The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1875-06-02
REAGAN HIGH ri
CLOSING EXERCISES AN AF-
FECTKNG TRIBUTE.

at 10 O'Clock, a. m. As usual on
such occasions the largest room af-
forded in our town was well filed
with a very intelligent audience of
ladies and gentlemen, many Of whom
were parents and guardians or pu-
pills from a distance, whom we hope
enjoyed the entertainments Of the
hour sufficiently to insure their pres
ence in our town a year hence.
The exercises consisted of decla
nations and original o~rations by the
following young gentlemen:
DECLARATIONS.
Robert f. Branner, -; Rice S
Poindexter, Milton Lucian e Smith.
The Puritans.
ORIGINAL CREATIONS.
George C. Moore, Perseverance will
win i; Thomas w. Alexander. Nature
and Revelation /; Charles f. Kidwell,
Contentment David v. Price, Death;
Preston @. Thurmond, True Nobility
is not Man's-Man's Nobility is his
Life ; J.. Charles Williams, The Star
light of the Past.
The speakers all acquitted them
selves with credit, and as applicable
to at least three of the young men.
the word is modest, to say the least.
After the speaking Professor Will
son awarded certificates of distinc-
ton for proficiency in Latin, Mathe-
matics and Greek to the following
young men:
Thomas w. Alexander. Albert N.
Strong, Joseph G. Williams and Rice
S. poindexter, distinction in Latin.
Thomas w. Alexander, Albert n.
Strong, Joseph G. Williams. Robert
F. Branner, Lucian +. Smith, Pres
ton G.. Thurman and William nj. Fain,
distinction in Mathematics.
George C. Moore and Charles E.
Kidwel&, distinction in Greek.
After distributing the awards Prof.
Wilson addressed, with beftting a
nestness. a few valedictory remarks
to the young men Of his school, re-
ferring in appropriate and affecting
language to the separation that IA
soon to take place between teacher
and pupil, and urging each one to
impress upon his mind the great fact
that merit viii always disclose itself
and be appreciated. 1t had been his
effort to incuIcate that mans true
nobility consisted in not attempting
to pass for more than he was worth.
He also referred to the severance of
his relations with Reagan high School
and withnthe people OF this commu-
nifty in language choked by emotions
of love, but he felt that he had du-
ties to perform that it would be un-
manly to shirk or avoid for any per-
sOnal consideration. lie spoke in
complimentary terms of his associ-
ate, Mr.. J. A. Carriger. who hence
forth would be the senior Principal
Of the school. lie said, that, as a
scholar and instructor, Mr.. Carriger
had no superior in the State. From
the University of Virginia he had
taken honors won by but few, and
that five years of constant, earnest
work had deservedly placed him in
the front rank of educator. lie
had. also, known Mr.. Bassett, Mr.
Carriger's associate Principal, as a
student, and for two years and a
half as Principal of a school, and,
that he was fully qualified for the
position he had assumed. He hoped
his friends would suffer no abate-
ment of interest in the school, and
that in the future as in the past
they would find it worthy Of their
support.
At this point, while Prof. Wilson
had ceased for a moment his remarks,
the Rev. o. G. Pope, pastor of the
Church. arose from his seat
in the audience, and approached the
bearing in his hands a large
and beautiful wreath of evergreens
and white roses, and in the most fe-
licitous and appropriate manner
addressed him as follows:
Professor Wilson: I have been COM
missioned by the young ladies of Morris
own to present you with this small to-
ken of their high appreciation of you as
q gentleman, a Christian and an instruct
Of. They recognize the kindness you
ever manifested towards their
brothers and friends during the eight
years of your connection with Reagan
High School. And especially do they
desire me TO return their gratitude for
that care and interest for the moral de-
pertinent OF your students, both in and
of school. / convey to you their
appreciation for your character,
heir warmest wishes for your future sue
eess, and their unfeigned sorrow for your
departure. They request me to wreathe
Tou with these tiowcTs-the evergreen
of those green pastures in
they hope your feet may tread
he white roses emblematical of the pur-
ty of that Heaven to which they hope
may attain. In their nam / bid
rou go on, and Heavens blessings at
end you.
The incident was so unexpected
Prof. Wilson that when Mr.. Pope
the wreath over bis head and
withdrew from the stand. he could
,nly acknowledge in a voice trem-
with emotion his gratitude for
iuch tokens Of appreciation, and
,js utter inahiIitv tn resnond To II %