Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-21
Diplomas Conferred Upon the Grad
yates of Colored Schools.
ADDRESS BY REPRESENTATIVE WHITE
The Topics Discussed in Orations
and Essays.
TRUSTEE BROWN PRESIDES

| the District were held last evening, the
| graduates numbering considerably more
| than 100. Representative George III. White
! of North Carolina addressed the graduates,
| and they received their diplomas from the
| hand of District Commissioner John w.
Ross, who has immediate charge of the To-
| cal public schools. The stage was taste
| fully adorned with plants and flowers. and
| the young women who graduated were at
| tired in white, most of them carrying a
| bouquet of flowers. Seated with them upon
the stage were Rev. Sterling n. Brown, the
| presiding officer of the evening: Commits
sioner Ross. Superintendent G. F. T. Cook,
Robert H. Terrell, principal of the High
School, Miss Lucy Moten principal of the
| Normal School; Thomas H. Wright, George
| Ii. Richardson and Rev. w. J. Howard.
| Hoffman's Orchestra furnished the music.
rendering an attractive program during the
evening.
The graduates marched upon the stage to
! the strains of Sousa's Hands Across the
| Sea, and after prayer by the Rev. W. ].
| Howard the Rev. Sterling Brown, one of
| the colored trustees, said:
| This annual gathering is always impress
| slVe and suggestive 1t reminds of an
important factor in the progress of the race.
1here have been enrolled during the wear
| IN the colored schools of the District over
| $4,000 children. Thirty-eight school build
| lngs have been utilized and 1888 teachers
SiSaSeu III the children. The
eVldent need is greater school facilities and
a rigid enforcement of compulsory attend
ahce, etc. 1t Will be fortunate for our
children and the state when opportu-
MY MY ana law unite in seeing to it
that every child in the community gets an
educational start in life. But with all we
are making magnificent showing in Wash
ihston, and our schools we'll deserve our
best appreciation
OratiOns and ESSAYS
Mr.. Brown then presented Mr. VIM. H.
ADAMS OF the graduating class who spoke
on Our Foreign Possessions Commercially
Considered" His address was filed with
interesting statistics, and he pointed out
to his race their possibilities in the new pos
sessions of the United States but warned
lhem that only by labor, intelligence and in
dustfy can they hope to succeed
Miss Zita E. Dyson was next introduced
taxing for the subject of her essay Amer
lean Ideals Miss Dyson spoke of the in
conslstencies of this country saving that
OUT OF them arose most of its difficulties
one ieIerred TO the treatment of the negro
as d1sgraceful, remarking that America is
not living up to its ideal in this matter
enc spoke of the disadvantages of lack of
educational uiI facilities, saying that the
crimes IN the south and their barbarous
punishment by lynch law are due to ignor-
dnce more than to anything else perhaps.
Inc Negro Soldier was the subject of
an address by Mr.. Robert s. Culley and he
told how the negro has fought for This
country in every war in which she mas mar
tlclpated. Never has the negro soldier, he
salu' peen lacking in either patriotism or
bravery, and he has shown himself a man
IN every respect, gaining the respect and
admiration of foe and friend alike
Miss RACHEL F. Guy. the valedictorian of
inc high School, took for her subject .'The
Common Defense" increasing rnon her
Classmates and race that education is their
common defense. and that without educa-
ton they cannot succeed. no matter what
taE
turned thanks to the authorities and 20
congress for the superior educational faciI-
,tles when are provided here for the negro
and bade her ciassma ties and the faculty.
touching farewell.
Miss Ursuline c. Barker was the vale
olctorlan of the Normal School, selecting
as her topic, And He Sat Child in Their
Midst. She referred to the care which
must be taken in the early education of the
ehiid, remarking that the little ones must
IDEALS. Miss Barker also acknowledged in
graceful language the debt which she and
her classmates owe the government and the
faculty of the school for the advantages
given them.
Diplomas Delivered.
Comm issioner Ross was then introduced
as the true friend of education and of the
negro, and he was enthusiastically received.
Mr.. Ross made no address. and as the
names OF the graduates were called ne
handed them their well-earned diplomas
The graduates were:
Normal School-Ursuline Carleton. Barker.
Helen Elizabeth Bell, Nellie Smith Burke.
Carrie Washington Burriu Frondelena
Claudia Butler, Williana Actea Coleman
Anna Louise Cornell, Mary Louise Evans,
Lillian Palmer Hill, Bertha Grace Howard,
Jennie June Madden, Mary Alice Mason
Madeline Frances Matthews, Helen Jessie
Moore, Ada Amelia Pinckney Susie Ellen
Scott, Marie Ananora Smith, Ada Elmore
Thomas, Marie Elizabeth Wright, Daisy
Gfau \
Bradley. James Oscar Lucas, Archibald
Mark Ray. Harry Elphonzo Shorter, Clar-
ence King Wormley.
High SchooEAcademic course-aIary Ell
len Amber Mary Eliza Bowie Isabel Vane
Brooks. Ella Nora Louise Brown, Halle
Spofford Brown, Mary Elizabeth Davis,
Florence Virginia Dorsey, Bessie Dyson,
Zita Emma Dyson, Sarah Virginia German,
EsteHe Lydia Gray, Grace Page Green, Ad-
elaide Ford Hall, Emma Bessie Hall, Chris
tine Agnes Harris. Mary Magdalene Haw-
klns, Ada May Henderson. Julia Estelle
Jackson, Henrietta Johnson, Mary Ann
EifZabeth johnson, Marie Jordan, Ida Eau
dora Mitchell. Estelle Virginia Nelson,
Charlotte Elizabeth Onley, Mabel Malvina
Mary Rebecca Richards, Delilah Emma
belle Ross, Augusta Cecilia Thomas, Eva
Alberta Thompson, Melinda Belle Turner,
Beatrice Louise Warrick, Daisy Zebra Will
liams, Eva Floracetra Wilson, William
Arthur Coleman, Clarence Stafford Payne,
Fred Branford Syphax, George Wilson
Whltted, Joseph Nathaniel Woodward.
Scientific course: Alberta Gertrude Brooks
Addie Bruce, Fannie Hamilton Burrell,
Lucy Anne Clarke, Mary Elizabeth Clark,
Sitka Teresa Downes, Florence Agnes
Fletcher. Mabel Mildred Gesry, Rachel
Elizabeth Guy, Mildred Eulalia Jones' Jen-
ME Aston Kelley, Maggie Bruce Key,
Clara Belle Lee. Emily Estelle Lewis, Mary
Magdalene Mallory, Bessie Edwina Miller
Genevieve Estena Morris, Florence Anna
Murray, Julia Laura Payne, Nellena Anna
Payne, Augusta Weems Savoy, Helen Es-
telle Shaw, Eff1e Parke Simmons. Bertha |
Alberta Washington, Ernestine Wheeler, |
Cora Mabel Williams, Richard Lemuel Bal |
timore, William Adalbert Brown, Clement |
Dennis Carroll, Thomas Montgomery |
Nance Clayton. Robert Samuel Culley, |
Clarence Charles Hamilton Davis, Walter
Robert Hurt, Raymond Andrew Jackson, |
Herndon Belese Jones, William Hope /
Payne, Walter Franklin Phillips, Harvey |
Winfield Shirley, George Henry Costin Will |
nams.
Business course: Tassie Ardella Holland. |
Blanche Louise Jordan, Mary Ella Mar /
shall, Irene Willamette Smallwood, Annie /
Viola Tohver William Henderson Adams, |
Joseph Henry Carroll, William Otis Diggs, |