Waterloo Republican May 15, 1918
Waterloo Public School Notes

Commencement Exercises will be held this year on Wednesday Evening May 29 
and promises to be one of the real events of the year. There will be thirteen graduates, 
Ida Stehfest, Ura Eisenbart, Loretta Ziebold, Frieda Hartmann, Olga Hartmann, Flora 
Schulze, Oliver Kolmer, Fred Metzger, Henry Stahlheber, Elmer Burkhardt, Milton 
Wagner, John Kessler, and William Schneider. Hon W Duff Piercy of Mt. Vernon, who 
has more than a statewide reputation as Southern Illinois silver-tongued orator, will 
make the address. Watch for later announcements. 
 
Waterloo Republican June 5, 1918 Front Page
Commencement Nice Program
     
The annual Commencement of Waterloo High School was held at Memorial Hall, 
Wednesday evening, May 29. In spite of the warm weather, a large and interested 
audience assembled to pay tribute to the Class of 1918, and to enjoy the program 
which was as follows:-

Orchestra "Hautmonde" H. A. Cook
Salutatory "Religion and War" Ida K Stehfest
Class Song "Carmena" H. Wilson
Presentation of Speaker, Principal H. Struckmeyer
Address "The Making of a Man" Hon. W. Duff Piercy, Mt. Vernon, Ills.
Orchestra "Khaki Bill" H. Watson
Valedictory "A Retrospect" Ura C. Eisenbart
Presentation of Diplomas, Superintendent, Glenn O. Brown.
Class Song "Come Where the Lillies Bloom" Thompson
     
The High School orchestra delighted the audience with two very pleasing numbers. 
Particularly enjoyable were the two songs rendered by the graduating class under 
the direction of Mr. Struckmeyer.
     
Miss Ida Stehfest, in her Salutatory address - "Religion and the War" chose as her 
theme the very timely idea of the moral regeneration which is to be evolved from 
the present international crisis. Creed and doctrine play no part when a man is 
gasping out his dying breath or the last message home, and the religion which 
will come out of the war will be a very different thing from that which contented 
a minor portion of the people before the war."
     
Mr. Struckmeyer presented the speaker of the evening, the Hon. W. Duff Piercy of 
Mt. Vernon, Illinois, "the silver tongued orator of Southern Illinois" who delivered 
a stirring speech dedicated to the graduating class in which he emphasized as the 
fundamental elements of any real success the principles of faith in your fellow men, 
Faith in yourself, good habits, sacrifice, service, and the doctrine of hard work. These 
are the basis of any lasting success in this "world of tomorrow" into which the 
graduating class is about to step.
     
Miss Ura Eisenbart's Valedictory "A Retrospect" held the interest of the audience by 
its clear cut ideas and good presentation. She had for her theme the idea that 
Commencement is a mile-stone, a resting place between the gallery of the past and 
the yet unfurnished gallery of the future, and she brought out the point that 
Commencement is a good time to pause a moment and review the past which she 
did in a very pleasing manner. She concluded her remarks with a high tribute to the 
freedom of "American institutions, particularly the educational ones, which have made 
possible the education and character building of Young America.
     
Superintendent Brown, in presenting the diplomas, gave an interesting account of the 
class; of the fact that it numbered "thirteen which in this case had brought the best of 
luck; that it was distinguished by a pair of twins, the Hartmanns; that four of its members, 
Ida Stehfest, Henry Stahlheber, John Kessler and William Schneider were out of town 
students; and that William Schneider had completed the four year's course in three 
years, making a splendid record at the same time. Mr. Brown then awarded the diplomas, 
which he likened to the "Cross of Honor" given after a hard fought battle, and presented 
the class to the friends and parents in the audience who came forward and congratulated 
them.

The class roll consists of:
Elmer C Burkehardt
Ura C. Eisenbart
Frieda Hartmann
Olga Hartmann
Fred A. Metzger
John Kessler
Oliver E. Kolmer
William B. Schneider
Flora B. Schulze
Henry E. Stahlheber
Ida K. Stehfest
Milton A. Wagner
Loretta A. Ziebold