Published: November 14, 2008 03:29 pm            

Yesterday In Newton: Newton County Centennial Celebration - Part II

NEWTON — This week we begin with the program after the parade has reached the ECJC campus.

On the lawn of East Central, the high school girls gave their dumb-bell drill and one hundred and fifty East Central girls gave their beautiful Zouave Drill.

The gymnasium was filled to its utmost capacity for the program, leaving hundreds without standing room on the outside.

A prologue, depicting Annie Katie O’Bannon as Ceres, A.C. Spinks as Mercury, and Kathleen Wall as Minerva opened the pageant, written and presented by Mrs. W.W. Newsom, head of the English Department at East Central.

The Indian period was well portrayed by the Choctaws from Conehatta as they gave a tableau of the Treaty of Dancing Creek and engaged in an Indian dance. Mrs. F.M. Cross, director of music at East Central, sang the “Indian Love Song”.

A group of square dancers from Hickory and Chunky struck a responsive chord as they brought back to mind the “swing your partner” rhythm of the pioneer days.

Honorable Victor Gilbert, a Meridian attorney and a former Newton Countian, ad-dressed the audience on “The Pioneer Citizen”. He recalled the family names of prominent early settlers of Newton County, including the names of Davis, Wells, Vance, Loper, Williams, Williamson, Smith, Keith, Hollingsworth, Walker, Gibson, Laird, Jones, Reynolds, Gilbert, Harris, McMullen, etc.

Mrs. Newsome read a poem written by Mrs. J.M. Thames, wife of the Decatur postmaster, depicting the life of the pioneers and the growth of Newton County.

Next came a tableau of the Antebellum period by Newton, and an address by Judge D.M. Graham, of Gulfport, a native Newton Countian, on the pioneer officers. Judge Graham stated that to his best knowledge no scandal had ever developed concerning the official or private conduct of any public official of Newton County.

Tableaux of the following periods followed: the Civil War Period, Stratton: the Reconstruction Period, Union; “The Gay Nineties, Decatur; World War Period, the American Legion.

In the March of Time, Miss Margaret Gaines was crowned Miss Newton County.

Dr. Rolfe Hunt, of Lauderdale, former associate president of the old Decatur College, in 1887, spoke on the Rise of the Courts, and W. I. Thames, superintendent of the Hattiesburg City Schools, spoke on the Rise of the Schools.

The pageant was concluded with the introduction of “Miss East Central Junior College”, Miss Margaret Miller, of Bond, in Neshoba County.

The success of the Centennial Celebration was due in a large measure to the untiring efforts of W.C. Mabry, Sr., chairman of the Newton County Historical Association. Mr. Mabry has served as county superintendent of education, sheriff and state senator of this district. He is now postmaster at Newton. Mr. Mabry also owned the Newton Record and was editor and publisher.

        

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