The bee., 1883-04-28
OUR PHILADELPHIA LETTER.
THE PUBLIC sCHooLs--MR. W. F.
POWELL, MADE PRINCIPAL OF ALL
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POWELL, MADE PRINCIPAL OF ALL
THE sCHooLs-BRUCE, DOUGLASS
AND OTHERS CoMPLIMENTED.
PHILADELPHIA, PA, April o.
Thinking that the columns of your
paper would be more than filed with
the events incident to the celebration
of day, that has brought to us liberty
and an acknowledgement of the deep
injustice that has been wrought upon
us for years, prevented me from send
ing my usual letter, thus l make an
apology for what might appear is
dereliction of duty. The past week has
brought the usual complement of
parties and balls, though the season
wanes and the earth has put on her
mantle of green; there seems to be no
end to those amusements that we
usually look for during colder weather.
On Tuesday evening the old reliable
club gave their tenth annual reunion,
its point of numbers it might be term
ed failure, this is one of the oldest
organizations in the State, and hereto
fore has drawn large crowds to its re-
Ceptions from all parts of the State.
On Thursday, Friendship Lodge No.
SSS G. U. of o. F., gave a promenade
concert. This was we'll attended; cn the
same evening a testimonial and recep-
tion to John II. Miles, by the members
of the Philadelphia Band, at the Assem-
bly, Buildings, the music was grand,
but the members did not make it what
they hoped they would; the same even
ing complimentary reception was
rendered by the Sir knights to the
officers and members of the. United
Grand COmmandary of Knight Tenn
plars of Pennsylvania, this was also Il
lina lcial failure. Sir Knights Master,
Wilton, Minor, Burrill, Charles II. Ed
wards and others, made herculcan
efforts to make it a success, but the
crowd that was expected was cOnspi-
cuOuS in its absence, besides those
named above there were several others
of minor Importance, thus do we spend
our money among the pleasure of the
future, will be the reception of the
Gray Inyincibles, p. n. G. on May 10th,
and the reception of the NJ. w. Grand
Lodge of Pennsylvania of F. A. A. NJ.
at Horticultural Hall, May oath, COM
memorative of the Union lately consul
mated in the craft; there is to be day
parade in which representatives from
the various Grand Lodges will be repre-
sented, among which will be that of
the District of Columbia, both of these
will no doubt be a success, The
various literary associations have held
their usual weekly meetings, and have
been well attended by those thirsting
after knowledge, The Macedonian Of
Camden, particularly SO, the essay of
Mrs. Bond being the best the associa-
tion has been favored; Miss j. Stevens
favored the audience with a poetic
selection, this lady will be good
reader, but she lacks nerve and prac-
tice. The subjects for debate were
selected; the first, will this association
be benefit to its members? affirmative
Mr.. A. G. Stevens, negative, Mrs. Bond.
Mr.. Stevens portrayed the benefits that
would accrue from it, by educating the
community to a higher aim in life,
causing them to read and think more,
thus receiving indirectly an education
which they would not otherwise get.
Mrs. Bond neatly parried all the argu-
ments that'her opponent advanced, so
that when she was through one could
coy, he..Arallro~o e,ro-. Tsi4o 14o.tt gr,I
juct: Has the elective franchise been
a benefit to us as a race? The parties to
whom it was assigned, failed to res
pond. Messrs. NJ Robertson and T.
Brown. threw their gauntlets in the
oratorical arena and presented an
argument almost unanswerable. Mr.
Robertson briefly and graphically
showed to his hearers what benefits
had accrued to us, that it had given
us Bruce to be our Register of all
Uncle Sans bonds and national cur
rency; a Douglass as Marshall of the
District, and such men in Congress, as
Elliott, Kane, O'Hara. Small and others;
it had given us such papers as the BEE,
Recorder; Globe and Adcocate, and last
but not least, that we were now men
where we once were chattels. Messrs.
Darr and Stevens took up the gaunt-
let and in argument equally as con-
vincing controverted all that had
been previously said. The first named
gentlemen showed the thousands of
lives that had been sacrificed, which
were far more precious than that which
the ballot had or could give, that the
ballot had been the means of debasing
us more than elevating, and cited the
number of men that could be bought
to vote any ticket, from glass of rum
to dollar. have not the space to
mention the many good things that
were said. Prof. Hollingsworth favored
the association with some fine selec-
tions on the organ.
Mr.. W. I. Powell, the principal of
Mt. Vernon School, has been made
supervising principal of all the eolored
schools in the city of Camden.
For the benefit of your readers in
this section, we would like to have you
publish the call in full for the national
convention, called to meet in your city
next September. OCCASIONAL.
A LETTER OF THANKS.