10 Receive Diplomas at Pembroke Normal School, June 1, 1925

Indian Normal Finals Best in School’s History. . . Supt. A.T. Allen Makes Address—10 Members Graduating Class Receive Diplomas—47 Graduate from Elementary Department—Average Daily Attendance of Over 200 During Years. . . Large Crowds Attended All of Closing Exercises

Class day and graduation exercises held Friday at Pembroke Indian Normal school were excellent and surpassed any closing exercises of the school during its history. A crowd estimated between 1,000 and 1,500 attended, the large auditorium being crowded during the exercises.

Peculiar interest was attached to the Friday morning exercises, the principal speaker being Superintendent A.T. Allen of the North Carolina Department of Education. Mr. Allen spoke for nearly an hour on the advancement of education throughout the state and nation, and urged the Indian people to carry on the work, showing some dangers that befall the nation if the arguments of some, that rural high and consolidated schools were unnecessary, were given any importance. Superintendent Allen presented diplomas to the following graduates: Misses Ollie Belle Ammons and Marguerite Jones, Messrs. Wayne Maynor, Zeb A. Lowrey, L.W. Jacobs, Alton Jones, Henry Bowen, Lacy Maynor, Willia Gaston Revels, Roscoe Locklear.

Dr. Chas. H. Durham, pastor of Lumberton First Baptist church, opened the closing exercises of the school Sunday when he preached the commencement sermon, which was heard by a large number of interested people.

Thursday morning the declamation and oratorical contests were held. John L. Carter, whose subject was “Education”, won the declaimer’s medal, and Lucy Dial, speaking on “The Destiny of the Indians”, was the oratorical medal winner. These medals were delivered Friday morning by Trustee O.R. Sampson.

One of the best features of the exercises was the recitation contest and musical recital, under the direction of Miss Ella Zachary. In the recitation contest Miss Lucinda Locklear won the medal.

“The Wren” was the title of the play given Thursday night in the auditorium, and the acting, expression and general presentment of the play was the best ever witnessed at the school.

With an average daily attendance of more than 200, the school has kept pace with modern times and progressed with a degree of great satisfaction among the trustees, pupils and faculty. Next year is expected to surpass all records of the school, 47 pupils finishing the 7th grade, or elementary department, this session.

Supt. Riley, Principal S.T. Liles and Agricultural Instructor A.F. Corbin were assisted this year by the following: Mesdames Ruth Sampson Locklear and J.K. Henderson, Misses Susan Jordan, Eliza Anna Oxentine, Adelaide Bulgin and Katherine Martin. Trustees of the school are Messrs. O.R. Sampson (chairman), W.D. Oxendine (secretary), C.B. Braboy, W.H. Godwin, R.H. Lowrey, James Dial, Gaston Locklear, E. Lowrey and A.A. Locklear.

From the front page of The Robesonian, Lumberton, N.C., Monday, June 1, 1925

newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn84026483/1925-06-01/ed-1/seq-1/#words=JUNE+1%2C+1925