newspaper article from April 13, 1898
HOBBS SCHOOL.
On the evening of April 13th this writer found himself down in the famous Cream Level community, and, by some force of attraction, was drawn to Hobbs school house, which was beautifully decorated in preperation for the closing exercises of the school which were to take place at night. Before sundown the people began to gather and by dark every seat was occupied, and standing room was at a premium. The house being too small to hold the immense audience, the stage and platform was arranged on the outside of the house, and everywhere people were standing waiting for the exercises to begin.
About 7:30 the curtains were drawn back displaying the beautiful decorated stage. Prof. Mastin Travis welcomed the audience with a pleasing address, after which some good music was furnished by Miss Katie Coker and Messrs Burnett, Johnson and Baker. The music was one of the prominent features of the programme and was highly appreciated by the audience.
Recitations and dialogues by the little folks came next which were enjoyed very much. Space forbids mentioning all the programme, but the recitations by Misses Jessie Reynolds, Edna Dean, Emma Palmer, Dellia Williamson, Carrie Davis, Lucy Reynolds, Jessie Dean, and May Dean, were indeed excellent, but everyone acquitted themselves well. The children who recited and took part in the dialogues did especially well, showing a high order of intellect as well as thorough training at the hands of their teacher. The "Old fashioned music teacher" by Masters Henry Reynolds, Hallie Sides, Albert Hobbs, and Commie McWilliams, was appreciated and applauded by the audience. A farce for eight characters, "John Smith" was well tendered; Messrs Gid Brown, John Delaney, and Arthur Palmer furnished wit and fun by their mimmicry, the clown was indeed a blooming success, and created a great deal of laughter and applause.
To the writer it was hard to tell which he appreciated the most, as all of the exercises were indeed splendid, and each one performed their part well.
Prof. Travis deserves great praise for the success of the exercises and the scolars deserve much credit and praise for the intellect displayed.
The exercises closed with one of the most beautiful and well composed Valedictory addresses by Miss Edna Dean that the writer has ever heard. Prof. Travis replied to the Valedictory with a short address of thanks and commendation to the scholars and patrons of the school, and then the Farewell song by the entire school, and thus closed one of the most interesting school exercises that we ever had the pleasure of attending in Van Zandt county. All of Myrtle feels proud of the success which Prof. Travis is achieving as he is one of our own "boys" who, by energy and close study, is fast climbing the ladder of fame and we hope to see him still higher on "honors roll."
G. T. W.