Ilion High School - Class of 1942

Utica Observer - June 21, 1942

Board Certifies 109 Seniors in Ilion

Article 2

Americanism will be the theme Tuesday night of the first wartime graduation of Ilion High School since 1911, with Salom Rizk, Syrian-American, as principal speaker.

About 109 graduating seniors will mount the stage of the Capital Theater to receive their diplomas from Grover W. Radley, president of the Board of Education. Each graduate will be introduced by Earl P. Watkin, schools superintendent.

The Board of Education certified seniors eligible for diplomas at a special meeting Friday, Regents examinations were taken by 109 prospective graduates.

Rizk's topic will be "The American Way." He wa born in Syria, the son of naturalized American citizens. He was unaware of his citizenship status until he was 13 years old.

He learned he was an American from a teacher in the school he attended. He first came to this country when he was 17 and his impressions after arriving form the subject of his talk.

Frank Soules will make the valedictory address, "Education for Peace." The salutatory, by Richard Van Wiggeren, will deal with the related topic, "Education for War."

The Rev. Earnest C. Love, pastor of the Methodist Church, will give invocation and benediction.

The high school band and Varsity choir will furnish the music. The band, directed by F. Fay Swift, will play "March of the Peers," by Arthur Sullivan and "Sir Galahad Overture," by Hildreth. The choir will sing "Dark Waters" by James.

The first gathering of th gradates will be at 7:30 tonight when they assemble in the high school auditorium for the baccalaureate service. The Rev. Paul Wagner, pastor of the Presbyterian Church will speak.

The final event of the graduation week will be the annual reunion of the Alumni Association, Wednesday night.

Capt. Kendall Castile, Army ordinance division officer assigned to the Savage Arms Company, will be the principle speaker at the annual dinner. The meeting will be opened by the Rev. Francis Scott, an Ilion alumnus, and the cathedral parish assisted in Albany.