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The Salisbury Post (Salisbury, NC), 9 May 1926, p. 8.

Students of dramatics and expression from the Institute and Mont Amoena Seminary will render “Sherwood,” on the evening of the 24th. The commencement drama always proves one of the most attractive features of commencement, and the usual large attendance is expected this year.

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The Albemarle Press (Albemarle, NC), 20 May 1926, p. 1.

Mount [sic] Amoena Finals Will Begin May 22
Opening Feature Will Be Senior Class Day Exercises On Saturday

The commencement program for Mount Amoena Seminary at Mt. Pleasant was made public Saturday, showing activities to be extended over four days.

The program will begin on May 22 with the senior class day exercises, this to be followed by the baccalaureate sermon on Sunday, May 23 at 11 a.m. by Rev. C. R. Bell, D. D., of Columbia Lutheran Theological Seminary.

The next feature will be an address before the Luther League of the Seminary by Rev. Oscar Blackwelder, of Baltimore.

On Tuesday morning the literary address will be delivered by Rev. Charles J. Smith, D. D., president of Roanoke College, Va. On Tuesday evening at 8 o’clock the annual music contest will be held.

The program will be concluded Wednesday morning, May 26 with the commencement exercises at 10 o’clock.

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The Concord Tribune (Concord, NC), 26 May 1926, p.1.

Climax Reached At Mt. Pleasant Finals Today

Prizes and Certificates Presented Following Essay and Oratorical Contests During Morning.

CONCORD BOY IS HONOR STUDENT

This City Well Represented by W. L. Ezzell, Who Was Excellent Student, Writer and Speaker.

BY W. M. SHERRILL

Mt. Pleasant, May 26.—The climax to the commencement program of Mont Amoena Seminary and Mt. Pleasant Institute was reached this morning when distinctions and prizes were awarded students for excellency in work during the past scholastic year. The awards were made following the reading of essays by seniors of the Seminary and the deliverance of orations by members of the senior class of the Institute.

Attendance at the exercises was not decreased by the rising temperature. Instead one is almost persuaded that another dozen spectators was present for each degree climbed by the mercury, for all attendance records for the year were eclipsed this morning. The auditorium was a seething mass of humanity from ten o’clock until one and the speakers and readers had as competitors, in addition to their class mates, papers and fans of all description which were continuously in use.

Members of the Seminary chosen to read their essays, judged the best by members of the faculty, were Miss Violet Cress Honeycutt on “Progress of North Carolina During the Last Decade,” Miss Mary Frances McEachern on “America, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” Miss Margaret Salome Shirey on “The World Court,” and Miss Annie Mable Walker on “The Woman Who Counts.”

Orators from the Institute were W. L. Ezzell on “The Heritage of the South,” P. G. Stoner on “Heroism of the Unknown,” R. H. Taylor on “Education, the Foundation of Democracy,” and W. N. Young on “God’s Masterpiece—Man.”

The judges gave the medal in this contest to Mr. Stoner, who presented an ably prepared thesis in a masterful and pleasing manner.

Concord had an able representative in the senior class of the Institute in the person of W. L. Ezzell, son of Dr. and Mrs. W. L. Ezzell. Mr. Ezzell had his thesis accepted as one worthy to gain him a place as an orator, he was among the students who averaged between 90 and 93 during the past two years, he was one of nine students who did not receive a military demerit during the year, and he won the P. A. Barrier Science Medal for his efficient work in chemistry during the past year.

The following students of the Institute averaged 93 or more on all studies and conduct during the year:

B. L. Allen, L. B. Hahn, H. A. McCullough, Jr., C. A. Honeycutt, H. C. McAllister and H. H. Sloop.

The following averaged between 90 and 93:

W. L. Ezzell, C. F. Thomason, J. D. Suther, B. K. Miller, H. E. Barrier, E. D. Bolick, R. W. Hettinger, R. L. Kimball and J. D. Honeycutt.

Four students did not miss a single recitation during the year. They were: P. A. Moser, P. H. Lipe, B. K. Hiller and K. L. Honeycutt.

Twenty-one of the students did not receive a demerit, despite the strict military rules which govern the life and conduct of the students.

The following medals were presented:

Excellence in French—B. L. Allen.
Excellence in History (average must be more than 95)—H. H. Sloop.
Winner of Declaimer’s Medal—P. H. Lipe.
Winner of Debater’s Medal—L. B. Hahn.
Winner of Orator’s Medal—P. G. Stoner.
Winner of Science Medal—W. L. Ezzell.

Mr. Hahn won his medal for his fine work in the debate held yesterday afternoon. He was a member of the affirmative team which was declared the winner. B. A. Grovenstein, of Jacksonville, Fla., won honorable mention in the debate.

The medals were presented on behalf of the Institute and the donors by Prof. G. F. McAllister, the beloved colonel of the school.

The following members of the graduating class of the institute:

Wesley Copeland, Wendell Linn Ezzell, Donald Javan Little, Robert Brown McAllister, Paul Glenn Stoner, Ralph Henderson Taylor, Ralph Walter Taylor, Claude Fisher Thomason, Claude Elwood York, Walter Nicholas Young.

The graduates of the seminary, designated in the various courses they took, follow:

Classical Course—Mattie Lucille Blume, Maude Olivia Bost, Elizabeth Demouille Bright, Ola Browne Cline, Geneva Estelle Efird, Rosa Estelle Ezzell, Effie Fay Kluttz, Mary Frances McEachern, Gladys Marie McManus, Frances Christine Misenheimer, Lizzie Pearle Ross, Zelma Elizabeth Safrit, Mary Lee Seaford, Margaret Salome Shirey, Alma Irene Tucker, Annie Mabel Walker.

English Course—Ethel Bernhardt, Albert Pearle Bowers, Margaret Elizabeth Bradford, Elizabeth Christine Hedrick, Violet Cress Honeycutt, Annie Elizabeth Morrison.

Business—Mary Margaret Barrier, Beulah Elizabeth Biggers, Erma Earl Carroll, Frances Erson Dellinger, Fern Kathleen Eddleman, Violet Cress Honeycutt, Beulah Alma D. Kluttz, Olive Mae Lentz, Mary Thelma Martin, Gladys Marie McManus.

Music—Mary Elizabeth Ridenhour, Jetta Beatrice Milholland.

Mascot—Mary Ann Scott.