The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-06-04
FOURTH GRADE
The Closing Exercises of q Successful
Years Nork.--aa Interesting Pro-
graRns.

Years Work ---An Interesting Pro-
granme.
The closing exercises Of the Graded
School were held IN the Opera House
last Thursday night from 8 to IL
O'clock. AS usual on such occasions,
the auditorium was packed to the
doors and the exercises were followed
vita the greatest interest by everyone
present.
The programme was not only inter-
sessing but enjoyable, and even those
who had not the personal interest IN
the exercises resulting from the pres
eace ola child or children among the
pupils felt Just pride In the school
onsaceoHns of the creditable manner
IN Which the programme was carried
cut.
Each ysAv there is marked inn
preseaasn5 ia the chorus singing by
the school. The systematic instruction
ii vocal music, begun only few years
since, is fully justified by the results
ard now the children's singing is one
OF she most ATTRACTIVE and enjoyable
features of Ghe closing exercises.
The Rha,ne Decaaimer's Medal was
contested for by William S. Manning,
Jr., and Charles H. Hurs5, two
boys in the tenth grade, who
acquitted themselves well, showing
by their delivery that they had not
only received good training but had
put hard and Intelligent work on the
preparation OF their speeches. The
medal vas awarded Co Charles II.
Hurst by the committee, Messrs. ".
f. Rhane, c. ). Owens and z. G.
ATcLeed
1. Rev. ii. H. Covington read at the.
request Of Supt. Ednlunds the eyposi-
tion of the Class Motto. which for
personal reasons Mr. Edmunds felt
unable to deliver, as has been his Gus
tom heretofore. The class motto is
50 PuichTum patrian amore e''-s is
beautifaEse love ones country. And
the central IDEA emphasized by the
exposition prepared by Mr.. Edmunds
WIS patriotism from a Southern stand
point.
The class criticism was read by Miss
Hattie Lowry, who had prepared a,
clever and WeiI-drawn series of charac-
tor sketches of her classmates. The
sketches were dEswn from life and an
intimate personal knowledge OF the
subjects, and if those who thus had
the mirror held mp 80 them for self-in-
spi1ation enjoyed the proceeding as
we'll as did the audience they did not
End she exercises altogether q bore.
Miss Isidere Teicher, who won the
first honor of the class, delivered the
valedictory. She had well thought
cut and carefully prepared essay, and
1t was read In a graceful and easy
manner.
The prizes offered annually by Dick
Anderson Chapter, q. D. c., for the
best compositions on some topic con-
nected with the war between the
States written by pupils of the seventh
and eighth grades and the ninth and
tenth grades were presented By Hon.
Thomas G. Mcleod, on behalf Of the
committee that passed upon the merits
of the papers submitted. Miss Isidore
Teicher of the tenth grade won the
prize competed for by the ninth and
tenth grades and Louis C. Bryan the
prize competed for by the seventh and
eighth grades. The prizes were the
same, yiz:S5 in gold. The subject of
the composition this year was The
Causes Of the War" The subject was
selected by this u. D. @. andsswas not
announced to the grades until the chill
dren were assembled In the class rooms
and the subject written on the black
board. The compositions were written
In the presence of the committee
Messrs H. F. Wilson, j. n. Knight
and T. G. Mcleod half hour only
being allowed.
The prize drill of picked squad
from the military company organized
In January last by the Graded School
bows was decidedly the most novel and
attractive number OF the programme.
The company is entirely the creation
of the boys themselves, having been
organized, ofhcered and drilled by pu-
pills of the school. Some members of
She SQUAD were scarcely SO tall as the
gun they handled with the ease and
Skill of veteran soldiers, and to say
that the audience was surprised at
their superb drilling does not express
St. The squad was drilled by W. S.
Manning, Jr., the captain of the COM
pany, in the organization of which he
was the moving spirit. Maj. Brad
ham, of the S. M. A., and Capt. T. S.
Doar, of the Sumter Light Infantry,
acted as judges. The medal was won
by Edward McCutehen and was pre-
L. 20