Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1913-07-09
FOURTH Or JULY AT NEWRY.
Citizens of Village Celebrated the
Day With Patriotic Exercises.

1t was our good fortune to have op-
portunity to visit the town uI Newry
last Friday, July ith, and to enter
into the pleasures of the day with the
citizens OF that place, who had pre-
pared program Of patriotic songs,
recitatiOns and stirring band music.
And the people Of Newry know how
TO do things. They are live, ener-
getiC, patriotic to the cOre-and more
than that they are whole-souled and
'bubbling over with hospitality. The
editor Of The Courier was an "unin-
vited guest at the feast" but certain
ly not an unwelcOme one if hearty
handshakes and cordial greeting
counted for aught in the measuring
OF sincerity. 1t was a pleasure indeed
to mix and mingle with the good
people OF Newry, where we made
numerous new acquaintanCes. Our
good fortune in getting to Newry on
this occasion was due to the inability
of one of the invited speakers, W. G..
Hughs, to respond in person to his
invitation, and we accompanied Hon.
J. w. Shelor, who had been invited
TO deliver an address at the morning
exercises.
The program consisted OF patriotic
airs by the band, which is made up
wholly of the Newry boys, and which
is far superior in its efforts to many
bands having larger opportunities
and more practice. The band opened
the exercises with Dixie and "The
Star Spangled Banner" interspersing
the various other features with other
patriotic airs. Several recitations
and songs were rendered by the chill
dren in costume, and the youngsters
seemed thoroughly imbued with the
spirit Of the day. These were fol-
lowed by an address by Mr. Shelor,
who spoke for 80 minutes, receiving
perfect attention and not infreuuent-
ly hearty applause. He had not been
assigned subject, nor did he take
one. His address was impromptu,
and when he had finished it was plain
to all that he had set up for his hear
ers an example Of Ideal Citizen
ship" He drew lessons from the
past, from the present, and rounded
out a word painting that portrayed
the ideal government as the product
of ideal citizenship. Other points
We're made and other topics touched
upon, but the central thought
throughout was the better equipment
of the youth Of to-day, through edu-
cation and home training, for
higher type Of citizenship and a mob
Ter manhood, that the future may
show even greater advancement than
the past He was well received
throughout, and as he closed was
given hearty round Of applause.
MIR. Shelor's address, followed by
music, closed the morning serious
program" and the children entered
upon their enjoyments, the first of
which was the climbing Of creased
2O-fOOt pole set "big-end up." 1t
was truly the slickest article we have
seen for long while, but If Newry's
boys prove as persevering in over
coming the difficult problems Of life
as they did in mastering the intrica-
oies OF climbing this creased pole,
each will be assured of final vic
cory, Just as was the little lad, Hugh
Pruitt, who finally reached the top
and took therefrom shiny dollar as
his reward. There were two lessons
these boys might learn from the
work OF mastering that inanimate
pole-perseVeranCe, and unity in eff
1ort. IT took both to win the COW
eted prize. There was no discour-
agement there, no conflict OF pur-
pose. Each contestant lent his help
20 the other and finally when Hugh
Pruitt 'pucked the fruit OF his la
bors' those who had been his COM
petitors seemed to find as much en-
joYmcnt ir the achievement OF their
purpose as did the most fortunate one
in the lot. And each had part. No
one OF them could have achieved the
end. You little boys Of Newry, take
lesson from your conquest OF the
creased pole: Work together to ac-
IG
discouraged. Let your failures but
spar you on to greater effort, and the
prize will be yours. There are les
sons that we can learn from the lit
tie things of life. Seek the lessons.
learn them, profit by them, and help
others.
When the pole had been mastered
the noon hour had passed, and the
citizens of Newry and their guests re-
assembled at the grove by the Bap-
tist church, where the ladies had
spread veritable feast of good
things. A blessing was asked by Mr.,
Shelor, and all fell to" with a will.
There was plenty and to spare-a
regular picnic dinner with iced lem
onade in abundance.
FOLLOWING the dinner the program
called Tor numerous races by the chill
dren, with other sports. more music
and an address by Hon. E. e. Yer
ner, all OF Whlch we were forced to
forego seeing and hearing, owing to
the necessity OF being back In Wal
halla early in the afternoon. Mr..
Werner arrived about / o'clock. and
to all appearances was loaded to the
gunwales" with patriotic sentiments,
And II anybody can shoot patriotic
verbal grape and shrapnel it is Oco-
nee's Senator, but 10 keep an engage
ment we were forced to retreat be-
fore the bombardment began.
1t was great day at Newry, and