The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1922-01-22
HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM
FILLED WITH AN APPRE-
CIATIVE AUDIENCE
SPLENDID SPEECH
BY Professor William Garner
Burgin Strikes Responsive
Chord In Hearts of a Large
Number OF COlumbians.

"Do they love US still in Dixie ?"
was once asked by our former fellow
townsman, General Stephen d. Lee,
whose memory all Columbians cherish
and revere.
Had the spirit of this great and
good man been lowering, Thursday,
over his old home and the splendid
educational institution that bears his
name, he would have had a positive
answer to his question. That the
Soldiers of the South are still loved
in the land they sought to save, and
that the memory of their courageous
commander is enshrined in the hearts
of the people of the South, was plain
ly evidenced in the great throng that
braved the wind and the rain to as
semble in the high school auditorium
to lay a flower of love and devotion
upon the shrine that loyalty and
patriotism has erected to commemor
ate his exalted character and his sacri-
fetal services to the land of his birth.
The program given in honor of the
one hundred and fifteenth anniversary
of the birth of General Robert f.
Lee, arranged by Doctor H. H. Ellis, |
superintendent Of the public school
system of Columbus, showed good |
taste in its several numbers. At ten !
o'clock, Professor Womack called
upon all present to sing Dixie"
which they did with enthusiasm. Aft
er the strains of Dixie" had died
away, all Joined in singing america.
During the singing, students and
townspeople were entering the audi
torium. By the time Doctor Ellis
was ready to announce the scripture
reading, the main floor and the bal
comics were well filled.
The rostrum, or speakers stand,
was especially decorated for the cele-
bration. On either side of the stage ,
were hung the stars and stripes. At
the back of the stage a handsome
Confederate Flag was suspended. ,
From the speakers table a smaller ,
flag of the Union depended upon the
upper end of which lay a Bible.
At the right of the speakers table
there were seated nine Confederate
Soldiers, a priceless remnant of that ,
splendid army that followed the Stars
and Bars into many a well-fought !
conflict They were General E. T,
Sykes, Colonel C. l.. Lincoln, Cover.
nor James T. Harrison, and Messrs.
Felix A. Gunter, p. 0. Lofts, A. B.
Myrick, l.. Larry, j. w. Garner and
Albert Martin.
At the left of the speakers table
were seated Doctor H. H. Ellis, Doc
tor Arthur Growden, the Rev. Jesse
C. Rowan, the Rev. Jesse D. Franks, v
Professor William Garner Burgin and {
Miss Loa DeLoach.
The exercises, proper, were opened t
with scripture reading by the Rev. |
Arthur Growden, d. d., pastor of the a
First Christian Church of Columbus,
who read with force and earnestness J
the ninety-frst Psalm. g
AT the conclusion of the scripture
reading, prayer was offered by the +
Rev Jesse C. Rowan, pastor of the $
First Presbyterian Church of Col
umbus The Rev. Mr.. Rowan thank "
ed God most earnestly for the life and r
character of General Robert +. Lee, Y
for its lasting influence for good, and 6
for the courageous soldiers who fol- G
lowed his lead in battling for the
South. He asked God to bless the p,
"thin gray line" that yet remains, L
and to make their last days on earth
their brightest days. n
Doctor Ellis then told how he hap
happened to make the celebration of
General Lees birthday anniversary a
school affair. He stated that in some !,
localities the matter was left to the
Daughters Of the Confederacv; in i,
other sections, to the Confederate =
Camps or Sons of Confederate Vet .
erans; while in some places the men,
orial services were held in a church. a.
He stated that he knew the day Y,
should not pass unrecognized, so de- -
cided, after talking the matter over d
with certain of our citizens. to hold 10
the exercises at the high school He d'
said that if the celebration met with al
the appreciation Of the people of, Col
umbus, it would be made an annual
affair, and that next year more of our
people would be called upon to par r.
ticipate, and that the service would "a
be so arranged that both General al
Robert f. Lee and General Stone N
wall Jackson would be honored. -
Doctor Ellis then called upon one =,
Of his students, Miss Loa DeLoach.
who read a tribute to the memory Of
General Lee. taken from the Dis
patch. Miss DeLoach read ably, carr
astly and with feeling.
Doctor Ellis expressed words r He