National Republican., 1878-06-07
COLORED HIGH SCHOOL.
Graduation Exercises at Sumner
Building.
Diplomas Presented by President Hayes
Address to tho Glass by Marshal Douglass
He Advises His People to Save
Nioney-DistributIon Of Medals.

The graduating exercises Of the class of '7s
Of the High School for colored children were
held at the Sumner School building last oven
ing. The hall was crowded to excess, and
hundreds Of people were turned away. Tho
hall was very prcttily decorated with flowers,
and a rampant of bouquets, properly tagged
and labeled, inten dcd as testimonials to the
different graduates, edged the platform.
The distinguished guests were President
Hayes, Postmaster. General Key, District Com
missioner Phelps, and General Birney The
school board was represented by President
Curtis, Trustees johnson, Brooks, Baldwin,
Holland, Lee, and Others.
Inc exercises were very interesting, and
some OF the oratiOns and essays would hayo
been highly creditable to the commencement
exercises of any school in the country. The
following was
THE PRoGRAMME:
Music invocation, Rcv. Frank J. Grmke music;
,Sl SlgSee, S,s;,o e,s%y Julia Bushi labor and Capt.
Future" essay Eta ,, Moses. %ESSmpies or Of Great @
own Monuments !" essay JAMIE Faye music; who
s5annF% %% Navy Gsssse Eo'f texi ! xa'Sias aGTS,
music; "Ruins." essay. ia Z. Twinc; "t.r"mic
Art,' c~say, Aida l.. Matthews; intellectual Ex.
Islehcc essay Helen {. Kicks; music; STANDARD
Hearers essay, Martina L. Bruce; Industry and
Genius orntion, Henry Jarvis; "IdOlatry" essay
hatc Lewis; music presentation of diplomas
by His Exccilcncy Rutherford II. Hayes President
Of the United States; address To graduating elias
Hon. Fred Douglass; award of gold medals for ex
cclence in drawing. General William Birney; ciass
| song.
The president presented diplomas to tho fol-
lowing graduates: Anna 4. Bolden, Annie l..
Brown, Martina L. Bruce, Rosina Budd, Julia
X. Bush. Evelyn A. Chase, Annie A. Gcary,
Ella NJ. Jackson, Rosa l.. Jones, Leonora A.
lavalctte, Maggie w. Lewis, Esther X. Lewis,
Katie c. Lewis, Aida L. Matthews, Eta B.
Moses, jamie Page, Mollio B. Palmer Helen c.
Kicks Mary L. Iilghman, Ida Twinc, Eliza
i. Wilson, George VI. Cook Noble II. Harris,
Henry Jarvis Jacob e. Stratber, and Addison
A. Syphax.
Tho music, which was vocal. was excellent.
MR.. DOUGLASS ADDRESS.
Mr.. Douglass, when introduced said that IL
was pleasure to him to attend exercises of
the nature of those just witnessed, as they
presented evidence of progress among his
people. lie did not know why It was that he
was annually called upon to make a speech to
| these educated people. II must be because
they like u c0ntrast-thc rude and the cult
vated-thc old negro of the plantation and the
new negro Of tho new dispensation. lie said
| that the class before him was one of
the most highy.favored classes that
had ever graduated from the school,
| because never before was present the majesty
of the Presidential chair to give the dignity of
the nation to tho education of their people.
Speaking of the people of his race, he said
that they should not think that they were all
to be professional men. What they wanted
was to get their living. Avarice was not one
Of their besetting sins That belongs to the
| other side. When they STOLE it was nothing
| worth the while-only a chicken or two In
the matter Of acquisitiyencss the cOlorcd pc0-
| pie were the most modest people on earth. lie
| never preached to coOred congregation
| against avarice. What they want Is to get their
| living They had usually laid their treasures
up in heaven and looking up there, while the
white man was getting all down here. They
should not believe that it was necessary to
walk in rags below that they might walk in
robes above. No people ever made progress
! without having something to support them.
| Every dollar laid aside represents u day.
work, and is n day ahead of time. No people
| Will ever be respected that don't provide for
| themselves. Every cplOrcd man that makes for
| himscIfa competency is u credit to his race, and
creates for himself that leisure which is neces-
sary for the acquisition of knowledge.
| At the conclusion of Mr.. Douglass speech,
| General Blrney presented medals Furnished
by Mr.. HunstOn) to the following pupils Ada
| Hand, Jacob Strathcr LOTTO Carroll, Mary
| West, Charles kropp, Willie Wlcks, Ella Lee,
Susie Evans, and Samuel Young. Tho exor-
cises were concluded by n presentation of n
piece of silver plate to the teacher of the grad
uating class by W. W. Curtiss, president OF
class of 1877.