The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-05-27
SCHOOL CHILDREN PARADE.
INTERESTING SPECTACLE WIT.
MESSED BY HUNDREDS OF
SUMTER CTTIZEN2
Nine Hundred Pupils Of City Schools
fAS In Review Before Eyes Of
Osy-Dress Parade and Drill at
8osse show Grounds-Owens,
Furdy and stuckey to Drill at
Comnenccmous.

posing spectacles ever seen in this
city was that Of Friday afternoon.
whom nine hundred school childr n
from the city schools paraded through
the city to the tunes Of the Sumter
band and passed in review before the
eyes OF hundreds Of the citizens of
Sumter. The sight was q most in
teresting one and one that every
eitissn OF Sumter. whether he had
any children In school OF not, was
bound 70 bs proud Of.
The parade was formed on the
monument square at tho Hampton
Shool building. The pupils of the
high school and members Of the bat
TALON were In their uniforms of blue
ceats. and white trousers. The small
~ boys we're not In uniorms. The girls
we're In white and wore purple
sAshss. the long line Of them pre-
ssmting . gala 90 well a. . magnih-
cent appearance.
The line was formed and left the
noaumsnt square shortly after 1--WE
e'slsck. Tho Sumter police forco on
hsrssback headed the parade. After
them came tho Sumter band render
Ing music by which the pupils could
keep time. Next came tho high school
battalion In uniform under command
Of Mr.. A. =, Merrimon. major Of the
organization. After tho high school
came the grammar and primary de-
partmsnt pupils. each grade separat-
Cd to itself. Following tho boys
came the little girls. the girls in the
srads becoming larger a each
grade passed. until finally the 11th
grade pupils were girls no longer. but
young ladies. the nower Of sumter's
population.
Ths line left the school grounds.
marehed up Warrington to Canal
strsst. thence down to washington
and back TO the school grounds.
xhousands Of men and women lined
thp strsts to see the parade pass by.
The stores had been closd for the
occasion and Immediately after the
hns had passed hundreds left for the
bore show grounds where the final
feature Of tho evening was to be
witnessed.
=. After . brief stop at the Washing
ton school In order to allow the chill
drSn 20 drink and refresh themselves
the line again formed and marched
out TO the Liberty street park.
Here the grandstand and fences
we're crowded with the friends Of the
pvpils, who had gathered to see the
annual dress parade and exhibition
asiii. a. well ~ the competitive drill
% choose the three who were to drill
at The annual commencement exer-
eiesa The scene was one Ct beauty
and gaiety. the colors Of the girls and
Che large crowd lending q festive air
20 the occasion.
- First the Sumter band entertained
svssybody with several delightful Sc
lections. The picked company of
Aigh school were drilled by Philip
Booth. captsin Of Company A. and
were, handled In very eficient and
military style. The company went
through tho manual and the field
novements with precision and accu-
eacy and were ~ steady In action as
many companies Of much more ex-
SsFisnce and age could have been.
The ceremony OF dress parade was
next executed and gone through
with tho same pomp and care as 1t
u enacted daily at the regular army
posts. except for the fact that the or
ganization was ono OF miniature SOL
diers and not grown men. The cere-
mony is q beautiful ono and all of
the points Of military artifce were
a. plainly brought out here as could
b expected anywhere.
There were nine boys In the COM
petitive drill to start with. but 1t
was not long before the number had
been diminished to three under
the hard drill through which the
amateur soldiers were put. The three
nnally dcided upon to drill at COM
mencoment were: Ladson Owens,
William Purdy and CARLYLE Stuckey.
Others In at tho beginning of the
drill were Burwell Manning, John
Adger Manning. Kennedy Bowman,
John Gallagher. Vernon Lee. Cuttino
Mcknight.
The battalion organized this year Is
stan:
"A. Z. MerrImon. Major.
William Purdy. Lieut.. and Adjt.
Hallet Burns. Sergeant Major.
Company Organizations.
Company A: Captain. Philip
nn0th. fsk lo,,s Vryl,..~ xsru,,. m.