The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1903-06-05
COMMENCEMENT AT PROSPERITY.
Seven Young Ladies' Receive Diplomas.
Address by Hon. 0. B. Martin.
Music Recital.

received their diplomas from the Pros
perity Graded School.
The commencement exercises Of this
institution. which began on Monday
night with interesting exercises by the
primary and grammar grades, mark the
close of very successful session. The
enrolment has been one hundred and
fifty. and the students show the excel
lent training given by Prof. Counts and
his assistant teachers. all Of whom have
been reelected for another session.
The exercises by the graduating class
were held on Tuesday night in the new
city hall. and were attended by an audi
encc numbering probably seven hundred
persons. The building was filled to its
capacity, and many could not oh,ain
seats and were standing inside and out
side. The address Of the evening WAS
delivered by Hon, Q. h. Martin. State
Superintendent Of Education.
The young lady graduates are: Misses
Anna Geiger. Ethe Hawkins, Lena Les
ter, Ad,lie WertS. Ellen Merits. Lucy
Wheeler. Lucille Wise. and lSolns
Wyche. Each Of these spoke uNv>
subject assigned by the school, TIE
papers We're all good. and did dcrs<ilt t>:h
to the young ladies and their teachers
and each Of the young ladies, st the
conclusion Of her part in the Yr>grsm,
was heaped with beautiful flowers MI
generous applause.
THE ADDRESS Of THIS EVENING.
Hon 0 b Martin spoke upon TIE Rss-
tion ofEducation toPrnsperity. He tcG of
recent trips throughout South CA.r,ins,
saying that wherever he had been the
hammer and the SAW and the piles ot
brick gradually changing into beautiful
structures had impressed upon him one
word Prosperity. and it was all III"
more impressed on this OCCASION
The prosperity of our State. and the
prosperity and advancement Of any
State depend upon the education Of the
children Of the State. True it is 4 QueS-
ton whether prosperity promotes edu-
cation or education produces prosperity.
said the speaker. but he believed that
education always precedeS prosperity.
The work for education Of those who
have gone before measures the pros
perity we enjoy and the work for edu-
the prosperity of the future.
Prof. Martin cited as an instance go
ing to prove the truth of this statement
the present material prosperity Of New
England, a section with far less natural
advantages than the South. The New
England fathers put their money into
the brains of their children.
The speaker said he was GLAD TO 10
tice in many SCI ions Of South Carolina
new structures going up for educational
purposes. AS a simple business propo-
Sition, from purely financial stand
point, those at the head of these enter
prises are displaying good business
Judgment not taking into account the
far greater end the education Of the
children. 1t is sad state of affairs
that in South Carolina six out of seven
Of the inhabitants are without an edu-
cation. This would not be so bad could
the other six read and write, but about
three out of this six have only the least
smattering of the rudiments of an edu-
cation. He believed it a fair statement
that over fifty per cent. of the people
of South Carolina have not enough edu-
cation successfully to engage in any
business pursuit. The speaker severely
condemned the sentiment Of the older
people which says that what was good
enough for us is good enough for our
children.
The schools have not done enough for
the masses. They had tended too much
towards the professional. He had no.
ticcd during the commencement season
a wocful lack of boys on the platform
| The schools ought to train these boys
If they are not suited for literary pur-
suits they should be trained along in
dustrial lines-fitted for the superin-
| tendency or presidency of cotton mill
or some such position. The schools need
to have wider scope, to include the
! training Of the hand as well as the head.
Education is not only the training Of
the mind Our schools should develop
more ingenuity. He was troubled by
the statement that only one man in
South Carolina out of $4,000 invents
something, while in Connecticut one
| man out of every 800 invents some
thing. On the other hand, our people
should support home talent.
| The speaker referred to the wonder
fuI development and resources Of the
South what will all these amount to
unless our schools go forward? Our
future prosperity depends upon our
present efforts along educational lines.
One final thought ne wanted 10 g:ye
the students have a purpose in life.
SLcce%s il sure tn follow purpJae