Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-05-07

tory school in the county, If not in the
state. During the past four years. Pro-
fessor Jackson Hamilton, a native Of
North Carolina, and an A. NJ. of Wake
Forest college, has been principal of
the school, and has been assisted by
competent lady teachers. Each year,
at the close of the ten months term,
public commencement exercises are
held at the school building, which is a
large, commodious structure, consist
ing of three or four rooms, all neces-
sary school pharaphernalia, such as
desks, blackboards, maps, globes, etc.,
and also a music room equipped with
up-to-now pianos. The commence
ment exercises for this year occupied
a part Of four days, beginning on the
evening Of April 20 and concluding on
Friday afternoon, May 2. The writer
was not present except on Friday and
is, therefore, not in position to speak
from observation and experience Of
the interesting exercises on the three
days previous, and also feels incapable
of doing justice to the very credible
work he witnessed on Friday.
There were about 500 people present.
including several from Rock Hill, Fort
Mill, Pineville, Yorkville and other
points. Comfortable seats were pro-
vided for all underneath an awning,
made of sheeting, extending the full
length of the school building and per-
50x50 feet. The speakers and the band
occupied the broad piazza that also
extends the length and breadth Of the
building. The arrangements for COM
fort and convenience were all that
could be desired and spoke volumes in
praise of the lauable ambition Of the
committee Of arrangements to dis
charge it's duty in a creditable man.
ner.
The printed programmes announced
that the exercises on Friday morning
would be comenced at 9 o'clock, but
owing to the fact that the crowi did
not see fit to assemble until about
1890, the opening was necessarily de-
ferred until that time. NE principal
feature OF the days entertainment Wrs
to be q contest for two gold me 1als;
one being offered by Mr.. w. H. Stew
art for the best defamation by boy,
and another offered by superintendent
of Education Carroll for the best rec
itation by a girl. Naturally intense
interest was felt by the people Of the
neighborhood in the outcome, and es-
pecially on the part Of those who had
boy or girl to take part. The exer-
cises were opened with a song by the
entire school, entitled Ring the Mer-
ry Bells" which was followed by pray
er by Mr.. W. H. Crook, and. next
was an overture by the band. Right
here Principal Hamilton announced
that he had failed to attend to an i'm
portant matter that must be disposed
Of before the exercises could be con-
tinued, and that was the selection OF
committee to decide who were the win
ners Of the two gold medals mentioned
above. Without unnecessary delay, he
and several others got out in the crowd
and corralled three visitors who were
unacquainted with any Of the prospect
i've contestants and demanded that
they sit in Judgment! Aforesaid WIS.,
itors, Of one accord commenced to make
excuses by assigning what they believ-
ed to be valid and unanswerable rea-
sons as to why they should be excused
individually and collectively, but no
excuse would go, and the trio was
marched to the front and placed in po-
sitions where they could hear every
word and see every gesture and then
the following programme was placed
in the hand Of each:
Defamation, "Wolf at Quebec" -.
...................... James Epps.
Recitation, 1.-The Lips that Touch Lii
quor Shall Never Touch Mine" ......
...................... ...Ora Wlndle.
Defamation, 1.-THE Elements Of Ma
Recitation, Little Rockets Christ
mas" ...................M .Maude Smith.
Defamation, 1.-The South in Revolu-
tionary Times. ....H. M. Stroup.
MUSIC.
Defamation, 1.-The Funeral of Stone
wall Jackson" Arthur Johnson.
Recitation, 1.-The Grandmother ....:..
Mamie Boyd.
Recitation, Kate Shurley" Annie Faris.
Defamation. THE Black Horse and
His Rider. r"..............W. B. Bales.
MUSIC.
Recitation, Lost in the Snow.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. .Beulah k1mbrell.
Defamation, "A Naughty Little Boy
Defamation, "Burgoyne's Surren-
der ............... ..GrOVer hllnDreil.
Recitation, christmas Eve. ".........
.Beulah Faris.
MUSIC.
Recitation, Robert E. Lee. ".........
................... Annie Crook.
Defamation, Mother, Gird My
Sword Around Me-" ".......G. C. Epps.
Recitation, Decoration Day. ".........
................. May Blankenship.
Defamation, THE Traitors Death
bed" Richard Smith.
MUSIC.
Defamation, Past and Present of
Our Country" .............. Joel Epps.
Recitation, Jim Munroe" Grace Crook.
Defamation, 1.-The Hand of God IN
History '..................Cr CROOK FarlS.
MUSIC.
Intermission.
MUSIC.
Defamation, THE Unknown Speak
err. Moore Coltharp.
Recitation, THE Light on Dead
Mans Bar" Bleeka Faris.
Recitation, You Put No Flowers on
MY Papa's Grave. Hamilton Smith.
MUSIC.
Recitation, Ivan Bibber's Rock" ".....
Elsie Boyd.
Recitation, Uncle Daniel ............
.Cammie Crook
Defamation "The Principles of Lib
erty'. y'.................... ...D. V. EppS