The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1908-03-17

Rev. E. Scarboro, pastor of Mount Moriah
A. M. E. church, after which the pupils
of the school sang America"
The dedication address was made by
Samuel Aaron Atkinson, president of the
Board of Education. Mr.. Atkinson was
introduced as one who had more than a
passing interest in the school. In
the first place he is president of the
Board of Education, secondly ne is
named after the man whose name had been
given to this school, and thirdly he had
married the daughter of the minister who
succeeded Rev. Samuel Aaron as pastor
of the Mount Holly Baptist church.
Mr.. Atkinson said he was but two years
old when the man whose name he bore
died, and he had not the pleasure of even
seeing him, but what he had learned of
his noble character, the great work he had
done in the interests of the colored race
and the incidents which had been fire.
quently brought to his attention showing
the kind of man Mr.. Aaron was, had
always made him feel pleased to think
that his parents had given him the name,
but the pride he had heretofore felt was
nothing compared with that of today,
when it was his privilege to dedicate this
school building and to bestow upon 1t the
name selected by the Board of Education.
Mr.. Atkinson then gave review of the
life of Rev. Samuel Aaron, with histori-
cal sketch from the date of birth to the
death of the renowned man. Mr.. Aaron
was great advocate of the abolition of
slavery and the efforts he put forth to
give expression to his views frequently
put him in bodily danger During
speech at Burlington rotten egg was
thrown at him but did mot hit him. All
efforts to suppress him, however, did not
deter him in the good work he was doing,
and he lived to see the ideas he had so
valiantly fought for brought to success.
Mr. Atkinson then congratulated the
pupils on their removal from the old
building they had SO long occupied, and
expressed the hope that they would be
spurred on in their efforts to obtain an
education and that others who are not
now awaiting themselves of the opportun-
ity would not miss the chance offered
them. He then turned to Miss Julia E
Williams, principal of the school and said;
II now name this building the Samuel
Aaron school and give into your keeping
the keys of the building"
Miss Williams received the keys and
said it was no more a pleasure for the
president to give them to her than for
her to receive them. For long time she
and her pupils had struggled along under
adverse circumstances until sometimes it
seemed as if they must give up. The old
school building was right along the rail
road and the continual passing and drilling
trains made the work of teaching great
labor. But all that had passed, and now
the pupils were to occupy building that
was the equal of any of its kind in the
state. In their behalf as well as for her
Education for the good work they had
done and for the comfortable quarters
that had been assigned them. She felt
that it would certainly be an incentive to
both teachers and scholars to work harder
and show better results in return for what
had been given them. In accepting these
keys and the custody of the Samuel Aaron
school she felt great responsibility and
it would be her earnest effort to protect
the interests entrusted to her to the best
of her ability.
The pupils then sang. Flow gently.
Sweet Alton" This was rendered in
very admirable manner, and was followed
BY recitation by Leotta Gotten, entitled
''Shine just Where You Are"
Jersey Land" to the tune of "Mary-
land" gave the pupils good chance to
show their musical abilities and they sang
the song with vim that brought forth
loud applause.
To Robert Street was assigned the his
torical sketch of the school. Mr.. Street
said he was sorry that no records had been
kept of the former school buildings, but
by inquiry he had collected some data
which might be interesting. The first
schoolhouse stood where the parsonage of
Mount Moriah church now stands Then
it was removed to plot a few squares
west and from there it went to Filbert
street, some time in 1860. He had secured
list of the teachers who had presided
from the first until the present time. He
paid high tribute to Miss Williams, the
principal, and also, on behalf of the
colored citizens, thanked the Board o.
Education for the new school building.
j. q. Kingdom, of the building commit
tee, said there was one part of the pro
gramme that had not been printed. H
recalled the troublous times in 1860 wheI
it was considered almost crime to be
colored person. Then the race was no
given the freedom and general privileg,
now enjoyed to do days work for thei
own personal advantage, but in the soutl
especially they were compelled to worl
under the lash of cruel overseers withou
recompense Then there came man VIII
announced that the declaration that "a
men are born free and equal" should be
fact and with a stroke of his pen he re
leased the shackles of the slaves On be
half of the Board of Education th
speaker presented to the school two POI
traits of Abraham Lincoln, and then n
ferred to the great interest taken by Rev
Samuel Aaron in the emancipation pre-
clamation and on behalf of Col. Charlie
NJ. Sloan, presented a large framed POI
; trait of the minister. This man wa
greatly admired by Col. Sloan and tn
portrait had always been one of his mos
. cherished possessions. When he heard {
the name bestowed upon the school he 8
once decided that the picture must
: hung in the building and no other circun
4 stance could have induced him to pa
= with it. The only stipulation he mao
was that it should hang over the desk {
the principal Reference was then mao
to the fact that daughter of Rev. NJ
Aaron lives in Mount Holly and to sho
her appreciation of the name she, too, hs
r presented framed portrait of her fathe
y SO that the two rooms in the buildir
. have portraits of Lincoln and Aaron.
! Andrew Hazard recited in clear ma
r ner 'Washington's Birthday and Kat
g Hawkins read very well prepared ess'
on Abraham Lincoln. This was Il
n lowed by singing ITO Thee. o Country
). Rudolph Trustry presided at the organ.