Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1916-04-12
County Commencement a Succ1,,
over 4,3OO School Children Ia Parade
Rain Fails 70 Spoil Event.

Rain Fails 70 Spoil Event.
Though hsmpered somewhat b
lnclemsnt weather, the annua
Rowan County School Commence
ment held lsss Friday turned on
to bs the biggest sucosss Of an,
commencement ever held in th
county. In fact il was snsirel,
beyond the expectations of thos
who superiutendsd it. amonl
whom County Superintendent, R
6. Kizer deserves credit 40 tn.
guiding spirit.
A clear sky early in she morn
ing gave promise of q g cd day,
but on toward noon it began to
rain and this continued through
out the rest OF the day. The af.
terneon was exceedingly gloomy
and while it probably did mar the
success of the commencement
Sc mewhat, the majority of the
large crowd of people who came
here in the morning remained un.
til the closing hours Of the event.
The principal feature Of the
com menoement was without q
doubt the parade of the school
children of the county. Long be.
fore she hour set for the parade to
move, Main Street was lined on
both sides with people, ard the
various schools, many of the lat
ter being represented 100 per cent
strong, were lined up at their de.
signated formation points ar d it
should be seen that this pageant
was to surpass al other like pa.
rades. Chief of Police Miller.
who was mounted and in charge
of the parade. aud other police
officers looked after the safety Of
she crowd and especially the little
folks not a single accident occur.
red drring the entire day
The parade started only few
minutes after schedule time and
1T ths head was Represented the
FERN Life Sch oil of China Grove
with two beautiful floats, These
were followed by the municipal
band. Then followed an auto
mobile containing Dr.. Archibald
He dsrson. the principal speaker
of the day, with several prominent
citizens. The first section of
sch ool children, headed by County
Superintendent r. G.. Kiser and
Mayor Walter 81. Woodson on
foot, oams next. and this proved
to be the longsst line of school
children ever gathered in Rowan
County. The second division was
made up Of Spencer, Esst Spencer
and Salisbury schools, these hesd.
cd hy the Salisbury band.
An official count Of the mum ber
of children III line showed 4. 324,
thess being in addition TO the
teac be,s, the members cf the
bands aud q number of school
ccmmitte eman aud others. The
parade formed in front of the
court house and the neighborine
streets and tie route over which
it moved was up Main to Bank
Ba, k to Fulton and Fulton te
Iu1es, where it disbanded.
The athletic sports scheduled Il
be held on the Ellis Street play
grounds were called Fl on accoua
of the rain. The other exercises
howaver. ware held at the statet
places and were q decided success
The principal exercises of tb'
day were held at the Methodist Ia
bernacle, where Dr.. Henderson de
livered the commencement address
He wss heard by a large and ap
preoiative audience. Superin'
tendens Kjzsr presided at the tab
| err acle exercises and prayer va
ffered by Rev. NJ. M. Kinard o
St. joins Lutheran Church
| M usic was furnished by she mu
nioipsl band.
In the song contest there wei
swo entries. Crescent aid Col
Kncb schools, and the prize 9
81 SO WAS awarded to Crescent
Mayer Woodson after a splendi
talk presented the certificates c
promotion and perfect attendanct
There were 1ES of the former an
18O of the latter given out.
The recitatlons contests vel
held at the old court house
There were thirteen contestan,
and each d. livered his or her re