Graduation From Country School

48 Eighth Graders Go Up

Twenty Eight Girls and Twenty Boys Will Graduate from Eighth Grade in Public Commencement

The largest number of graduates from the eighth grade ever known in Grundy county--48--will receive their diplomas at a public graduation exercise to be held in Grundy Center some time in June, the exact date to be set later. In addition this will be the first time Grundy county has ever held a public commencement for the eighth grade graduates of the county. This eighth grade commencement will be held during the day, so the country graduates can attend, and it will be quite an event in county school affairs.

To Miss Mabel Jorgensen, of Fairfield No. 4, belongs the exceptional honor of heading the class, her average being 92 for eleven studies, or three points ahead of her nearest competitor. In only two studies, writing and geography, did she fall below a grade of 90. Miss Marie Paulsen, of Cedar Falls, was her teacher.

To another pupil of Fairfield No. 4, Anna Sorenson, belongs the honor of the second position, Miss Anna getting a grade of 89.

For third honors, Esther Drake, of Colfax, Ina Crecelius, of Melrose, and Nellie Murphy of Grant, tied with a grade of 87.

Melrose has the largest number of graduates, the number being eight. It is interesting to note in this connection that Melrose is paying the highest average salary for teachers in the county, also she has more first grade teachers.

Another interesting feature is that twenty of the forty-eight graduates are boys.

Below are the garduates who will be given diplomas.
[Please see here for class roll]

--The Grundy Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 10 June 1915, pg 1

48 Receive Diplomas

Rural School Commencement Interesting Event

Forty-five young people who completed eight grade work in the rural schools of the county were given their diplomas by County Superintendent Earl at the close of the first rural school commencement program ever held in this county. Only three of the forty-eight graduates were uable to be present.

The exercises were held in the Gem Theatre in this city Friday afternoon and the opera house was filled with relatives and friends of the graduates and with others who are interested in rural school work. The graduates were all seated on the stage and they made an imposing group.

Prof. C. E. Walters from Cedar Falls delivered the address to the class. It was a most practical and sensible talk and it inspired the young folks for whose benefit it was given to go higher in their educational work which they have so well begun. The well selected music provided for the occasion gave a wholesome variety to the program.

More than half of the large audience were country people, many of whom drove from fifteen to twenty miles to attend the program. They were not disappointed with the exercises. The opinion seemed to be unanimous that it was one of the best commencement programs which they ever attended.

The visitors, some 150 of them took their dinner in the park. They not only enjoyed the dinner, but also the new acquaintances which were made during the dinner hour.

Exercises such as those which were held here Friday will have a far reaching effect. They are a big help towards stimulating an interest in educational work among the pupils of the country schools in the county and there is no place where this stimulated interest is more needed. The average pupil who gets his early training in the country school proves himself a better student when matched against the average boy or girl in town for the reason that he is physically stronger and that he has learned to work and that he has acquired more regular habits. Our country people in Iowa are better able to give their children a thorough school training than the folks in town and this more thorough school trainig will come if parents and children are awakened to the better apportunities that this training will open for them. To further awaken this interest in high school training was County Superintendent Earl's motive in holding county commencement exercises and the experiment has been satisfactory. A large share of the young people if not all who received their first school diploma last Friday are making preparations to enter some high school the coming fall and the most of those who enter the high school will remain until the course there is completed.

The success which accompanied our first rural school commencement is assurance that we will have similar commencements with larger classes and increased interest in the years to come.

--The Grundy Democrat (Grundy Center, Iowa), 1 July 1915, pg 1

Rural Schools Will Graduate Fifty-One

Eighth Grade to Hold Commencement in High School Building in Grundy Center

Wednesday, June 11, 1919, 2:30 P.M.

A Fine Program Prepared to Which the Public is Cordially Invited to Hear

The Eighth Grade of the rural schools of Grundy county will hold their annual Commencement in the High School building in this city on Wednesday afternoon, June 11th, 1919, commencing at 2:30 o'clock.

Supt. Earl has prepared a fine program and invites the public to come and enjoy it.

The address will be given by Frances E. Palmer, Superintendent of the College for the Blind, at Vinton. Supt. Palmer has had many years experience as an educator, having been at the head of some of the leading schools of the state. He has also lectured for the Vawter Chautauque System during the summer months.

Following is the program as it will be given:
Program

Piano Solo .................	Selected Miss Lois Adams
Music ......................	Selected Male Quartette
Invocation .................	Rev. J. C. Curry
Vocal Solo .................	Prof. Earl D. Wallace
Address ....................	Frances E. Palmer, Vinton
Music ......................	Selected Male Quartette
Presentation of Diplomas ...	County Supt. D. R. Earl
Benediction ................	Rev. J. C. Curry

Class Roll
The class roll numbers fifty-one pupils and is as follows:
[Please see here for class roll]

--The Grundy Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 5 June 1919, pg 1

1752 Rural School Graduates During D. R. Earl's Term

There were 1752 rural school graduates in the schools of Grundy county during the twenty-year period that D. R. Earl served as county superintendent. Figures showing the gradual growth in numbers of rural school graduates were given by the county superintendent in his address given at the annual commencement held at high school auditorium in Grundy Center last Thursday.

Commencement exercises this year were attended by the largest group that ever assembled for a similar occasion to see diplomas awarded to the largest crop of rural school graduates ever completing the eighth grade in the rural schools of the county.

The figures below show the gradual increase from year to year in Grundy county rural school graduations:

Year	Number	Boys	Girls
1913	18	6	12
1914	22	8	14
1915	57	24	33
1916	36	18	18
1917	65	28	37
1918	46	17	29
1919	51	20	31
1920	70	38	32
1921	72	30	42
1922	88	43	45
1923	81	39	42
1924	116	52	64
1925	88	32	56
1926	118	55	63
1927	73	32	41
1928	128	62	66
1929	129	64	65
1930	94	43	51
1931	137	67	70
1932	126	64	62
1933	137	65	72
Totals	1752	807	945

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 15 June 1933, pg 1

No Rural School Graduation in May

For the first time in history, there will be no commencement exercises this year for the 18 eighth grade graduates of nine rural schools in Grundy county.

In a recent letter to the rural school teachers, County Superintendent C. A. Morris stated that because of the small number of rural school eighth grade graduates, there will be no final examinations or commencement exercise.

Diplomas will be presented to the graduating eighth graders by a representative of the county superintendent's office on the last day of school, about May 10. In the past this ceremony was held in Grundy Center.

Morris also said there will be no spelling contest this year either. This institution of our county rural school system fell by the wayside two years ago.

The 18 eighth grade students attending rural school this year are:
[Please see here for class roll]

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 18 April 1957, pg 1