GRADUATES STATE HOME GIVEN THEIR DIPLOMAS LAST NIGHT HON. DEWITT M’MURRAY MAKES THE BACCALAUR- EATE ADDRESS And some may love a palace, A dream of sculptored art; And at an humble cottage door Another lays his heart, Oh, there are homes, and homes, and homes, Of palace and of King, And we who love our Home so well, This loyal tribute bring. So here is to our own State Home, And tenderly we say, Among the smiles there is a tear On graduation day. The many happy times we've had, When hearts were light and jolly The Autumn with Thanksgiving Day, The Christmas with its holly. And so we offer loyalty, And love and smiles and tears; As we go out with faith of youth To meet the coming years. No matter what the fruit may be, Or where our feet may roam, Forever in our hearts will beat The loyalty to Home. So here is to our own State Home, And tenderly we say, Among the smiles there is a tear On graduation day. With the above lines dedicated to their Alma Mater and appearing in a prominent place of the June num- ber of the State-O, official publication of the school, ten girls and nine boys of the State Orphans Home were given certificates of graduation in attractive exercises held in the school auditorium Monday night. Hon. DeWitt McMurray, of Dallas made the baccalaureate address Four girls were given commercial diplomas and four boys and one girl received diplomas in public speaking. Superintendent, Odie Minatra presented the high school diplomas and Col. W. T. Coleman presented the commercial and public speaking diplomas. J. T. Newsom presented Margaret Harwell with the music medal which is an annual award made by the Southwestern Music Company to the pupil making the highest grades in music. Music for the exercises was rendered by the high school orchestra directed by Miss Sadie Kirgan, instructor of music and expression. Rev. Paul J. Merrill pronounced the invocation. Julia Adkins made the salutatory address. The Glee Clubs sang "High School Days." Roy Leeds of Corsicana sans "Somewhere a Voice Is Calling." The reading of the Class Prophecy was omitted from the program on account of being pressed for time. Margaret Dillard rendered a couple of saxophone solos. Margaret Harwell rendered a piano solo. The conferring of the senior cap and gown was made by Arthur Hayes and Edith Ginther. Viola Knight made the valedictory address. The class is composed of the following boys and girls: Arthur Hayes, president,; Viola Knight, Julia Adkins, Margaret Harwell, Sam Gaines, James Baker, Arver Eads, Mildred Hayes, Dorothy Orange, Buford Richmond, Christopher Franks: Pete Willis, Margaret Dillard, Edgar Hudson, Bessie Sanches, Mae Willis, Marvin Fowler, Reathie Billlngton and Jennie Knott. Willie T. Horit, Arver Eads, Nobie Oakley, Arthur Hayes and Nell Richmond were given diplomas in public speaking. Margaret Dillard, Ruth Thomas, Viola Knight and Retha Billington were presented with diplomas from the commercial department. Mildred Hayes was awarded the $25 cash West prize for the most useful citizen in the senior class. Miss Hayes has spent ten years at the Home and will enter a hospital at Temple for studying professional nursing. The kindergarten graduates pre- sented the senior class with flowers and each student with a novelty lantern symbolical of the light to guide their pathway. Julia Atkins was the second honor pupil. She will enter Baylor College this fall. Bessie Sanches will go to Texas Womans' College; Dorothy Orange will also go to Texas Womans' College; Margaret Harwell will enter Baylor University and Viola Knight will go to Westmoreland College. Margaret Dillard will go to C. I. A. as the graduting exercises were in progress Mr. Minatra received a telegram from the State Home girls attending C. I. A. and the boys attending the State University, extending congratulations to the seniors, and expressing regrets at not being able to be present. Arver Eads, James Baker and Margaret Harwell were the recipients of further honors. J. H. Woods, formerly State Senator, and who has done much for the State Home in his official capacity, awarded degrees to these three students on courtesy and affability. Assistance will be given the boys and girls taking up higher studies by the Student Loan Fund, which has been a source of material help to many of the State Home grads. Superintendent Minatra initiated this fund, some years ago, and it has been contributed to by numerous business men, where loans are made ambitious students, whereby they are able to take up instruction in higher education, and in later years repay the money debt. The exercises were typical of the State Home ceremonies. The stage was decorated with flowers and ferns that sat upon the platform just back of the footlights. While the orchestra rendered the professional, the graduates, dress ed in their best, filed down the aisle and took seats on the rostrum. DeWitt McMurray was introduced by Aver Eads, one of the leading pupils, who will enter State University this fall. "The State Home is the greatest institution that the State of Texas can boast of, in my opinion," de- clared Mr. McMurray in opening. Referring to Mr. Eads' introduction speech in which he was characterized as a real man, Mr. McMurray said there was a more pressing need for real men, and women now than there had ever been and as he stood before the graduating class he gazed into the faces of coming real men and women. "Education is a capacity to think right," he went on to say, Con- tinuing, he said "There is no such thing as an education; there is just education, and you have more or less of it. Ability to think pre supposes intelligence; thinking wrong is not thinking at all. Education increases capacity for service, broadens the ability and gives wore power for good in the world, and in that way increases your responsibility. “The world owes you nothing; you owe the world all you can give it and if you do not give it all you can, you die in debt to it. “You may sometimes hear people say that the world owes them a living," Mr. McMurray said, "but let me tell you it is a sad day when any boy or girl makes such a re- solve in their mind, and seek to live without working, when such a design is formed you will go on the rocks." The speaker went on to explain the value of self-poise; self control and serenity of the mind, and urged the students to be themselves and not attempt to imitate anyone. He declared the most useful person to humanity is the most successful one, and the more education a person had the less excuse he had for failure. He took issue with Ingalls' little poem on Opportunity, which said it knocked once at every man's door, and declared that Opportunity rapped continuously from the cradle to the grave. The speaker paid his respects to the public school, saying he was very proud of it, a place where the children of the richest and the children of the poorest study side by side. "The children think nothing of it—though the grown people may— but, thank God, the children do not," Mr. McMurray declared. The speaker went on to say that despots and autocrats find support in the ignorance of the people they oppress, while liberty and enlightenment go hand in hand. Many ex-students at the Home were present at the exercises, as well as many Corsicana people. The auditorium was packed to capacity. At 7 o'clock for an hour prior to the graduating exercises, an informal tea was held on the campus lawn with a program, the children taking part. Copies of the June 1 State-O, publication were distributed. The publication carried the complete commencement program, pictures of the institution buildings and many other interesting features. The Corsicana Daily Sun - Tuesday, June 2, 1925 Submitted by Diane Richards