Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1916-05-25
BRILLIANT GLOW
Of GLORY IN THE
CLOSE OF SCHOOL

Wednesday night at Americus
High school occurred the last Of tha
1916 commencement exercises Of fhaa
institution. Diplomas were preSenfeG
f'fty-siX young ladies and BOYS wh@
had completed their course Of study,
and are now ready to enter vzrfoux,
colleges and higher institutions se
learning.
The occasion, perhaps, was the mast
brilliant in the history of Amsrienas
school system. and certainly no Iarggu.
assemblage ever before graced similar
exercises there. Parents and relzf7vex
of those graduating occupied seafs az
honor on the main floor of the scftuay
auditorium, while specially reserved
seats We're also occupied by members
CT the faculty. Superintendent ] e
Mathis, who is at the head of the Ige1E
school system, was seated upon tina
stage with the graduates and speakzrx
OF the occasion, as was also PsuE-
Charles M. Hale, principal Of ena
High school, and under whose imme~
diate direction those graduating hxe
night attained their educational guzx
The score or more young ladIes..
each attired in prettily designed fraekE.
OF purest white material and carrying
armsful of beautiful flowers, presenfa&
sight rarely beheld, even in AmaEE.
Gus, city of beautiful women as m
is. The young men of the graduating
class also presented a most credfSahEa
appearance, in their black suits, aaeR
wearing a carnation in the leff I1rsa.
The exercises began promptly at S-lx
when the big electric gong in Ira
school hallway announced the beziE-
ming of the end of the session oil Is1G.
First to come upon the stagE was
Rev. James B. Lawrence, rector af
Calvary Episcopal church, who iz1sr
invoked the blessing of the AlnigkfT
upon those present. He was foIluEaE
10y Hon. C. Murphey Gambler, presS-
dent of the railroad commission az
Georgia, who had come down from AE4
lanta to deliver the literary address,
and Rev. ]. A. Thomas, pastor OF First
Methodist church. Entering from kam
right side OF the stage in the uraar
named were Supt j. E. Mathis. Rex.
Lansing Burrows, D. D., pastor &C
First Baptist church, and PruE.
Charles M. Hale, principal of the High
school. The members of the grazuaE-
ing class entered from both portals
and were seated in the center Of eaa
stage, occupying several rowS aE
chairs, with the young ladies in fru1f
and the boys imediately behind them
Frank Harold, Jr, valedictorian Of
the class, and Wilbur Giddings werw
seated at the extreme left of the stage
upon the front row of seats, among tfa
young ladies of the class.
Following the invocation by Rev. r.
f. Lawrence, the class song was rem
dered, Miss Lena Hardy, instructor In
music, directing its rendition, and q
suitable accompaniment being played
upon the school piano. Miss EIIsm
Estes then recited a specially prep&F-
ed address, and Cliff Wheatley, ths
class orator, spoke on Military Pre-
paredness," calmly and clearly. in n
voice that penetrated into every part
of the big auditorium, pressing upon
his hearers the necessity an6 eyu%
urgency of the nation being prepared
and closed with a reference to the irr
stallation in Americas High schn0k
next year of a military course. Ths
address ELECTED rounds of apVlxusas
az did also the recitation by Mss
Estes.
The principal address of the avsaau9s
was then delivered by Hon. C. MurpA@z
Continued on Page Sikh