Commencement of Class of '23 at Oxford High School, June 5, 1923

Preliminaries at Oxford High School. . . Mr. W.T. Bost Will Deliver the Address Tonight. . . Col. H.G. Coloper, Chairman of the Board, Will present 21 Diplomas to Graduates Tonight in the Auditorium of the High School. . . List of Graduates. . . Beth Cannady, Martha Cannady, Augusta Carroll, Florence Dean, Carrie Duncan, Mattie May Lyon, Ruth Upchurch, Lillian Walters, Bailey Currin, Edward Gill, Jesse Knott, Ben Medford, Henry Phipps, Thomas Royster, Madison Usry, James Webb, Nathan Wolf, Winston, Taylor, Catherine Ragland, Mary Etta Tunstall.

The Commencement of the Oxford High School began Sunday when the baccalaureate sermon was delivered in the Presbyterian Church by Rev. Walter Pattern of Chapel Hill. The church was filled with friends of all denominations and beautiful music was rendered by a choir selected from among the best musicians of the town. “Hark, Hark My Soul” was used as the anthem and “We Are But Strangers Here” was the lovely quartette. All the ministers of the town took some part in the service.

Baccalaureate Sermon

Mr. Patten used as his test 9-10 verses of the tenth chapter of St. John, showing to the young people that they were standing on the thresholds of the doors of education, the world of pleasure and religion and that of life service where each must independently make the choice. Youth has been slow to realize that Jesus Christ is the friend of youth which has a place in the Kingdom. He told that the greatest possession of the world today is young womanhood and manhood which has more freedom, greater opportunities and broader privileges than ever before, carrying with these increased responsibilities and problems. The entire service of one’s life depends on how we enter life. Today opportunities and advantages are given to every man, as we give ourselves to lives of attainment and equipment, thus we shall be able to serve. Wisdom is good but holiness is far greater and as we enter the portals of religion we will bring Heaven to this world which will bring to each courageous attitudes. In cling his wonderfully inspiring sermon, the speaker gave a challenge to the members of the class to make noble and high ideals, to re-establish Christian ideals that know on shrinking, those of sympathy, love and service which give adherent power to meet the temptations of life.

Class Day Exercises

The class day exercises held in the high school auditorium last night was largely attended. The senior procession:

Junior Song—Junior Class

Class Song—Senior Chorus

Greeting by Pres. Lillian Walters

Mascot’s Song—Bo-Peep Usry

Invention of Class—Thomas Royster

Toast to Seniors—Bo-Peep Usry

Class History—James Webb

Our Old High—Senior Chorus

Class Prophecy—Nathan Wolf

Class Poem—Mattie May Lyon

Last Will and Testament—Martha Cannady

Farewell Song—Senior Class

The Marshals were: Frank Smith, Chief, Kelway Howard, Matt Currin, Bobbie Bradsher, Virginia Hart, Mae Bell, Frances Horner, Charlotte Easton.

From the front page of The Oxford Public Ledger, June 5, 1923. Minister’s last name spelled Pattern and Patten in the newspaper. I don’t know which is correct.