The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-05-26
Closing Exercises Of the Bolton High
School.

pleted the most successful term within it's
history, and last week witnessed q series
Of closing exercises of BETTING variety and
prominence. Controlled by a capable
faculty and substantially encouraged by q
strong public sentiment, this school has
within q comparatively recent period made
great advances in growth and character of
work, and its commencement seasons have
correspondingly become occasions of con-
siderabiy more than local irter".t.
The initial feature Of the closing exer-
cises was a sermon by Rev. DR.. o. l..
Martin, of Anderson, in the Baptist Church
on Sunday, the 10Th inst. The reputation
which this gentleman bears for instructive
thought and pleasing %eloquence renders
almost s%uperluous the statement Of fact
that his large audience vas treated to an
effort Of power and rhetorical attractive
ness.
The ilal exercises OF the school proper
were given in the school building Thurs
day and Friday evenings and Friday after
noon. Large audiences. at times exceed
ing the seating capacity of the spacious
audience chamber, attended and indicated
a hearty appreciation of the programs
rendered. Music was furnished by local
talent and the Williamson string Land.
The exercises of Thursday evening were
held under the direction of the Usamean
Literary Society, and were opened by
Rev. NJ. MCGEE, of Hones Path
An address of welcome was delivered by
Mr.. Forest Vaughn, President of the 60
ciety.
A defamation on 1.-THE Past" was given
by Mr.. John Dow Hunter.
An original and ~forceful Grafton, enti-
tied "Weed your own Row." was delivered
by Mr.. j. G. Acker.
The event Of the evening was an address
by Hon. John L. McLsurin, the brilliant
young Congressman from the Sixth Dis
trict, who, by his recent efforts in the line
of public service, has largely directed the
attention of the country 10 himselfand the
Of the State. His address, with
its we%ll-chosen words of advice to the stu
dent and its stirring references to COM
mendable deeds in the history Of South
Carolina, was q fine example of instructive
oratory and well-merited the enthusiasm
with which it was received. Mr.. McLau-
rim expressed his sincere appreciation OF
the invitation extended him, since he
deemed it an honor, he said, to be selected
by the youth of his native State to take
part in their educational exercises.
ITO see the young and rising generation
earnestly seeking the first essentials of q
useful and honorable life, said he, fills the
heart OF every true patriot with gratitude
and confidence, because it is the most posi-
tive pledge that can be given, for the future
integrity and greatness of this nation.
In discussing the benefits Of education
the speaker said: SIN all the avocations
Of life, it is the ignorant who form the
sub-stratum. It is the ignorant and IN.
educated who perform the most mental
services, who toll longest and hardest for
the least remuneration. would not urge
YOU to seek an education for the purpose
of depressing the ignorant, but rather that
Won might escape their common fate. The
general tendency of intellectual advance.
ment is towards a nobler and better life.
On the other hand, with but are excep.
ton, ignorance always begets vice and i'm.
morality. The two conditions are antag-
onistic to each other, and represent the
vices end virtues of human nature. All
that is noble, generous, sympathetic and
brave in human character is more firmly
rooted by study and education while, on
the contrary, the immoral and brutal in.
s,incts are fostered and intensified through
ignorance. Since the time when God
placed the sun In the heavens, there is no
record where man was ever advised to
shun wisdom and seek Ignorance. But,
in all ages, at all times and under all con-
ditions, the voices of the pure and good,
the Just and wise, the humane and brave,
have ever been heard, amid the din and
turmoil OF life, warning each and all to
seek wisdom and understanding.
The two great forces which stand be
tween barbarism and civilization, have their
foundations resting upon the intelligence
- Ilo -no~1o onH oro NJ oroholIaH ohNnf
the church and school house. I would
earnestly remind you, my young friends,
that YOU are living in a most favored age,
and should the future Judge you by these
opportunities, you will be held to q higher
degree of responsibility than has been de-
manded Of any other generation. Fill up
the mental s%torehouse which God has
given to each of you. The trees of knowl.
edge are upon every hand, with luscious
fruit, ready to be plucked. You owe this
as a duty to yourselves, to your race, and
to the State Of South Carolina, that so
generously places these opportunities
within your reach. Such advantages cost
money and money is difficult to obtain,
yet one seldom hears Of q tax for school
purposes being criticised. Why? Because
the idea thoroughly obtains that money
spent for educational purposes means bet
ter men and women, higher ideals OF citi-
zenship and increased respect for law and
order. The rights of property, personal
liberty and the security of life itself, walk
hand in hand with educational preferment,
while q disregard for law. rights of prop
erty, and the value of human life Is found
among the savage and ignorant There is
in every community a contest between the
school house and The Jail, the church and
the psnitentiarY. II Is here that you
should learn the rights and duties of citi-
zenship, and the obligations which they
bring together with those principles OF
government upon which u national
economic fabric rests"
Mr.. McLaurin declared that good gov.
eminent begins and ends:n q patriotic love
of home, and he did not think be could
more probably employ the time of his
hearers than by calling attention to some
historical facts connected with the history
Of South Carolina. He referred to the fact
that South Carolina was the first colony to
form o Constitutional government, and
according 10 Bancroft formed the Ameri-
records Of John Rutledge, Charles Cores-
worth Pluckney, Pierce Butler, James
Butler. Marion, Sumter, Moultrie, Pick
ems, Horny. Laurens and other leaders OF
the Revolutionary period, to Calhoun. Nc
Dufie, Lowndes, Rawlins and Hayne OF q
later date, 10 Mrs Motto and other noble
women of the States history, to the tragic
and heroic struggle Of Travis, Bonhsm and
Nelson at the Alamo, to the literature OF
Ramsay, Simms, Carroll, Gibtes. Timrod,
Hayne, Calhoun, sufficient to give the
State a standing before the world, and in
the conclusion of his historical sketch paid
8 tribute to the part taken by South Caro-
linians in the civil war.
sat this point, lest I forget it, said MI.
McLaurir, II want to congratulate the
people of this county upon the general ap.
pearance of thrift and prosperity that pre-.
walls. The Piedmont region anyway, Is
the finest portion Of the continent, with
the most magnificent specimens of man
hood and womauhood in the world.
I desire to especially commend the citl-
Zens OF this beautiful town for the thrift
and energy disclosed upon every hand.
The hearty co operation here between the
gifts OF Providence and the energy Of man
has produced results which should rejoice
the heart Of every citizen Of Anderson
County. The Piedmont is giving the bal
ance of the State an object lesson in max
ing the most Of the natural advantages by
which you are surrounded. "There Is no
true excellence without great labor" and
you appear to have learned this in practice
as well as theory, aud tie ripe fruits Of
your labor. seen in your farms and facto-
ries, should ~abundantly compensate for
the time and energy expended. With q
State filled with such advantages, and
guided by .uoh q people. its future SUCCESS
is assured. The rich gifts of nature upon
1900 L-- 1o--N ~ roos- - a~1oab1I rNI