The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-06-13
LINCOLN SCHOOL COMMENCE.
MENT.
Twenty.eight Graduates Receive DI.
plOmas.

, The closing exercises of the colored
, public schools were held last night at
the Lincoln Graded school when
twenty-eight graduates were pres >nted
with diplomas by DR.. S. H. Ed.nunds,
superintendent of all the City Schools.
quite number had gathered to wit
ness the exercises and among those
present were several members of the
school board besides many other in
terested white friends.
On Monday night, June 4, an ora
torical contest had been held in the
school house in which a number of
pupils competed. On account of the
excellency of all the declamations, the
Judges asked that three prizes, in
stead OF one, be awarded and a fourth
contestant received honorable men,
tlon. The winners, as announced last
h'sht' were Bessie Buckner, Emily
"hetstone, second. and Leola Gamble.
THIRD. Helen Roberts received hon.
orable mention.
AS usual, the special feature of the
progra a this year was the singing
rrlncipal Lawson, who personally
trained the singers and directed the
chorus last evening. is to be congrat-
ulated upon the manner in which the
musical program was carried out. One
OF the most pleasing songs of the
evening was the Medley of American
Fatrlotlc songs which is particularly
appropriate at this time. The school
quartette sang a pleasing selection and
FIossie Levan, on account of repeat
ed encoi es, was forced to sing several
solos. At the request Of the many
white friends present, Principal Law
son sang a solo.
The essays by the members of the
graduating class. which were written
without any outside aid and memoriz-
cd, were excellent this year. Fred
Smiths Agricultural Essay was espec-
tally good.
| >Valean Richardson was awarded
the prize this year in the domestic de-
partment and handsome Bible, the
annual prize for the best scholarship
offered by Mr.. F. D. knight was won
by Elrita Mcdonald.
This year the enrolment in the
colored public schools was 947, and
excellent work has been done by the
whole school, even under the crowd
ed conditions which exist. At present
it is impossible for the pupils below
the seventh grade to get in more than
a half days work and two sessions
have to be held daily in order to &C.
commodate the number attending.
Principal Lawson is doing a great
work and he says that IL he can make
law-abiding. liberty loving citizens of
all his pupils he will have accomplish
ed his purpose.
| Those who received diplomas Fri
day night were:
Alston, Edward Eugene,
Arthur. Juliette Velma,
Brown, George Robert,
Cuthbert, Edgar William, Jr.,
DeLorme, Harry Brown,
Dobbins. Emmie M. Magdalene,
Dove. Ethel Louise,
Hampton, Catherine,
Harley. Emma Rosalie,
Haynes. Joseph Christopher,
Jenkins, Frederick Douglas,
Levan, Flossie Page,
Mcdonald, Elrita Naomi,
Martin, Cornelius Shaw,
Murray, Peggie,
Nelson, Bertha RoXiana,
! Richards. Lucille Annie E.,
Richardson, Valean Judith,
| Roberts, Minnie,
! Ross, Walter Lagare,
| Singleton, Ernest Alberry L.,
| Smith, Frederick Bestmann,
| Taylor. Eleanor Dorothy,
Wallace, Louise,
| White, Margaret,
| WOrtherly. Lena Harriet,
| Wright, William,
Young, John James, Jr.
The City School Board has made ar