The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-05-22

The annual parade of the pupils of
the city schools and the dress parade
and competitive drill were held Mon
day afternoon and even more interest
was shown than usual in this very in
teresting spectacle. The weather was
beautiful and this no doubt encourage
ed the patrons and friends of the
schools and school children to come
out and witness the features of the
exercises. The ceremonies were sue
cessful in every way and there was
much applause from the hundreds of
spectators.
The parade was formed on the
school green and left there just at $50
o'clock. The police force mounted on
horseback headed the long line. Af-
ter the police force came the Sumter
band. with life renewed for the occa-
sion and playing with the oldtime vim
and excellence; Mayor jennings
Councilman Rowland and A. d.
Hardy, member of the school board
came next on horseback. Then came
the long line of children, about seven
hundred in all, girls and boys. The
little folks of the primary grades
headed the procession There was a
grade Of girls and a grade of boys and
then more girls and boys. After the
primary department had passed all Of
the girls Of the grammar and high
school marched by in the parade. ev.
cry one Of them in white with a pur-
pie sash, making quite an imposing
spectacle, AS we'll as a beautiful one.
The high school battalion came next.
There were four large companies, in
their blue coats and white trousers
under the command Of Commandant
Woods. Closing the procession was
the company organized by and COM
posed of the boys of the college, or
fifth year. grade. These carried regu-
lation army rifles and wore the reg
ulation khaki with leggings and cam
paign hats. The parade was an i'm
posing one and it was a beautiful one.
There were hundreds Of people lining
the streets from the school green ali
the way back to the school green,
along Washington, Canal, Main and
Liberty streets where the parade
passed. and, at frequent intervals the
spectators broke into applause.
AT the school green the line was
broken and the classes of girls were
dismissed. while the rest of the lin.
again took up the march to the base
ball park, where the final ceremonies
of the afternoon were to be held. Here
hundreds of men, women and children
had assembled in the grandstand, in
their vehicles and on the parade
ground to see the annual dress pa
rade Of the high school battalion.
This beautiful ceremony was exc
cuted In excellent military style under
the directions OF COmmandant Woods.
whose company officers displayed a
military training Of high order for
high school students and one which
did much credit to their instructor.
The music was furnished by the Sum-
ter band, which has always been on
hand on such occasions. After pass
ing the reviewing officer the compa
nies were lined up facing the grand
stand and those who were to partici-
pate in the drills dropped out and
formed in lines facing the grandstand
where all could see them. There
were two sets of drills. One for the
regular battalion members, who had
already been eliminated to eleven men
by previous drill and the members
of the extra class Of the high school
who competed for a separate medal.
The eleven men Of the high school
battalion who competed yesterday for
the privilege Of drilling for the med
al at commencement were English
DesChamps, Fielder Smith, Walter
Minis, Carlyle Stuckey, John Gallagh
er. Alvin Burns, Wiley Brazeal, Aub
rey Bradham, Archie Richardson,
CHARLES Curtis and Alva S0lomons.
Tsese were finally eliminated down to
three men by the judges, Messrs. p.
M. Brown, r. II. Brown and G.. w
Hutchison, who will drill at COM
mencement. The three are English
DesChamps, Fielder Smith and Walter
Minis.
or the additional years class four
men were left. These were Russell
DICK. Thomas Monaghan, Clifford
Shaw and Ansley Yates. OF these