Smyrna times., 1904-07-06
HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES
RECEIVE HONOR MENTION
WEEK OF EXERCISES CLOSE WITH COM
MENCEMENT PROGRAM WEDNESDAY.
Class of Eight Receive Diplomas and Are
Given Splendid Address By L. |. Han.
dy. First Principal of Public Schools.

The week of Commencement exer-
cises of Glass 1904 of the Smyrna High
School, came to a close Wednesday
evening with the graduating exer-
clses, which were held with marked
success at the Opera House. The
auditorium and gallery would hardly
accommodate the large crowd which
had gathered. While good summer
weather prevailed, it was not of that
torrld kind which usually character
ICES commencement evenings. The
exercises were presided over bv Prin-
cipal John P. Burdette, and on the
stage were seated the graduating
class: Miss Emma Lanette Bitter. Mr.
Ayres Jaques Stockly, Miss Emma
Shipley Weldon, Miss Edith Thomp-
son George, Miss Edna Wilson Arm
strong, Miss Caroline RAYMOND
Riggs, Mr.. Henry Jannev and Miss
Elizabeth Collins. On the left of the
stage were seated the Board of Edu-
cation, composed of Mr.. William H.
Janney, president; Mr., l.. NJ. Price.
vice president; Mr. f. Marriott Fow-
Ter, secretary and treasurer; Mr.. Will
liam A FARES. Mr. Harry B. Grieves.
and Mr.. William FAIRIES. On the right
of the stage were Principal !. p. Bur
dette, Vice principal Ct. w. Payne and
Hon. l.. Irving Handy of Newark. the
speaker of the evening. The latter
had come at the special invitation of
the Board of Education, who had de-
clded to do away with the long list of
essays and have only the valedictorv
and salutatory and an address to the
graduates.
Former Congressman Handy's Fine Address.
The program opened with selec-
tion from The Fortune Teller. bv
Watkins Orchestra, after which the
Rev. ). Il. Estlin of the Presbvteria n
Church offered the invocation. The
was made by Mr.. Avres J.
otockly, who took for his subject
Public Highways" He was followed
by Mr. Townsend Jefferson who sang
with excellent effect a tenor solo en-
titled "My Dream of You," (Rodncy.
At the request of Miss Bitter the val
edictorian, her essay "Our Great
Fairs, was read by Miss Elizabeth J.
Collins. This was followed by sweet
solo "Sunbeams, (ROnaid) by Miss
Helen. E. Waters, which was happily
responded to by an encore. The ora.
.or of the evening then took the plat
.orm and produced much laughter bv
the point on Principal Bur
iette in saying he appeared as 1.-The
slight change in the program" Mr..
Handy took Education" as his
theme and for the rest of the evening
leld the close attention of his audi.
ence as he showed the splendid achieve
nents of our public school system and
what 1t was doing in training the
young to take up the serious aud
difficult problems of life. The need
II trained minds such as a thorough
public school education alone could
give, was never greater in the history of
the world and he impressed this truth
With apt illustrations that were re-
'eived with high favor by all who
heard him. 1t was splendid ad-
iress and was frequently punctuated
With hearty applause Principal Bur
iette followed with few remarks,
Turing which he presented diplomas
o the eight graduates. The Rev. G..
Valerie Gilreath of St. Peters Church
pronounced the benediction, after
which the graduates held reception.