Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1909-08-18
THE EDuoATIoNAL t.ALLY.
About 1000 Citizens of Oconee At
tended--Prominent Speakers.

day was an ideal one, though heavy
clouds gathered just as the speakers
We're nearing the close of their part
| of the days program, and 1t was
feared that the picnickers were
going to be treated to genuine
drenching. However, the clouds
passed by without doing more than
sending down few drops just to re-
mind the crowd that the weather
could e unpleasant IL 1t chose to be.
! The sun was soon out again, how
| ever, and the weather as calm and
| pleasant as the large crowd had been
all day.
The citizens of Walhalla were dis-
| appointed Friday night to find thai
none OF the male speakers arrived,
as they were expected to be with
our people at the Business Mems
League that night. Mrs. Daniel, for
merly Miss Mary T. Nance, and well
known to our people, arrived Friday
evening and was given hearty well
come. Governor Ansel, DR.. Johnson
and Prof. Daniel reached Walhalla
Saturday morning, and soon after
their arrival were escorted to the
Graded School building, where they
met number Of ladies and gentle
men Of the town and county, and
"SiS ihtlouuCSu " NlIS. IdIlel ana
her mother, Mrs. r. d. Nance, who
had gathered about them quite q
coterie of friends and acquaintanCes
From the school building tie
speakers were escorted to the stand {
Governor ADSel by Mayor Steck,
Prof. Daniel by ]. w. Shelor, ESQ
Mrs. Daniel by Rev. J. c. Yongue,
and DR.. Johnson by Superintendent
Hughs, accompanied b. Mrs. r. d.
Nance and l.. Nance.
Rev. T. B. Epting, of st. Johns
Evangelical Lutheran church, opered
the exercises with prayer, invoking
divine blessing upon the days pro-
ceedings and upon the cause of edu-
cation.
Mayor Steck, on behalf of the peo-
pie of Walhalla, welcomed the visit
ors to- the town.
superintendent Hughs then well
coined the speakers on behalf Of the
people and schools of the county,
making his remarks brief, but to the
point, closing his welcome with an
introduction OF DR.. ID. B. johnson,
the first speaker. DR.. Johnson's talk
was an admirable one, embodying
tistics bearing upon matters educa-
tional and to public schools in par
ticular. He was very logical III his
| deductions, his delivery good and his
speech couched in such language as
to be readily understood even by the
children of the public schools.
Mrs. Daniel was introduced by
Rev. j. G. Yongue, who paid a glow
Ing tribute to the cause of education
| and the fidelity of the honored
guest whom he introduced. Mrs.
Daniel caught an Inspiration as she
sat on the speakers stand when Will
liam Welch, Oconee's oldest citizen,
came from the crowd and took
seat on the stand where he could
hear what the speakers had to say.
Mr.. Welch Is 1O2 years of age and
lives sixteen miles from Walhalla,
and he rode horseback to town to
attend the rally. 1t was touching
picture as the speaker stood, young,
handsome and erect, her hand rest
ing in benediction upon the white
head Of the venerable old gentleman.
AS she talked the picture touched
the hearts of many, and strong men
were seen to draw their handker-
chiefs and dry the tears from eyes
that but few minutes before were
full Of the mirth of a joyous day.
Mrs. Daniel Is a good speaker, and
her talk of As minutes was enjoyed.
She was heartily applauded as she
took her seat.
Superintendent Hughs introduced
as the next speaker Prof. D. Wistar
Daniel, Of Clemson College, whose
ability not only as an educator, but
as a speaker as we'll. are too we'll
known to the people of Oconee to
need comment from US. He was in
good trim, and spoke for 25 min
utes, holding the close attention of
his audience.
Governor NJ. F. Ansel was the last
speaker and was introduced by j. w.
Shelor, Esq. The Governor was, Of
course, thoroughly at home and at
ease, not only with his subject, but
with the people, for as he spoke he
looked into the faces of hundreds
whom he recognized as close friends
in days gone by when he, too, num-
bered himself among the citizens of
Oconee. His address was we'll re-
ceived, and dwelt largely upon the
moral aspect of education. He was
the recipient of hearty applause as
he closed and was warmly greeted as
he walked from the stand.
Dinner was announced, and while
the crowd was large, numbering
some fourteen hundred in the din
ner line" there was ample provis-
ion for all. Numbers of friends from
the county had brought bountifully
prepared baskets, and the citizens Of
Walhalla had provided large quanti-
ties of good things to eat, to which
had been added as a supplementary
provision hundred and fifty loaves
Of bread, barrel Of pickles, beef
and mutton, the latter having been
barbecued under the supervision of
w. o. Keith, of the Bear Swamp