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|VGLUME ^VI
DOU GLASYILLE, m GEORGIA,
Y, JUNE 8, 1893,
NUMBER if
BRILLIANT
Wef6 The Closing Exercises of
The Collide,
WEEK.
The Building is Crowded to
Overflowing Daily.
THE MEDAL WINNERS
SHOUT HISTORY OF THE
LEOE AND FACULTY.
COL-
The Commencement of 1893 is the
Grandest in the History of This
Noble Institution—Eighteen in
The Graduating Class.
The grandest event in the history
of our growing and plucky little city
• ’tie cnn'ijpnuiit'.trtiig^i^inEr
statistics, to the present, to Douglass
ville, and Douglasville college;
The progress for six years has
been wonderfifl. Beyond conception.
The Stride to the front rank is with
out a parall4 in the state, if not m
the:
Fbr many.years
ment of tire .town, Douglas had good
teachers. With but very few excep
tions the people of the town showed
little or no interest in the advance-
ment of their’children. In fact the
teachers were,on almost all.occasions,
hamli-capped by the “old fogy” no
tions of their patrons; so much so
that almost every step to reform and
improved methods was discounte
nanced da-new “fangled” and objec
tionable. gif that if a good teacher
happened to be employed hisencrvnr-
ment to bring a school up to the stan
dard was so poor, that they had to
tamely submit to the environments or
await to the inevitable. Fold his
tent and depart fo near quarters.
Thus were matters till about 1888,
when Dr. T. R. White, whom we all
know', conceived the idea of improv
ing the situation. Being a man of
great energy and reeling sorely the
set alibut to remedy this evii. He
had several children whom he wished
friends, Messrs. John T. Duncan and
p. 0. Peavey, who aided him to get
a majority of the council. After this
majority vote was obtained and a
Option made by John T. Duncan and
fculy seconded, the mayor then pre-
Recitation, The M
Ward.
Instrumental Duef
Duncan, Wat
Recitation, Little
Dialogue,. .Lois SaxmM
Recitation, “Oh ye^ljTdl
Mason SmitWg
Sunflower Concert !jk
Nine GirW y.j
Instrumental J)uit.
%itsre”s;
gH§§K
m
Sacitr Roberts
- --
Sbind
i~SP
hisville College, which dosed its ex-
ereises last night. Did you attend?
If not you have missed “a feast of « 0 educate > aud bein S impressed with
reasons” that falls to the lot of the
ordinary but once in a lifetime—“a
Cow of soul” that sublunary mortals
sc.Jom enjoy; beyond doubt the
crowning glory of this prosperous and
highly useful institution—an institu
tion conceived, consummated, nur-
tiirad and fostered by a few men, who
in its erection have built for them
selves mo.;aments more durable than
-inoruunmts_aRL.J)ra3a. and piles—of
stone.
Wonderful, wonderful indeed !
Words are inadequate to convey the
vast amount Of good this growing in
stitution, not yet six years old, has
fTready done, besides the good it it*
‘WiiculaieOr to lio-Lllts pr«lifcit.course
of usesulihess but continues. The
little leaven put in the heap six short
J'ears ago has loaved not only the
whole county', but men, women and
children all round, about rise up, and
for generations will rise up, to sing
to its glory anthems of praise. *
In this connection a small bit of
actual history might well be told of
this part of Georgia. Douglas as a
county is but twenty-one—just at
tained her majority. Carved from
the counties of Campbell, Carroll,
Paulding and Cobb. I
Now, would you have the reputa
tion of these four counties, enjoyed
in former years in educational facili
ties? If so here it is, in black and
white, penned by the late Rev. Geo.
White..then of. Marietta, but after
wards of Memphis, Tenn.
Daveibuit a
Reci
Jiaacs, Jgg
The Old Maicij|9
Recitation,
8B_~
llll
.x.uu>y;
FRANKIE PHILLIPS. SEE SIXTH COLUMN
FOURTH page.
siding,
fearing- the unpopularity of
the cause, at first refused to put the
motion. The doctor, though not a
BlfSibcrJ^ ’ he _ con i u? 11. tfot—
jfetced tktf Tiiayor to’put the
This was done, and, very much to
the surprise of the opposing mayor
and his party, it was earned: Here
Dialogue, MoTSW
• ; ' < s 'Ti
ieflfrirk
Bmsn
ejgef a’N
imee
|nean,
E»n-
■ -1 a teen
SlldJfeoper.
-
Bessie Waltoi^
Recitation, “AuK
James. IS
Recitation, “Origf!
Lonhy New!
Lullaby,....... ,R||
Watson airti
Recitation “‘The -H
kie Phillips
“The Old Clock on the S
Boys in ConcerJ. tj
Valedictory, xHl
S ATBBP AY -wRatlt
; jm*
The children’s exl|||p^j; a j> e <w^y a y S
interesting—special^^^^B^^ on
Saturday night, con
test of the “smajMflR^^^^HLie l j a ,p
not having been
er gave the kighes||^^^^^^K n d or
ana Ruby Jam <ffBif|Hntion
should be made o«EpiM||^Hj^ ar y
Lou Camp, pystic
Haines. 1
well, so did vmmef Jodie
mm pM
her voice. The giflaalJSaj
following is the progra:
“Our Folks”.... |... ;
“My Mother at the Ga
BSpne of
mm The
Graduating Class of
the deep conviction that a parent
should be the constant companion of
child while at school, as wqll ad
the
at any other period, -he attempted;to
COLLEGE BUILDING,
In his “statistics of Georgia,”
Rev. George White writes thus,.'
§ Of Campbell, “Education is neg-
I lee Led. ”
1 Of Paulding, “Little attention is
paid to education.”
Of Carroll, “Sufficient attention
is not paid to education. ”
Of Cobb, “There are respectable
schools at Marietta and Roswell.”
Now Marietta is 22 miles, and Ros-
we ll 49 miles from Douglasville.
The latter at that time, and for a
score of years after supporing the
euphonious name of “Skin Chest
nut.” Long after Douglas had a
district existence the same could be
said, of her efforts in an educa
tional point, with pride we turn from
flays of
“skin chestnut,” and White’s
DOUGLASYILLE, GA,
set about to improve matters,
long time his labors.
was the inauguration of the cheap
and efficient system that has so sigl
nally characterized the Douglasville
wl-lcge. . After this action 'of the
council Hon. Joe James and others
joined the doctor. So persistent and
persevering were these few good citi
zens in this glorious cause that at
the election on ly three men in the
whole town dared to cast their vote
against issuing the bonds.
Within the short space of six years
the college has sent out graduates
who, as to education, are the peers
of any from the older universities,
and hundreds of poor young men and
women, unable to complete a regular
course, have so far been benefttted by,
partial instruction that they are mak
ing useful and efficient teachers, be
sides filling other professions with
great credit to themselves and re
flecting great honor to their benefac
tor—the Douglasville College.
Commencement Exercises.
)W
...... ..WNeTjfe SfaiaaB
“TomiateisTrayevTsLiiazie
“A Little Pilgrim”......
“An Old Man’s Story”!.
... .Lila JUjHi
“On the Frontier”. Kfllpl
“Prayer and Potatoes’ ’. j "
“Neddie’s Thanksgiving
ties
The rain on Friday night prevented
the primary entertainment. The exer
cises were held on Saturday at 10. a. m.,
and were highly entertaining. Eighty'
five juvenles were on the stage in the
class song.
The exhibitan showed that Misses
But the doctor worked and Reiman and Quillian the primary teachers
have done much hard and faithful work,
“The Freckle Faced Girl’
“The Old Man at the
Church”
“The Droning Singer”..Maiy J j
“Good Night, Papa”.
“Asleep at the Switch”..'SIHBwle.
“The Children’s Telegram’j^^^^H
“Fire Bell’s Story”
“Nobody’s Child” IZiiKmmA
“Little Mary’s Wish”... .WitSSEatto.
“The Orchard Path”.... LBefc*ttipL
“McLaine’s Child” MysflBKjpKk,
MONnAY, 9 a. '
After a hard rain in i
day was bright and cheer|nj|i
i&llfl&a
The following question was debated:
“Resolved, That man is the sport of
circumstances.”
On the affirmative side were R. J.
Smith, Ky., R. T. Anderhold, Ga., and
D. B. Sherman, Ga.
On the negative were J. S. Abercrom
bie, Ga., O. R. Nance, Tenn., and C. A.
RUBY JAMES, WINNER MEDAL IN CON
TEST IN ELOCUTION BY SMALL GIRLS.
Weddington, Ga.
From the determined expression on
the faces of the debaters and the eager:
expectation of the audience it was evi
dent that a hotly contested battle of
ideas and eloquence was about to take
place. For two hours and more the
young men contested in masterly argu
ment, each for his side of the question.
may light the torch of fame On you r
tomb, but succeeding generations will
not keep it ablaze. Any life that does
not grow in usefulness is a failure.
American gold will not pass for virtue
when you are gone, nor will it pass at
par on the other side.” He pictured two
girls, one in wealth and gaudy apparrel,
without an aim of usefulness, the other
a poor girl, rising out of poverty and ad
versity to a mission of love and useful
ness and life eternal.
Mr. Witham paid a grand eulogy to
the life of Miss Francis Willard, presi
dent of the World’s Woman’s Christian
Temperance Union, criticising what he
called the milk and cider resolutions of
the North Georgia Methodist Confer
ence, on the temperance question, with
which Miss Willard is so prominently
connected.
He paid a high tribute to Miss Laura
naygoqd,' who went from Trinity
Church, Atlanta, as missionary to Chi
na. He spoke of the thousands in
America and China who had alfeady
called her blessed. He closed his won
d erful address with some sound advice
to the young people.
After the address President Callaway
said he had just heard the , best com.
mencement speech of his life—that the
address had impressed him most pro-
foundly, and had inspired him to resoln.-,
tions of greater effort in helping those
who need help. He enjoyed the address
the mote because Mr. Witham’s life and
beneficence corresponded with his utter-v
ances.
Mr. Witham is the man who gave ten
thousand ^dollars to LaGrange Female
College. He seems to be one of those
men like George I. Seny, whose libera
and Alabama.
He is also president of the board of
trustees of the largest Sunday School
class in any mission school in Alabama,
where he now resides.
Mr. Witham has been a friend to the
poor and needy of both sexes. He has
eaucated twenty-seven boys and girls
College for 1893.
For a
It seemed, were ■
m yam.
talked, aud talked and worked, un
remittingly. Some three hr four
months lie had the field all to him
self—that is, no one came to his as
sistance or relief. The whole town
seemed to be indifferent.
He appealed to the-council to aid
him. In other words he had asked
them to issue bonds for the pur
pose of buildging a college and other
purposes Opposition being so great
that it took constant work at every
council meeting for at least three
months before lie could get them to
agree to order an election. This
was finally accomplished through his
and was highly creditable both to the
teachers and pupils.
The drill and sunflower concert were
exquisite.
The children deserve special mention.
They all did well.
The following is the programme. —
Song, By all,... .We are Nymphs of the
Ocean Spray. .
Recitation, Sellingthe Baby, Mamie
Winn.
Drill.
Dialogue.. Daisy Loony and Ralph Hud
son.
Instrumental Duet, Ruby James and
Kitty Duncan.
Recitation, I want I want,.. Blanch Bag
gett.
Representation of the Months, Ten
Girls and two Boys.
Recitation, Balance Due, Tommie
Selman,
JEWEL COOP ER, ONE ,
OF MEDAL IN ORjHH
The college hall wj
pie eager to hear tlg|gj
of the D 3mosthenfiB
were three debaters <ffr
opposite f
m
HSI
jOO-
Klbiate
Frequent cheers greeted the speakers in
the midst of a speech
The battle wavered® As each speaker
closed it seemed that his side had won
There was not much of the schoolboy
style, but real, sound, solid argument,
after the style of some more mature
minds. Your reporter has witnessed
many champion debates, but never heard
speeches to surpass Sherman and We d
dington’s.
The committee of five brought in the
following decision:
As to eloquence, affirmative 38, nega
tive 34.
As to argument, affirmative 45, nega
tive 42.
W hile the affirmative won the ques
tion, it was barely won.
Everyone knew the young men did
nobly.
MONDAY, 3 p. M.
A large audience greeted Mr. W. S.
Witham, who was announced to speak
in the afternoon.
President Callaway, in introducing
the Hon. W, S. Witham, presented htim
as a self-made man, who always does the
right thing at the right time. One who
does much in aiding the youth of the
land in obtaining an education, as attest
ed by his benifbiaries at LaGrange Fe
male College and Emery College.
“Mr. Witham,” said the president,
“is not only the president of the exten
sive Witham Banking System, but what
is of much greater importance, he is
|H|j ggresident of the Douglasville Bank.
k Witham’s introduction, like his
,’ess, was unique and humorcus. His
remarks put the whole audience in
JsS roar ofjjtughter; having a sore hand,
In a swingUJic said he would be com
pelled to makeN^jone-handed speech;
that his embarrassment must be excused,
as he for many years followed an occu
pation that had a tendency to make
men timid—he had been a drummer.
His remarks were rich, rare and racy,
and abounded with both the scientific
and humorous. Among many other
wise things he said, “There is nothing
worth remembering but the good you
-dQj-SBlLnothipg worth remembering of
!H^^2|od you have done. You
■
gifts keep apace with his money making.
He realizes the fact that a man’s money
is a curio to him if not used to benefit
others, and a blessing to him and the
world if used to help the needy and the
struggling.
After the address the large audience
dispersed, both glad and benefitted.
Wm. S. Witham was born at La
-Grange, Troupe county, Ga., in 1852
and is now in his 41st year.
In the battle for tortune Mr. Witham,
has overcome all the obstacles that nat
urally get in the way.
At Ihe age of fifteen Le left Georgia
for New York and found employment in
a straw goods house at a salary of four
dollars per week. He remained with
this house for eighteen years, and filled
every position in it—from making fire
D, B. SHEBMAN, WINNER OF MEDAL IN
DECLAMATION.
whose parents were unable to meet the
expenses of an education, and some of
them were orphans. In 1892 he donated
$40,000 to the LaGrange Female College
to be devoted to the education of poor
girls.
The life of Mr. Witham has been one
of self-denial. In starting out in life he
made it a rule to live within his income,
to save something of his salary, however
small it was. In order to do this he
slept in a garret. Ever since he com
menced to earn so much as $100 per
month he has given away to the needy
and to church purposes more than he
has spent on himself. He is a memb.e
of the Methodist church, and attributes
bis success to its influence, and to this
motto! “There is nothing worth living
but the good you can do. Nothing woi$4;
remembering of one but the good&epli ‘'
done.” -ft.
Mr. Witbamtff* a strictly butines^aa^/ -
yet, as this bpsrio*«> written sket^i
j proveg^-H^ ruuhdAhne'to devote; spnpb
Ji^5ff3 r tima--aird money to t?ie cause of
|Cjjj3»*ianity.
t We do. not
, virtues of a man
' iro ’“b t ajsLxCTintiiur
[Douglasville and Douglas .cotp^^^Hpr
f watch and follow in the tracks wHeW'-
| , .
| subject of this sketch and tli^o Jfepe lie
fpointed; out to them there will be noth-
| ingbut sunshine and roses strewn along
their pathway. ’
MONDAY NIGHT-, JUNE 3RD.
The college was jammed aud crammed
to witness the exercises of the young la- . t
dies’ Les Fedeles Society.
First was a debate ou the question:
‘Resolved, That the pen is mightier
than the sword,”
Affirmative, Misses Emma Phillips
Carrie Kelley and Lee Nance.
Negative, Misses Nannie Webb, Eva
Weddington and Elma Wynn,
The judges barely gave the decision
to the negative, as shown by their fig
ures, as follows:
Affirmative 194, negative 198.
It was evident to all that thecontest
WILLIAM S; WITHAM.
and sweeping out the store to the high
est, and drawing the largest salary of
any of the two hundred employes,
After serving this home faithfully for
over eighteen years he came back South
and located at Anniston, Ala., and went
into the banking business, establishing
what is now known as the “Witham
Banking System.” From this small be
ginning he branched out until now he is
the head of fifteen banks in (iq la
C. A. WEDDINGTON, WINNER OF MEDAL
IN SENIOR DECLAMATION CONTEST.
was very close.
After the contest came a beautiful in
strumental solo by Miss Sallie Pool.
Recitation, “The Bridge Keeper’s
Story,” by Miss Nannie Ellis, which was
beautifully rendered.
Essay, “Farewell to the Senior Girls,”
Miss May Parks.
The college young ladies and young
men then gave a play entitled “The Last
Loaf,” which was highly entertaining
and had a good moral.
TUESDAY 10 A. M.
Notwithstanding the heavy rain of
Monday night and the prospects of a
bad day, the people began to arrive at
the college early and before the time for
the debate arrived the building was
crowded. It is well to state here that
the audience that turned out to hear
the exercises of last year were large
but thoseof this year were larger. At
each day the audience grew larger, to
uncomfortableness, and the fact has
now fully dawned upon the trustees
and the people of Douglasville that ere
another commencement rolls around
continued on
first
PAGE
COLUMN SECOND