The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-07-27

"'"'" IL S'iu S'ilCc tidt the pIan was
original with NE in south Carolina.
This is. and is not true. had never
heard of field day before so to
that eXteit it was original with me.
But | afterwards learned that there
had been something Of the kind at
ST. Matthews year before Rock
Hill, too, III field day something
like ours on the same day. April Is,
1914, but of course, / knew nothing
of this, as my plan was laid before
the association in November, 1910.
Field day was held at the court
house in sumter and all the rural
schools were asked to send their best
pupils to compete for prizes. There
We're prizes for the best cake, loaf Of
bread, biscuits. etc.. baked by the
girls of the rural schools; also a prize
for the best pound of butter and the
best hen ming and sewing straight
seams, while the boys tried for prizes
for the best plow-stock, axe handle.
singletree and cotton basket. Bows
and girls contested for the best straw
broom. There were also athletic
prizes; running, jumping of all kinds,
and running prizes for little girls. one
of the most interesting prizes was
given for excellence in oratory.
These Prizes were solicited from
the merchants Of Sumter by one Of
the high school teachers, Mr.. Marion
Scott. They ranged in value from S,
up to SIS. The merchants seemed
delighted to give these prizes. Some
gave cash some articles from the
store. The oratorical prize was an
incubator. There were some $50 con-
testants and about 1000 people at
tended While the audience was en-
tertained in the court room by the
young orators the different examine
tions in the three RS. spelling, etc.
were held in the jury room and .he
other rooms of the court house ana
were conducted by the teachers of the
city schools who had prepared the
examination papers. No city school
child was allowed to contest. The
judges were also selected from among
the city teachers. The exhibits of
cake, butter, etc., were upon tables in
the court room and a teacher of do
mestic science from Winthrop College
was judge, The axe handles, etc.
were judged by some of the mer-
chants dea ling in these articles.
by halt-past one o'clock all the
eXaminatio ms were over and the crowd
assembled on the court house green.
where tables had been placed, and the
people were served royal oid-time
basket picnic dinner, which they had
themselves brought. After dinner the
athletic contests were held. The
school winning the largest number oi
prizes was awarded a beautiful United
states flag. Mr.. Swearingen, the State
Superintendent of Education, and Mr.
Tate, Superintendent of Rural Schoosl
came over from Columbia and spoke
to the children in the court room.
AS aftermath of field day, but as
part Of the original plan, the Farmers
Union of the county, aided by the
rural schools. gave a scholarship to
Winthrop to the girl of the rural
schools making the best average on
the examination given by the college.
This year there las been giver
through the Farmers Union a schol-
arship to Clemson and also one u
V nthrop.
During the present year many
counties in the state have celebrated
field day. | am now planning an
inter-counry field day to be held In
some one of the large cities of the
State. A this the successful con-
testants in the several county contests
will compete for prizes which, av
hope, will be offered by the city where
We hold the meeting. The city of
Charleston has already expressed
desire to entertain this field day.
Nothing has ever been done that
has walked up our schools so much.
Scarcely has one field day ended be-
fore some of the children begin 10
study for the next We think Tho
states generally will find this very
helpful feature of school life.
Mrs. IL. w. Beall.
NAyesville, S. C.