[Found under: “HUNAHUNA MEA HOU HAMAKUA AME KOHALA”]

Honokaa: Last week in the evening of Tuesday, in the hall of Honokaa High School, the graduation ceremony was held for the children who numbered 46, from the 12th grade of the High School of Honokaa. The girls wore white, and the boys wore white pants, black coats, and blue shirts; large bouquets of gardenias were in their hair of the girls, and for the boys, in the collar of their coats. The parents and friends of these children were welcomed by the ushers with paper programs showing the schedule of events of that evening.

At half past seven, the instruments of the Glee Club of the School sounded, at which point the boys and girls marched in pairs into the hall led by their Principal Herman Lasgaard and Mr. Abraham Poepoe. After all the children took their seats, and after everyone was quiet, Mr. Poepoe prayed thanking God for this great assembly and asking God to bless each of the children graduating from the school and to bless them with jobs that will benefit their lives and their parents, and in their areas.

The decoration above this place was beautiful, with flowers and the words “ALOHA” CLASS 1941, with akulikuli flower fashioned on ti leaves. The hall was also filled with parents and friends, totaling some 500 or more perhaps.

On Tuesday at half past one, 81 children graduated from the ninth grade of that school. The hall was filled once again with parents and friends. Seen were gifts of flowers and other presents brought by the parents and friends for their children to give them joy for their graduating from this grade of the school.

Some of the Hawaiian children who properly graduated from the 12th grade of the High School were Daisey Lindsey, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Lindsey of Kamuela; Betty Herrman, daughter of Mrs. Camella Hermann of Haina; Henry Keomalu Jr., son of Mr. Henry Keomalu, teacher at Kaapahu School, and residing at Kalopa.

At 11 o’clock on this past Friday, the electric bell of Honokaa School sounded, telling the teachers and the all of the children of the school that the time for school was over, and that it was vacation. That song was sung, “What ALOHA Means.” And the children were dismissed to go home. A number of teachers got in their cars and went to Hilo to get there before the plane for Honolulu left. They went off to San Francisco to attend as Representatives to the Great Teacher Conference of America. Some teachers remained at home to vacation.

[Congratulations to all the keiki graduating this year (and their families) in Hamakua and across the archipelago! Be safe out there.]

(Hoku o Hawaii, 6/11/1941, p. 1)

Ka Hoku o Hawaii, Volume XXXVI, Number 7, Aoao 1. Iune 11, 1941.