Page 156 - Neglected Arabia Vol 2

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Basrah Boys’ School
Commencement Exercises and Presentation of Laboratory
Mr. Tiikodork Essebaggers
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T seven l>oys were graduated from the High School department. With ’•
HE happiest event of the school year was that of April 26 when ^
the slowness and apathy of the Hast it is indeed significant that .
ncvcii more boys have persevered to the day of their graduation.
And if one were able to understand fully just what these years of being A
hi ncliiml iiu'iuit tu 11 ione liny*, (lie jduiiilleumv nf tlioir gnultimliiii wuula^|
(oniiime in grow liefure our eye*. Thi* wu* the fourth dun* to Ikj griidu* %
ated from our school, making a total of twenty-eight graduuleH. .
The graduation exercises were held in the High School building, uiing h]
the big study ball for an auditorium. 'Pile seating space was increased Ijr 3
putting the school seats outside, thus making a continuation of the audi­
torium. The seats inside were for our invited guests and the fathers and
relatives of the graduates and the outside seats were for the school boys,.
'Phe graduation hall and the facade of the building were prettily decorated
with many colored Hags, bunting, and fronds of date palms. Above the
platform and facing the audience was hung the picture of H. M. King
Kaisul against a background of a British, an Iraq, and an American flag.
It was a pleasure to see the building dressed up in graduation garb with -
the colors taking away any monotony yellow bricks and whitewashed walls
might give.
'Phe exercises were held in the evening. We were fortunate to have
a pleasant evening of a quite comfortable temperature. By seven o'clock
all seats were occupied. Among our guests were the Mutasarrif, the -
Arab governor of Basrah, eminent lawyers, leading Basrah officials and
Mime « >t the Moslem religious leaders. According to eastern custom coffee
and cigarettes were served before the program and a steady water line to
the water jars was kept up by the boys serving water. The auditorium
was nicely lighted. 'Phis with the decorations made a very fitting scene '
for the evening’s events.
Phe prospective graduates took up a position to the right of the pkn-
I’urm on a big Arab divan. They were immaculately dressed in nicety
pressed white trousers, trim dark coats, black neckties, and on their heads
I hey wore the national head dress, the "sidarra.” A chorus of school -
K
sang an opening song. Then the graduates delivered their oration*, 'ng ^
hoys did admirably and won no small commendation from the audienct I
Phe Arab hoys with their natural gift of speaking did full justice to the 1
occasion and won many grunts of approval from their listeners. The high -i
type of subject matter coupled with lofty thought made a profound >*'
pression. There are so many people of Basrah who have been mui®. ^
lormed with respect to what is taught and said in our school that it f
indeed an eye-opener to many of them to hear the boys speak on subject* ^
jiermeated with Christian ideals and dealing with the fundamental nccik -
of their land. Instead of a lot of bombast which they are so accustom*^ *
to hear they heard simple constructive expositions. ” *1
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