The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1906-05-17
Formally Dedicated.
New Graded School Building Open
ed With Appropriate Exercises
Monday---Red Letter Day in His
tory of Henderson.

dedication of it to the education of
the children of Henderson township.
The occasion was observed with APP
propriate exercises, a number of visi-
tors-patrons of the school and 9th
ers-being present.
Mr.. ID. Y. Cooper, chairman of the
Board of School Trustees, presided
On the rOstrum were seated the men,
bers of the School Board and others
In his opening remarks Mr.. Cooper
stated that the object OF their com
ing together was to dedicate the
building to the education and train
ing of the children of Henderson
township and he called on Rev. Julian
r. lngle to open the exercises with
prayer. AS chairman of the Board
OF Trustees Mr.. Cooper gave a state
ment of their stewardship, showing
receipts and expenditures, giving in
detail a history of the movement and
work accomplished to secure the
magnificent building which now
stands as a monument to the cause
OF education in the community,
credit to the town and a lasting
crown OF glory to those who have
had to do with accomplishing the
splendid results witnessed in the
handsome building erected and the
excellent work done in educating and
training the children of Henderson
township since the Graded School
was established. "When the meeting
was held in the Opera House in 1889
at which the movement for Graded
School in Henderson first took def
mite shape, little did we think" said
Mr.. Cooper, ''such q realization as
this would be the result (The school
was started by private subscriptions
and SO run until the Legislature met
in 1901 and charter was secured
authorizing a tax to be levied for the
purpOse.)
The Board of Trustees is composed
of nine members. 1t is self-perpet-
uating board in that the members
elect their own successors or fill va
cancies. Five of the original mem
bers of Board are now holding office.
the Others are as capable and eff
Gent, said Mr.. Cooper, and they give
their time and services cheerfully and
freely without pay-their only COM
pensation being the consciousness of
duty faithfully performed in a good |
and worthy cause. Mr.. Cooper paid
high and merited tribute to Superin-
tendent !. r. Alderman, and had |
warm words of praise for the teach
ers, those who have been and those |
who now are members of the faculty.
Mr.. A. c. Zolicoffer was then intro
duced and spoke in behalf of the Board
Of Trustees OF the school. He de-
(ivered capital address full of fine
thought andinspiring sentiment, and
was heartily applauded.
The next number was a song, ''My
Country, Ills of Thee the audience
rising, children and grown people
the auditorium ring with
The melody OF their blended voices.
Mr.. L. Il. Hicks representing the
citizens of the township, spoke next.
Always a strong and forceful speak
~, he was at his best on this occa-
sion. He laid stress on the value
and Importance of education, and
with apt illustration
md example the power and advan-
5age of the educated individual or
Mr.. Hicks in strong and
vigorous terms advocated compul-
sorry education, and this sentiment
was vociferously applauded. An in
stance was cited where a child entered
n a class of As. Only 13 have re-
manned in school and will complete
the course. Such Indifference on the
part of parents to sending their chill
lren to school and having them ac-
luire an education was lamentable.
Something must be done to compel
the children to go to school. If pa
rents will not send their children to
school there ought to be g law to
make them CO. he declared. "And
until we have law to compel all the
to go to school, every family
should be a law in itself" Mr.. Hicks
said he was glad to be allowed to be
taxed in behalf of such a iaudable
and such a worthy cause as this
Graded School. He was proud OF
the Henderson Graded School-the
grandest institution in the cOmmu
nifty.
Mr.. J. c. kittrell, County Super
of Public Schools, followed |
Mr.. Hicks. Accustomed to speaking
to children as he is he got right down
among them so to speak, and made |
a good talk which they all enjoyed.
He embellished his remarks with apt |
and timely stories and |
showed himself a versatile
and ready speaker fitting the occa-
sion.
Then there was another song,
Judge CASTOR noble, patriotic hymn,
Carolina, the audience standing.
Rev. l.. l.. Nash, d. d., spoke next.
Comment here is unnecessary. DIR.
Nash always speaks we'll on any
occasion and never better than when
he is talking about schools and ed
ucatiOn.
Mr.. Andrew J. Harris followed DR..
Nash in a forceful and effective short
speech. 1t was IA gem OF its kind,
aglow with the fire of enthusiasm and
fine sentiment, the only objection to
it being it's brevity.
Mr.. Cooper then announced that
the best had been saved for the last
the children and the people of Hen
derson were always glad to hear from
Mr.. Alderman. But Prof. Alderman
begged to be excused. He would
talk to the children later, as he had
done in the past, and as for the
grown folks, he preferred to let his
work in the school speak for itself.
He was not given to much speaking
and would leave the fine sentiment
expressed in the excellent addresses OF
the other gentlemen as delightful
odor in the minds OF the audience
rather than dissipate it by any re-
marks OF his own. With character
istic modesty he thanked Mr.. Cooper
and the other gentlemen who had