The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-09-30
BRANCHVILLE LETTER
THE GRADED SCHOOL HAS Sue
CEssFULLY OPENED.

Good Corps OF Teachers for Coming
Years Work-Other Local News
OF Interest.
Brachville, Sept. %. = Special:
Monday morning saw the opening
of another school year in BraRchyille,
and quite a good opening it was,
too. A large number of patrons and
visitors were on hand to cheer the
little ones on their new school year.
All the teachers were on hand an
ready 10 begin work, with the ex-
ception of the principal, who was
detained on account Of illness.
The exercises were opened with
prayer and scripture reading by Rev.
F. H. Beckham, the Methodist min
ister of this place. Mr.. G. w.
Reeves, chairman of the Board of
Trustees, called the school to order
and made short address of welcome:
After the reading and prayer REV.
Beckham made a short but very able
address to the children on the value
of an education, and tried to impress
upon them the fact that their time
of play was over and that the time
for work had come.
Following him was Mr.. ]. n. Byrd,
of the trustees, who made a short
talk of encouragement and good will
TO the assembled audience and espec-
tally to the pupils of the Branchville
school. Then were heard talks by
Messrs. ]. w. Black, P. P. .Bethea,
F. H. Rawl, J. J. Jones and DR.. j.
A. Parker, all of whom were given
close attention and were well re-
ceiyed: Then the chairman of the
trustees in few we'll chosen remarks
impressed upon the children the
need for them to get to work and
make this banner year for the
school. He extended an invitation,
10 all patrons for frequent visits to
the school, 50 that theyScould see
the work and how it was being con-
Quoted.
This is the second year that
Branchville has had a high school
and all indications point towards
this being the best year in the his
tory OF the institution. More teach
ers are employed than ever before,
the building has been enlarged and
new equipment placed in the rooms
and everything made better for both
pupils and teachers, and as a result
there will be q better school than
ever before.
Mr.. ". C. Martin, principal, has
worked hard and faithfully for the
school since his connection with it
and has made several changes that
are sure to be beneficial in the end,
among them being slight changes in
the courses of study. The teachers
who will have charge of the young
minds this season and the branches
they will teach, is as follows: Miss
Elmira Harden, high school teacher;
Miss Ida Powell, seventh grade and
assistant in high school; Miss Grace
Brogden, fifth and sixth grades; Miss
Pearl Powell, third and fourth
grades; Miss B. Witherspoon. first
and second grades.
All the departments are beginning
work under the most auspicious cir
cumstances and there is an interest
among the patrons for better school
than there has ever before been seen
in Branchville. Most particularly is
this interest noticed in the number
OF pupils enrolled on the opening
day. There are 32 pupils in the high
school and 200 in all in the whole
school. Branchville is proud Of her
school and all are working to make
this the best school in this section
of the State.
Personal Notes.
Mr.. F. n. Caldwell and son, c. c.
Caldwell, of Lodge, S. c., was in
town on Monday Mr.. Caldwell came
over to bring his son to take the
train here for Columbia where he
goes to enter the South Carolina
College for his fourth year.
Rev. W. R. Smith, of. Denmark,
was in town few days ago. MIR.
Smith has great many friends here,
+, having lived here up to about one
year ago.
Rev. Willie Goodwin, of Ridge
Vile, passed through town few
days ago en- route to his old home
at Smoaks.
Our popular itownsman, w. NJ.
Graham, who represents the Wood
man Casualty Company as State
agent. has just been notified that he
has been successful in getting enough
business for bis company in this
State in the last few months to en-
title him to free trip to the home
office Of the company a Springfield,
ILL.,, where the company will carry
on a school of instruction for its
agents for limited time. Mr.. Gra-
ham will get all Of his expenses paid
on this entire trip.
Mrs. Learev, of SmoakS, passed
through town few days ago en-
route to Harleyville, where she Will
visit relatives and friends