CLASS OF SEVENTEEN. Governor Hanly to Address Graduates Wednesday Evening.

On Wednesday evening of next week the commencement exercises of the North Manchester high school will be held at the Methodist church the program commencing at eight o'clock. On this occasion a class of seventeen will be graduated from the school. This is the largest class that has ever graduated from the city schools, and includes the following young people: Claire Wright, Rachel McNown, Grace Lowman, Lura Jennings, Irma Oneil, Bessie fox, Jennie Boyer, Ethel Smith, Althea Hornaday, Harold Hartman, Ray Alber, Vernon Maurer, Lesh Forrest, Homer Tilman, Osborne Garber, Joe Noftzger, Homer Ebbinghouse.

The address of the occasion will be given by Governor J. Frank Hanly, and in securing such a speaker Superintendent Miller deserves congratulations from all sides. There is no man more in the public eye today not only in Indiana, but in the United States as well, as is Governor Hanly, and his appearance here will mark the gathering of probably the largest commencement day crowd that has ever assembled in the city.

The program for the occasion aside from the address and invocation will consist of music by the pupils of the school.

Baccalaureate Services

The Baccalaureate services for the high school graduates will be held in the Methodist church at the hour for the regular Sunday morning services. The sermon will be delivered by the pastor, Rev. W.B. Freeland, and as is always the case, the indications are that the church will be crowded to overflowing.