The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-06-02
The Commencement Exercises
Held Yesterday.
AT CENTENNIAL SCHOOL
AN INTERESTING PROGRAM BY
THE CHILDREN.
CANTATA Byte PRIMARY GLASS
Some Splendid Essays Read by The
Members of the Graduating Glass
Prizes and Certificates Award
ed by the Superintendent.

Prizes and Certificates Award
ed by the Superintendent.
They are Raleigh's jewels-those bright
| boys and girls that daily crowd the pub
lie schools of the city, thirsting for a
draught at the fount of knowledge. Yes
terlay was their day, and hugely did
the enjoy it. 1t was their commencement
day, the ending of their years work and
the beginning of their vacation days.
Centennial graded school building was
crowded with people to witness the exer-
cises Most of them were young people
school boys and girls, with here and there
an older person to control and encourage.
The exercises, though quite long, were OF
a most interesting nature and showed that
a remarkably high grade Of work is be-
ing done by the teachers in these schools.
The papers read by the graduating exer-
cises were worthy of much older heads
and of institutions of much higher pre-
tensions than our graded schools.
81 want to congratulate you upon teach
| ing the children to think, said professor
in the A. and Nj. College to Superinten-
dent Howell, after the exercises had come
to an end 1T is so much better than have,
them memorize lot of facts" And their
essays showed this, because they were all
rela ting to some personal work of each
child.
First ON the program was a cantata
Of spring-time by children of the prima
ry grade. 1t represents Mother Natures
reception to the flowers and the birds on
their return in the spring. The children,
dressed to represent the birds and flowers
and trees, that are to be seen in the
sprnig months, not only looked pretty, but
they acted in most excellent style the
parts assigned them. There was not a
jar or hitch in it, though there were
half hundred characters represented.
Everybody was sorry when the little
| musical play had been completed, and the
little folks with their bright flowers and
brighter faces had gone. But the next
part of the exercises proved to be no
less interesting.
Compositions were then read by mem
bers of the graduating class on subjects
that they have been studying during the
year. lit oDJeCl WIS W SuoN
of the work done i'm the schools. The
compositions embraced, nearly every de-
partment and were as FLOWS:
Miss Franc Irby, History of the City
of Raleigh"
Hubert Haywood, MY Acquaintance
with Sir Walter Scott"
CASTOR Rogers, 1.-The Colonies for Con-
science Sake"
Henry Mordecai, THE Dispersion of
the Acadians,' from Evangeline.
Miss Lalla Ellington, "a Criticism on
Hiawatha."
Miss Maggie Hardie, 'Hiawatha's
Courtship.'
Miss Annie Taylor, Historical Events
during Longfellow's Life"
Miss Bessie Wharton, Something that
we have learned about the Stars"
Miss Bessie Lewellen, Our Observa-
tons of the Moon
Louis Womble, What we have OBJ
served about the Sum-"
Miss May Ford, my Introduction to
Shakespeare"
Miss Gertrude Upchurch, ''Versifica-
tion."
Miss Isabelle Bland, "A Study of Obso-
lete Uses Of Words in Shakespeare's
julius Caesar and Merchant of Venice"
Miss Lucy Little, How have studied
Geography"
Miss Mary Burton, "A Study OF the
Figures of Speech in Shakespeare's Julius
Caesar"
Miss Jennie Ellis, "Shylock."
Miss Kate Skinner, shakespeare
Brutus, an adverse criticism of his char
acter."
Ill -,
Brutus, a defense.
Miss Mary Tonnoffski, London"
Miss Matte Blalock, Something about
Fruits and Flowers"
Certificates were given to all Of the
above named for having completed one or
more studies. The presentation was made
by Superintendent Howell, in the abb
sence of Mayor Russ, who had been in
vited to perform this pleasant duty. Ger
tificates were also given to Wray White,
Nellie Allen, Miss Laura Kirby, Miss MINI
ME Bagwell, Virginia Burton and David
Bagley.
For the Peace Institute scholarship of
fered to the girl that makes the highest
average there was tie between MISS
Jennie Ellis and Miss Isabelle Bland. Or.
| Dinwiddie, who was present, decided
that both young LADIES were ehtltleu oo
scholarship, so he gives two at Peace
| this year.
At the end of each term the principal
Of the Centennial school gives prize
| to the student that makes the best gen.
| eral average, and also prize to the Sec
ond best. The fall term the first prize was
| awarded to Minnie Bagwell and LEILA
Young, and the second prize to Ethel
Lyon, Bessie Uewellen, and Moddle Ell
| lington.
The winter term the first prize was won
| by Burton Ray, and the second prize by
Miss Bessie Wharton.
The spring term the first prize went