Hundreds of Durham county negroes attended the annual county commencement of colored schools, held Friday, April 15, all day at the Durham state normal school on the Fayetteville road. Features of the day were the excellent exhibits of school work of varied nature, the speech of Mrs. Holland, state supervisor of elementary schools, contests of various kinds, and the enthusiasm evidenced by the colored folk in better educational facilities for the county. Scores of school children from all sections of the county attended and acquitted themselves well in the varied competitions of the day.
Notwithstanding the April showers which began night before and continued throughout the day, the schools of the county were present at 10 o’clock to begin the prearranged program.
Dr. J.E. Shepard, president of the Durham state normal, with well-chosen words made the schools welcome to the spacious auditorium and school grounds. President Shepard stressed the point that the is convinced that the state normal schools should serve the needs of the people of every section of the state, and if they do not do that they fail in doing their part in putting over the great plan which the state is trying to carry out.
A special feature of the commencement was the address of Mrs. Annie W. Holland, state supervisor of elementary schools.
In a brief way she reviewed the progress of the negro schools of Durham county since her connection with the state educational work. She was much pleased with the marked improvements that have been made in buildings and equipment; and paid a special tribute to the work of the ex-superintendents. She was especially loud in her praise of the work of the present superintendent and urged the patrons of the schools to co-operate with him and the board of education in their efforts to place the schools of Durham county in the foremost ranks of the state.
Mrs. Holland also called attention to the plan which the state is now working out to standardize the elementary schools which will require a trained force of teachers to operate.
The success of the commencement is due to the untiring efforts and ingenuity of the county supervisor, Mrs. C.T. Jordan, and with the co-operation of her staff of teachers.
Superintendent of Schools John W. Carr Jr. was present and expressed himself as being well pleased with the commencement and the work of the year. He said that he hoped that the commencement would be made an annual feature with the county schools.
The program as carried out consisted of story-telling by pupils of the primary grades, arithmetic, oral spelling, recitation, and biscuit-making contests by pupils of the grammar grades.
The winners in the contests were as follows: James Morris, South Lowell, won first place in the story-telling with “The Three Bears;” Marion Cross of Pearsontown won second honors with “The Dumb Witness,” and Docia Wyche of Rocky Knoll won third place with “Why the Rabbit Has Long Ears.”
In the arithmetic contest, Mildred Hayes of East Durham won first place, Nina Edwards of Stagville won second place, and Josie Jones of Walltown carried off third prize.
Virginia Morris of South Lowell won first honors in the grammar-grade recitation with “Little Golden Hair,” Bettie B. Holman of Stagsville won second, and Mildred Hayes of East Durham won third place.
Carolina Parker of Bahama won first place in the spelling contest, Rena Jones of Markham Chapel, second place, and Catherine Chavis of East Durham, third place.
Winners in the biscuit-making contests in the home economics department were as follows: Annie R. Marsh and Louise Stroud of Lyon Park won first place, Esther Davis and Kate Lawrence of Walltown were second, and Alene Wooden and Patsy Green of Pearsontown were third place winners.
There was a splendid exhibit also in sewing. Hickstown and East Durham schools were adjudged winners in this division.
South Lowell school carried off the highest number of points of any county school in the entire activities of the day. This school rolled up a total of 10 points during the day, while East Durham was a close second with seven points and Stagsville third with six points.
Superintendent Carr and Carrie T. Jordan, director of colored school work at the close of the school hear expressed themselves as gratified with the showing made during the past year, and the commendable increase in efficiency and enrollment.
From page 8 of the Durham Morning Herald, Sunday, April 20, 1924
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