COMMENCEMENT FOR ODD FELLOWS HOME FRIDAY EVENING FINAL EXERCISES OF GRADUATION WEEK AT HOME; DR. TAYLOR SPEAKER    Final exercises of commencement week which included the annual awards to all the students and the awarding of diplomas to the sixteen members of the senior class were held in the auditorium of the Odd Fellows' Home Friday night, with Dr. H. K. Taylor, head of the extension department of S. M. U. as the principal speaker. To the strains of the processional played by the home orchestra under the direction of William O. Barlow, the members of the graduating class, faculty and others on the program marched down the aisles of the auditorium to seats that had been reserved for them. The invocation was pronounced by William Webb, honor graduate of the class of 1931.    The salutatory address was presented by Miss Ada Rutherford in the form of a neat paraphrase of Brutus' speech from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar," in which she expressed the gratitude of the senior class to the order, to the superintendent, and especially to the faculty for their efforts and the many trying hours which they had given them.    Miss Rose Thranert was presented in a reading that fitted well into the air of the occasion, and her number was followed by a Hindu Slumber Song by the girls' double quartette. Expresses Gratitude of Class.    In his valedictory, William Webb expressed the gratitude of the class to the Order for the shelter and instruction afforded them over a period of years, to the teachers for their continued efforts through the years, and to the friends who honored the seniors by attending the graduating exer- cises. He declared that the members of the class were saddened at the prospect of leaving the home, but that they hoped to heap honor upon their classmates, to glorify God, and to justify the confidence of their friends in their work after leaving school.    Angelo Cruce then introduced Dr. Taylor as the speaker of the evening, explaining that he was a particular friend of Herschel Rush, principle of the Home school who was seriously injured in an automobile accident several weeks ago and is still confined to the Navarro Clinic.    In his Introduction, Dr. Taylor paid tribute to the manliness of the absent principal and declared that there had been no better speciment of manhood or student ever turned out of S. M. U.    Addressing the graduates, he asked the question, "What Is It All About?”  He declared that many attended school just because some one made them, and not because they had any definite end in view. In attempting to give a technical definition of edu- cation, he stated that there was as many definitions as there were authors. Education is Self-Discovery.    Education was declared to be self-discovery.  The speaker said that he was a believer of voca- tional guidance and training be- cause he believed that all persons could be classified into types, and each type a wide variety of occupations were open. He declared that it was a tragedy when a person was too much under the influence of others and went through life under the handicap of being in an occupation for which they were not suited. Taste and liking determines the fitness of an individual for an occupation. He urged every student to discover their type as early as possible and then to study more intensively the limited field open to them.    Some realize that there is a capability for achieving something within them, while others are just in attendance upon school. He urged every student to discover themselves as early as possible and make their plans in accordance with their findings. But if there were no ambition there could be nothing but a hopeless case. Development and Training.    The second portion of education was termed development and training.  Development was explained and illustrated as the ac- tual growth and increased use of the various parts of the body and mind; while training was defined as a matter of use and control of mind and muscle. Dr. Taylor declared that if it were reasonable for it to take time to secure muscular development, then time should also be allowed for mental control.    He declared that the graduates might congratulate themselves when they attempted something that bordered on the realm of the impossible. He declared that a person was educated when they had the mind, imagination and memory under perfect control.    The greatest by-product of an education was termed the ability to adapt one's self rightfully to his fellow men. Education should teach one to think accurately, feel-rightfully and act wisely. He asserted that people were not judged by their dreams but by their actions.   The chief point to an education is moral training, and the speaker also declared that it paid to stand by high moral standards. The price of an education is wanting it bad enough to get it, the speaker said in closing.    With Miss Margaret Christie at the piano, the members or the senior class were presented next in a farewell song. Diplomas Presented.    G. W. Hawkins, former superintendent of the Home, presented the diplomas to the graduates in the absence of F. M. Compton, Grand Master, who was called out of the city Friday morning.    Those receiving diplomas included Bill Webb, Ada Rutherford, R. D. Hitt. Sammie Cruse, Pascal McMemamy, Floyd Dunsworth, Jack Hussey, Laud Johnson, Ho- mer Taylor, Thelma Horton, Selma Yarbrough, Rose Thranert, Marie Dunsworth, Lillian Miller Millie Sue Miller, and Opal Pat- terson.    During the presentation of the diplomas and other places on the program, moving pictures were made of the activities.    Mrs. Maggie Jordon, president of the Rebekah assembly, then awarded the fine arts medals. In piano, Miss Emma Lilly Burges won the first prize and Floyd El- lis, second. Florine Buckalew was awarded the expression medal Little Miss Holland also captured the music memory medal offered by Miss Christie. Presents Are Made.    Superintendent Ross Harris then introduced Frank Anderson, rep- resenting the Greenville lodge de- gree team, who presented the honor students with $2.50 each and other members of the graduating class $1 each, a custom started by the degree team last year. A similar sum was also presented to several other students who are leaving the Home without completing their schooling.    A representative of Fort Worth Lodge No. 251 presented each member of the graduating class with $5.    E. Q. Vestal, grand secretary of the Texas Grand Lodge, then pre- sented the W. H. Wray prize of $25 to Bill Webb.   This prize is award- ed to the best all-round student in the school each year.    Webb was also the recipient of the gold watch offered by Texas Odd Fellowship, presented Friday night by Mrs. May Hatcher James. Citizenship Medal.    W. P. McCammon, president of the Corsicana board of education presented the Sons of American Revolution citizenship medal to Ned Johnson, first explaining the honor which accompanied the tok- en and describing the talisman.    Just before announcing the list of vocation awards Superintend- ent Harris presented a number of scholarships in various Texas schools to Miss Ada Rutherford and Bill Webb, honor graduates.    The C. P. Masters prize, award- ed each year to the student making the best average in the seventh grade, was duplicated this year when two boys tied for the honor. Mr. Masters presented Floyd Ellis and Ogdon Harris with a 5 gold piece.    Sammie Cruse was announced as the winner of the prize of $20 for the best care of his chickens during the year. Vocational Awards.    The following vocational awards from the McKeesey Educational Fund were made by Superindendent Harris:    Boys—Bill Webb, $20, Elmer Horton and Paschal McMemamy $12.50 each.  Floyd Dunsworth, R. D. Hitt, Neil Nelson and Jack Hussey $10 each, Howard Foster and Temp Fletcher, N. A. Bratcher and Alton McClintock $5 each.    Girls—Catherine Brown, $17.50, Thelma Horton $15, Opal Patterson, Margot Davidson and Lucy Mae Cruse $10 each, Irene Lynch, Ruth Thranert and Nina Thranert $7.50 each, Lillian Miller, Emma Lilly Burgess, Marie Dunsworth, Helen Rankin, Hilda Ticer and Clair Rodgers $5 each.    Special Mention—Edwin Goodloe, Henry Horn, Clisto Miller, Haskell Adcox, Ralph Dunsworth, Winn Marquis.    Mr. Harris announced that for the first time in 30 years, E. A. Johnson, secretary of the school board, was absent from the com- mencement exercises, but that he was attending the exercises of Hockaday school in Dallas Friday night to wee his granddaughters complete their courses there. He declared that Mr. Johnson had been on the board of the Home almost since its foundation in 1880. Mr. Harris substituted for Mr. Johnson in presenting a book to the student making the highest average in each grade during the past year. Sister Expresses Appreciation.    Mrs. Alma Carter, sister of Herschel Rush, expressed the ap- preciation of the injured principal for the many kindnesses shown him and expressed his regret at being unable to attend the commencement occasion.    Students making highest average in each grade and presented books by Dr. E. A. Johnson, included:    Kindergarten—Mary Lois Haymon, average 95, age 5.    First Grade—Robert Tate, average 80, age 7.    Second Grade — Charlene Heitman, average 94.5, age 8.    Third Grade—Fern Nickson, average 95, age 11.    Fourth Grade—Doris Hearon, average 91, ago 11.    Fifth Grade—Marie Goodloe, average 94, age 10.    Sixth Grade—Bessie Mae Nelson, average 90.3, age 13.    Seventh Grade — Ogden Harris, averae 92. age 13.    Eighth Grade—Lottie Mae Owen- by, average 93.4. age 15.    Ninth Grade—Irene Lynch, average 93.3, age 15.    Tenth Grade—Nevo Standifer, average 95.83. age 16. Eleventh Grade—William Webb, average 96.4. age 17. Commercial Department— Ada Rutherford, average 93. age 17.   The Corsicana Daily Sun  -  Saturday, May 30, 1931 Submitted by Diane Richards