William Allen High School - Comus Yearbook (Allentown, PA)

Page 13 text:

West Park Since 1939 heautiful Vllest Park, located one block east of Allentown High School. hasheen the site of Commencement exercises. The cool crisp air of a 'lune morning, the refreshing shade provided hy stately trees, and the deep hlue sky dotted hy fluffy white clouds provide 11 picturesque setting for the graduation ceremony. ln contrast to the early Commencements, only seniors attend the programg 11 student hody ol' three thousand neither permits nor makes desirahle the attendance of the entire school although the faculty, ol' course. is present. The procession, too, dirliers from that of early years. l,ed hy the girls' and hovs' counselors and the ten top honor students of each sex. the class proceeds from Allentown High School to its reserved section in West Park. .ellrezidv on the stage are the class orhcers and student speakers in addition to the President of the School Board. the Superintendent, the Director of Secondary Education, the Principal, ll religious leader, and the guest speaker. Music for the occasion is provided hy the hand and choir. The program also dilliers in nature from those of the lSllll's. Today a guest speaker is the main feature ol' the morning: he advises the senior class as they enter the adult world. Yery fexx of the class memhers participate in the program. Thus the Commencement exercise of 1958 to he held in VVest Park will provide quite ll contrast to the early ceremonies held in the Academy of Music.

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The Academy of Music The Academy of Music, formerly located on the northeast corner of Sixth and Linden Streets, was the site of several early Commencement programs of Allentown High School. June 30, 1869, was the date of the first graduation exercises, which were held in the Presbyterian Church, three young men Were in the class. ln 1870 the ceremonies were held in the Court House, a custom followed for some years. Also serving as sites for Commencement Were Hagenbuchls Opera House, the Lyric Theatre, and the Academy of Music pictured above. ln those early years the graduation exercises were quite different from those now held in West Park. Qne interesting custom was that ofthe procession, which included not only the male graduates but also the directors, guests of honor, alumni and alumnae, the lower classes headed by their teachers, and a marching band, the senior girls, alone, were permitted to ride to Commencement in the hacks popular in that day. The early programs also differed from those ofthe modern day. For instance, in 187-l students presented Schillerls tragedy, .llarie Stuart, in German. It was customary for every student to participate either by reading an essay or by giving a declamation. Those programs most certainly must have been interesting.

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ALMA. MATER .-Xll hail our :Xlnia Mater clear. Our voice ol' praise :ind glory hear: To whom all reverence we bear, Of you forgetful we'll be ne'er. VVe shall forever for you yearn And cherish all that we may learn Through future days of life, 'Mid joy and strife: True may We stand, both to you And Canary and Blue. Throughout the land of you we'll sing, Loud will our praises ever ring Of days that have passed by, Fond memories of dear old high. Oh, Alma Mater, hear our praise: To you all honor We do raise. Through future days of life, ,Mid joy and strife: True may We stand, both to you And Canary and Blue. lfordf- -eDorothy Newhard Knoll., 1917 .llIl5Z.C W3l'f6l1 F. Acker, 19 Ea O0