100-year-old news highlights from The Wilcox Progressive Era

Dr. George H. Denny

What follows are 100-year-old news excerpts from the May 24, 1917 edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era newspaper in Camden, Ala.

Pine Hill: Mr. Lucy Dunn has been to Mobile to stand examination for appointment in Army. Lucy reports having passed O.K.

Hon. S.D. Bloch has presented to Sheriff McDowell for Wilcox County a large United States flag, which gracefully floats from the courthouse front portico.

Any person desirous of enlisting in the army as a volunteer will be furnished transportation to recruiting station supply on to G.F. Dannelly, Postmaster.

Gastonburg: Mr. W.W. Goode left Monday for Fort McPherson where he is now in training.

The County High School Commencement: It was certainly gratifying, to the friends of Education in Wilcox County to witness the very great interest taken in the commencement exercises of our county high school.

The school this year, under the presidency of Prof. Hardy and his assistants, has been quite successful.

(Shouse Kimbrough won the declamation contest held on that Monday night, and Clarence Smith came in second. Albert Campbell won the medal for best composition. Morris Marcus came in second, and Martha L. Grier finished third. Helen Burford won the prize for best grade in the school.)

The dramatic entertainment on Thursday night was excellent. (Members of the cast included Will Albritton, Mackie Bodiford, Neal Bryant, Albert Campbell, Lillimae Chappell, Sam Cook, Martha Lee Grier, Leroy Harper, Tom Jenkins, Henry Kimbrough, Purnell Kimbrough, Shouse Kimbrough, Morris Marcus, Ervin Neville, William Palmer, Carol Rentz, Willie Sadler, William Simpson, Clarence Smith, Charles Tait, Marsh Tait, Luther Watson and Carrie Mae Williams.)

Friday night was the star evening. For on that occasion, the diplomas are awarded. Those receiving diplomas were as follows: William Laird Albritton, Neal Armistead Bodiford, Mackie Bodiford, John Albert Campbell (salutatorian), Samuel Clarence Cook, Lilliemae Chappel, Martha Lee Grier, Joseph Leroy Harper, Thomas Griffin Jenkins, Henry T. Kimbrough, Isaac Shouse Kimbrough, Morris Marcus (valedictorian), Richard Ervin Neville, William Palmer, Carol McDowell Rentz, Clarence Smith, William Gulley Simpson, Willia Elna Sadler, Charles Edwin Tait, Julian Marsh Tait, Purnell Kimbrough and Carrie Mae Williams.

The entire program of Friday evening was excellent. The presence of Dr. George H. Denny, President of our State University at Tuscaloosa, brought a very large number of our people to the auditorium, so much so that he remarked where did all these people come from.