Page 41 - 1919 Hartridge

Commencement
Commencement exercises of the Class of 1918 were held on Friday morning, June the seventh, 1918, in the auditorium.
This, the annual commencement of the Hartridge School, was unique
in that it marked the close of the first full year of our country’s active participation in the war.
Because of the prevailing spirit of war economy, only garden flowers were used, and the effect was more springlike than ever before. I he stage was banked with green. From this backgrounci shone the class numerals,
1918, outlined in white peonies.
T he hall filled early with friends of the graduating class and of the school; and at the appointed time the faculty, in cap and gown, the of­ ficial guests, the graduates, and the academic department in order of class marched in and took their allotted places.
Rev. E. Vicars Stevenson, rector of Grace Itpiscopal Church of Plain- field, offered the invocation. d'hen followed the singing of the familiar hymn, “Go Forward, Christian Soldier.”
7 'he address was delivered by Dr. Robert Brewster Beattie, pastor of the Munn Avenue Church, East Orange, at that time Army Chaplain at Camp Dix. Dr. Beattie, who came in military uniform direct from camp, applied lessons drawn from camp life and from the great conflict, to the subject of the day.
Then followed that ever most cherished feature of our Commencement exercises,— Miss Flartridge’s own words of parting to the graduating class.
Members of the Class of 1918 : As you look back from your scant eighteen years, it must seem that the world has always been at war, that you have never known, or have forgotten, what it means to live in the midst of peace, prosperity and happiness.
Four years of agony for millions of others makes us of
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