The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1903-09-09
Teachers institute Finale.

L
The closing exercises of the
Teachers Institute were full ot
intere s and animation. Or
Thursday night there took place
at the Opera House the contest in
elocution, in which Misses Beulah
Reeves, Mamie Harris, Ada Pear
Smith, Lily Thorsen and Maggie
Nations pal ticipated. The efforts
of these young girls surprised
with their excellence the large
audience present; and it was in
deed a very difficult matter for
the judges to award the medal to
the best, where the great majority
were so good. Music was fur
nished by local talent. Mrs. Ira
Parsons never sung more ex-
lquisitely, and Mrs. NJ. 7. Flood
Miss Nellie McGrath and Mrs. j.
M. Wood lent the charm of their
talents to the occasion.
/ On Friday morning the educa-
tional rally took place, at which
the address of State superinten-
Ident Whitfield was the piece de
resistance. Admirable addresses
were also made by DR.. j. A.
| Rowan, of Wesson, and Hon. w.
F. Parsons, president of Lincoln's
Board of Supervisors. The day
seemed to be a renaissance in
our county's affairs, and the in
aspiration of the meeting was up
lifting and encouraging. The
profession of teacher has become
exalted very near to the preaching
of the Gospel, and in these slow
moving years when so many have
slept and left their children unde-
veloped, to be the toys of fate or
circumstance, has grown to be
serious business, whose conscien-
tious record will tell not only on
the moral life of our future men
and women, but on through time,
to eternity's shores.
On Friday night, again at the
Opera House, the defamation and
piano contests attracted a larger
audience than the night before.
1t is with pride that we here re-
cord each name of the contestants
in defamation, with special men
tion not only of the winner of the
medal, but of Sam Osborne, of
Norheld, who lost the honor by
the smallest possible degree. The
contestants were Sam Osborn,
Chester Byrne, L. Bracie Camp
bell, w. NJ. Reeves and Pearlie
Calender. Much of talent was
exhibited by these young men, and
there is hope in our country when
such youths seize the opportunity
of the day and hour to tread the
higher walks of life and to move
upward and onward to where there
is always room for superior minds
and morals. After the piano con-
test by Misses Jennie Vardaman
and Mary McNair, the latter of
whom graciously consented to
play, in the absence of others,
other interesting features of the
evening we're presented" in the
midst of much emotion on the
part of the usually staid recipi-
ents, and lively interest by the
spectators.
When Hon. q. G. Lyell, in
his usual masterful manner, took
his place upon the rostrum, ex-
pectation became certainty
that something was going to hap
pen, and it did. Before the as
sembled multitude Prof. Scott was
led forth, the personification of
meekness and modesty, with moth
ing apparent to indicate the jus
tice of such a fate, and was
"chained'' by the 'heartless'
young lawyer, whose eloquence
far surpassed the deed, redolent
as it was with all that makes life
worth living-a due appreciation
of merit. Prof. Scott was taken
wholly unawares; but made a fit
ting response. Then followed a
presentation by DR.. Graves, of a
| gold watch to County Superinten-
dent Green, who responded bright
lly and beautifully. DIR. Graves
rhetorical address appears else
where in these columns.
Rev. G. w. Crisler then deliver
led the coveted medals to Miss
Maggie Nations, in elocution ;
/ Miss Jennie Vardaman, in music; ;
Chester Byrne, in defamation.
/ Resolutions of thanks to the
public, and commendation of Miss
Atkins work and of the course
|of The Leader were read by Prof.
II. NJ. Gilault and Mrs. T. G..
Maxwell.
] The public is due thanks to
| lProfs. Green and Scott and to Mr..
lCharles Heuck for the delightful
fevenings with the teachers at the
lOpera House.
Don't place youself on pedes-
tai and expound principle coldly
to the passers by. Get down