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president of Roanoke college. At the conclusion of his remarks Dr. Dreher announced that on actount of the fact that two of the class had made exactly the same average it had been impossible to award the medal but for the generosity of Mr. Z. F. Wright. who had offered to provide an additional medal, and two German medals were awarded this morning one to Mr. James R. McKittrick and another to Miss Lola Lake. both of the senior class. Owing to the length of the exer cises which were to follow, the an nouncements of the awards of the other medals were made by President George B. Cromer. The John M. Kinard Freshman medal was awarded Miss Sara E. Bowers. with honorable mention of Mr. W. F. Hipp. The Greek medal. offered by Messrs. C. P. Boozer and W. A. Mose ley, was awarded Mr. J. H. Riser, with honorable mention of Mr. P. A. Schumpert. The John J. Long Science medal, the contest for which was throughout the course, was awarded Mr. L. M. .Bouknight. The 0. B. Mayer Senior history medal was awarded Mr. L. M. Bouk night, 'vith honorable mention 6f Mr. James R. McKittrick. The George S. Mower Senior essay medal was awarded Mr. Wm. B: Sea brook. The degrees were conferred and the diplomas were awarded the graduat ing class by the retiring president, Dr. George B. Cromer. Dr. Cromer's farewell address to class of 1904 was the deeply sincere utterance of a man who had watched their college career with loving in terest and who took a deep and abid ing interest in their future. Dr. Cromer spoke with an elo quence which fittingly expressed his deep feeling. There was no voice of God out of the clouds, out of the winds, or out of the earthquakes, he said. The voice of God came to men in a sense of duty, and those who heard were those who listened, and listened in a time of need and con scious dependence. He had few words to say to the graduating class this morning. He wanted to urge simple, plain, down-right, straightfor ward honesty-not that kind which puts books in shape because the grand jrry is coming to inspect, but that kind that challenges investiga tion and inspection. The only real problem which we have, he said. is the problem or ho'nesty. We have no negro problem. What we need is hon esty-honesty among the white men of this country.-what we want is voters to rule the country in the fear of God. As a last word to the class of 1904, he wanted th-sm to be scholars if they could and to win position if they could. He wanted them to go up un til they reached the full measure oi their willingness to serve the people in the iear of God. But above all he wanted them to be honest men and honest women. The Two Presidents. Dr. Cromer, the retiring president, presented Dr. Scherer, the incoming president. with the words: "And now I have the honor to present my friend. and your friend, and the friend of Newberry college." Dr. Scherer's inaugural address was characteristic of the man.-elo quent, thoughtful. His diction was superb and his delivery graceful. And above all, he showed his love for the college, his abiding faith in its future. and his earnest purpose to give the best that within him lies for its wel fare. Dr. Scherer's address .is publishe!d in full elsewhere. THE JUNIOR CONTEST. Mr. J. E. Harms, of Savannah, Win ner of the Oratorical Medal. The Junior oratorical contest was held on Monday night before one of the largest audiences of commence mecnt. The medal was awarded Mr. J. E. Harms, of Savannah. with hon orable mention of Mr. R. W. Frick, of Chapin. The presentation was made by Dr. W. H. Dunbar, of Bal timore. The Contest was participated in by eight young men, selected from the class at a preliminary contest. They with their subjects are as follows: WV. E. Derrick, Hilton-Peace Hathi Her Victories. L. E. Dreher. Selwood-Lights and Shadows. R. W. Frick. Chapin-Everlasting Monuments. J. E. Harms. Savannah. Ga.-Luck or Labor. J. C. Hipp. Newberry-America's Mkissign E.TH. Olney, Charleston-Climbers. W. E. Pugh, Prosperity-The Ten dency of the Times. J. H. Zeagler. Lone Star-The Two Evils. All of the young men acquitted themselves with a great deal of credit. and their orations were heard with pleasure and with closest attention ,by the large audience. The committee of judges consisted of Dr. V. H. Dunbar. of Baltimore: Rev. J. D. Kinard, of Orangeburg; Mr. Z. P. W,right. of Newberry: Col. W. H. H unt. of Newberry: and Capt. J. 1W. Jenny. of Jennys. Excellent music was furnished by the Newberry orchestra. ALUMNI ADDRESS. I It Was Delivered by Dr. James M. Kibler, of This City. of the Class of '82. The annual address before the Alumni association of Newberry college was delivered in the opera house Tuesday morning by Dr. James M. Kibler, of this city who was a mem ber of the class of '82. His address was a thoughtful and forceful plea for public education. Dr. Kibler is a strong writer and a graceful speaker, and his address Tues day morning was received with close at tention. The speaker drove home with force the truths which he utter ed. and those in his audience were strongly impressed with the thoughts which he brought to them. In a professional life of eighteen years Dr. Kibler has had opportun ity to study the condition and needs of the people of South Carolina, and his address on Tuesday was made all the more forcible on account of the fact that he spoke in some degree, at least, from his own personal ex perience among the people of his state. The speaker was introduced by Hon. Arthur Kibler. president of the Alumni association. After a few introductory remarks Dr. Kibler announced as his theme, 'A Plea for Public Education." When a thoughtful man took cognizance of life and things around him, he said, his heart was touched with a feeling of deep sympathy on beholding the titer dependence of the great masses of our people upon the will and de-, sires of a few. They had no aspira tions or incentives for a higher life. and were content with the menial things around them. How were they to be lifted from the slough of their helplessness? By developing. train ing moulding and elevating them to ai higher plane of usefulness. w the.re wtould dawvn before their viions the light of worlds. befor un seen. and beauties of thought, of de sires and of aspirations never before imagined. The speaker came. therefore. to the Alumni association this morning with a deep feeling of their responsibility for their fellow-man-they had been lfted from the commoner walks ot lie by' the fostering .care of others and to those also of his fellow-citizens whose circumstances and environ-1 ments or life had given them more than ordinary advantages in the great struggle of existence. He came to all with a Plea for Public Education. The great need of the times now was a more thorough system of corn mon schools and a more liberal at tendance upon their sessions. South Carolina had state colleges: for the higher education of young men and young wvomen scattered throughcut her borders. besides a half dozen or more denominationaI col leges whose curricula were equally as high as the state colleges. and whose infuences were a power for good. There was no danger in the denomi national colleges being short-lived. The prayer, love. devotion, and sac rifices of God's people guaranteed Itheir success. And it seemed from the liberal appropriations lavished upon the state institutions that their con tinued existence was assurred. He would not have the doors of one of them closed, but he was persuaded that a superabundance of funds wvas being used for their maintenance. The colleges should be maintained and successfully conducted, but the little log cabin school house should not be forgotten. The speaker quoted statistics show ing the startling average of illiteracy existing among the white voters in South Carolina-an average of near ly 300 illiterate white voters to each county. Be it said to the credit of Newberry county, however, she had but 104. By comparison it was found that with only three exceptions there was more illiteracy in South Carolina than in any other southern state, and more illiteracy in each ofI the southern states than any other state in the union. To what could be attributed these facts if not to the lack of interest in public education? The greatest need of the state. he said. was money. and how and upon whom it should be used; a thorough system of education having been es tablished. how a liberal attendance upon its sessions might be had. The speaker noted that in a discussion of any question of universal public good to the state we were necessarily con fronted by the omnipresent negro probiem. In the state there were four colleges for the higher education of the negro and common schools in every district. for which they paid about one-fourth the amount neces sary for their maintenance. It was a mooted question whether the effort to give the negro a higher education was for his good and the welfare of the state, or whether it was not bet ter to give him an industrial educa tion and make him a trained workman and better citizen. Until the fifteenth amendment of the constitution shall have been repealed. said the speaker, and the privilege of the ballot denied the negro. the north and south would never come together in the solution of this question. Disfranchise him and let him work out his own salva tion. There were today in this country, continued the speaker, school houses fit only for the owl's nest, the mill villages with a populati6n of several thousand people and the school cared for on account of its slim at tendance by only one, two or three teachers. It was said that the rea son why the southern mills were so populous was that labor was much cheaper here, and the people live on less money, this being a mild climate with short winters. See to it, friends, he said. that it does not prove an ex pensive experiment. The little ones. were earning their own support by their own labor. What of the next generation and of the next? He was told that 42 per cent. of the white children of the state were not attend ing school. This was due either to carelessness. inability or downright opposition of superiors. And there were 2o.ooo more negroes than whites in the common schools of South Car olina. The speaker referred to the "Og den movement." saying that if pro perly condu:cted. and with the right motives behind it. it would be of great benefit to the south and of help to her people. Hie referred to the strenuous efforts now being made by the state to'en courage immigration. and to the as sertion that in the public schools where attendance was voluntary the foreign portion of the population took advantage of the tuititon more gen erally than the native population. making it neccessary that our people be universally educated that our in stitutions might have their integrity perpetuated. The rural free delivery was also adding much to the convenience and comfort of country life, and would prove of benefit in building up the country and enlarging schools. The speaker wvent back to his origi nal proposition. that the great needl qf the times was a more thorough system of common schools and a liberal attendance upon their ses sions. H-ow were we to h.tve a more thorough system of common schools? That was not a question f')r themn to decide. A thorough system of scho.is having been establishedl Jiow ai we maintain a liberal atten-lance aren their se.,s,ons, we ihe question m. the speak '. proponuded to the :,u it i. Only one thing could bring about a revolution in this matter. and that was a law~ 'of combutsary education. In vade the "sancity of the home."' over throw the idols of ignorance, polish the rugged jewels, and make them sparkling gems! The speaker said he was sincere in this matter. for the question had weighed. upon his mind and heart for several years. and he took this oppor- i tunity of giving it public expression. In a professional life of eighteen 1 years he had entered the homes of I all classes of people and had seen their frailties and faults and knew their needs. He appealed to those; before him. therefore. that their in tluence might go out over the state!i in tli-ir behalf. All around were; poverty. ignorance and misery. These 1 could he corr-cted. and it must bell done. The children of the state cry ing for -:.e r: 1 - f knowledge and the parc-t7.! 'r v ithholding it was a sight that t-iuched the heart of allh right minded citizens. *There blooms yonder upon the bank of the brook by the mea4ow."!! concluded Dr. Kibler. "a modest little daisy. neglected. unnoticied. yea, even perhaps unknown: yet as sweet,1 as beautiful and as full of promise as the most highly cultivated daffodil of the florist's. I am told that when- 1 ever water is turned on the dreary I desert everything will grow with I wild luxuriance. It seems that the I very powers of nature had been confined for centuries only awaiting an opportunity to be released. Then turn the refreshing waters on the Sahara of our state and permit the neglected flowers of our *youth to bloom with beauty and fragrance." Alumni Association. The annual meeting of the Alumni association was held in the opera house immediately after the address to the Alumni. The meeting was called to order by Hon. Arthur Kibler. prayer was offered by Rev. Mr. Livingstone. and the pre vious minutes were read by the sec retary. Mr. Kibler was unanimously re-elected for president, and Mr. J. B. Setzler for secretary. Prof. W. K. Sligh was ilected treasurer and Dr. W. G. Houseal was made vice-presi dent. The Hon. A. F. Lever was elected to be the next alumni orator. The committee on building a gym- I nasium, reported subscriptions to the amount of $1193 and one hundred and fifty nine dollars in cash. The com mittee was authorized to continued in 1 their efforts with a view to starting 1 the gymnasium as soon as possible. On a motion from Dr. Cromer, the thanks of the association were ex tended Dr. Kibler for his excellent address. A motion by Prof. A. J. Bowers to make Dr. J. A. B. Scherer an hon orary member of the association was unanimously carried. Following this the association adopted' resolutions pledging the hearty support and co operation of the alumni in the work of the new president. Dr. Scherer. LITERARY ADDRESS. It Was Delivered Tuesday Night by Hon.'W. C. Benet, of Co lumbia. The annual address to the literary societies of Newberry college. de-' liered Tuesday night by the H-Ion. WV. C. Benet. of Columbia. wvas a gem. Ne soke of the dluties devolving upon college mn,n and for nearly an hour. by the power of his eloquence and the beauty of his language he held the closest attention of his audience.1 The address throughout, so eloquent was the wording which clothed the, magnificent thought which it contain e,. was a beautiful prose poem. Despite the rain, a large audience greeted the gifted Carolinian. Judge1 Benet delivered the literary addres here in 1885, and there were many i the audience Tuesday night who heard him at the time and who, even afte this lapse of years. remembered the mesage which lhe brought ilinetee years ago. The speaker was introduced by Col.1 E. H. Aull. Judge Benet said he desired to say something to the young men of the literary societies about the obligations devolving upon college graduates-I what the world had a right to expect of them. One of the first of these obligations was to be the friend, guardians and presrvers of liberal education in the! the south. Nothing could take the place of the old classic curriculunm. It was urged that Latin and Greek: would not help to make money. Edu eation was not principally intended to help a man to get along in the world. When he heard the question.: Of what use is Greek and L.atin?" it reminded him of the question of Judas Iscariot, "To what purpose is this Another obligation devolving up-i :ollege graduates was to continue heir student life after leaving col ege, to still foster the love of study tnd good reading. to be seekers of Cnowledge as long as life should ast. Another obligation devolving uponr he students of southern colleges was o learn the lessons of southern his ory. In beautiful language the speak !r portrayed the condition of the outh at the close of the war for outhern Independence. Happily the south iad emerged rom the darkness and the danger. from )ut the clouds. and she was now )ravely endeavoring to rebuild the ;hattered fabrics of her national life, mnd. her voice was now to her co! ege graduates. to whom she called o preserve the glorious records of ier past. Some there were who ,vould have us to believe that the his :ory of the south had nothing worthy >f study, that a new south had risen iaving nothing in common with the >ld. They knew not of what they ;poke. As well tell a mariner to go. ipon tlie sea without his compass nd his chart. To the past we must ook for help, to the past we must call :o guide us. And was it deaf and lumb? No: the voices of the past ave forth no uncertain sound, and voe to that people who regarded :hem not. Should the southern states ;ever themselves from their memor Lble past? Perish the thought! It ,vas time to drift from the bloody :hasm made by the war, to lift the :rimson curtain that was droppea. nd it was the duty of the college. raduate in this first calm of peace,to o back to the past and save all that was precious there. The speaker painted a beautiful pic ure of the old south, of the purity of ts statesmen, of the high resolves ,vhich atcuated the performance of very duty, of the high code of honor >f the southern gentleman. The )ringing forth and the study of these vas one of the sweet uses of the study >f the history of the 'past. He was :erain South Carolinians could serve :heir country best by remaining true :o the traditions of theirstate. A people without a history were ike a man without a memory, and ;uch a man was not far removed from :he brute. Another obligation resting upon :ollege students was the duty to aid n the cultivation and creation of a listinctively southerr literature. The outh had produced many men of lit rary genius. among' whom he men ioned Dr. J. A. B. Scherer. the new )resident of Newberry college. whose -ecent work. "Japan of Today," he !haracterized as the most valuable ontribution to the history of that rudy: But the south had not taken he place in literature for which she vas so well ftted by her fruitful ields of romance and of histor;, ased on a glorious past. Not yet iadl the tale of the Confederate war >Ceen told and it was well. We were -et too near those bloody fields, and hey were vet too real to be softened r subdued by the glamour of ro nance or truthfully portrayed by the >en of the historian. In glowing vords which formed one of the most eautiful prose.poems it has ever been he pleasure of a Newberry audience o0 hear from the lips of a public ~peaker, Mr. Benet pictured the nat ral bea.uty of the beauteous south and,. lacking only the genius of man : bathe it in a light never seen on and or sea, the consecration of the oet. to make it as worthy of pilgrim-. tges from the distant parts of the ~arth as any of the grand scenery amous in song and story. Engage n writing southern books. he pleaded. iot for the love of money but for - he love of letters and the love of :ountry. The literature of a country ,vas its only immortal part. DR. SCHERER'S INAUGURAL~. ddress on Wednesday of the New President of the College. Following is the full text of Dr. [ames A. B. Scherer's inaugural ad Iress. delivered on Wednesday morn ng: In addressing this audience this norning I will include a term which ncludes all: board of trustees, faculty, :he students. people of Newberry. and isitors-when I address you as the riends of Newberry college. That is he bond which unites us all. The 2onorable gentlemen of this board ave proved through years of triU