Georgia:  Elbert County:  Newspapers,   Gibson-Mercer, 12 May 1904

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    There was also organized a club of Bessie Tift Alumnae, and a club 
composed of those attending this institution either before or after the 
change of its name to Gibson-Mercer.  It is the purpose of these clubs 
to look after the interests of our Baptist schools and the boys and 
girls who should attend them.  Two things will make our schools great:  
first, the trueness of the alumni of these institutions, and then 
general loyalty of the Baptist to their own.


Monday Evening

    This evening was taken up with the play, "Hearts and Diamonds," 
drills, etc.  The pupils impersonating the characters did their 
respective parts well.  Some of them had never appeared on the stage 
before, but the large audience went away highly elated over the success 
of the evening.

Tuesday Evening

    This was a new feature of our commencement exercises, one which we 
hope to make very attractive and profitable.  There was an oratorical 
contest among three boys and also among four girls for simple prizes.  
The successful ones were Thurston Deadwyler and Eva Harris.  But the 
thing was so well done that the judges could not make a unanimous 
decision.  Next session we hope to interest enough of the pupils in 
this kind of work to have a separate exercise each for boys and for the 
girls.  We hope, also, by that time to have some friends of the 
institution to become sufficiently interested in this kind of work to 
offer a medal for boys and for the girls, and let this become a lasting 
feature of the commencement exercises.  There is nothing like being 
able to stand before an audience and intelligently express oneself.  We 
are also working towards making the extemporaneous debate a part of our 
regular exercises.

Tuesday evening

    The graduating exercises on Tuesday evening brought to a close our 
commencement and also to a close what has been in many respects a great 
year for Gibson-Mercer.  The baccalaureate address was delivered by 
Attorney-General Clifford Walker.  He discussed better homes, better 
schools, better roads and a better America, closing with a fine 
peoration on "OldGlory," the United States Flag.  With some 
announcements concerning the summer school for the next session, this 
year of 1919 went into history, and now we turn our faces to the future 
with aspiration, inspiration and hope.

You Baptist

    Just this closing word to the Baptist of this section.  This 
institution is a child of your creation.  It is yours, and upon you 
rests its success or failure.  We need a great many things here, but 
most of all we need your boys and girls, and your prayers that we, 
under God, give them back to you men and women who, intent on the 
right, in the fear of God and the love of Christ, shall correctly shape 
the destiny of home, state and nation.  Talk for us and pray for us, 
then send us a boy or a girl.

John A. Pool