The Sixth Annual Scholarship Musical was held on May 6, 2017, at Open Door Community Church where Dr. Rick Rogers is the pastor. Dr. Rogers gave the welcome and introduced the Mistress of Ceremony, Dr. Miranda Manning, Counselor at Dillon School District Four. The scripture and invocation was given by Rev. Delen McRae. Mrs. Countess Simiyu, granddaughter of Harnethea B. Manning, gave the purpose of the scholarship fund. The musical part of the event was opened with a prelude of a wonderful melody of songs instrumentally done on the saxophone by Mr. Cequordric Page, a former recipient of the Harnethea B. Manning Scholarship. The opening song, “How Great is Our God”, was done by Sir Brock Mack, an eighth grader at the Dillon Middle School. An electrifying selection, “I’m Still Holding On To His Hand”, was done by Ms. Mallory C. Townsend, former Harnethea B. Manning recipient and sophomore at Mary Baldwin College. A beautiful dance to “Young People Need Jesus, I will Be The One”, was performed by Ms. Daijour Huggins-Samuel, former recipient of the Harnethea B. Manning Scholarship and a sophomore at Claflin University. The Dillon Middle School performed two wonderful songs with the theme “Give God a Praise” under the direction of the talented Mr. Joshua Fleetwood.
The keynote speaker was introduced by Rev. Frankie Thomas, pastor of New Faith Missionary Baptist Church. Dr. Henry N. Tisdale, president of Claflin University, delivered a stately and dynamic speech. Dr. Tisdale gave some historical facts about Claflin University, the oldest black historical institution in the state of South Carolina that graduates outstanding leaders. According to Dr. Tisdale, Claflin University graduated the first African American PhD, first architect to be certified in the state, two of the first five black women in the world to have a college degree, and the first Chief Justice of the South Carolina State Supreme Court. Claflin has a 147 year tradition to graduate students in a Christian environment.
Dr. Tisdale stated that “all the students from Dillon, who attend Claflin, have a GPA average of 3.0 and above.”
The support of historically black colleges was emphasized because of the wealth of qualified students that come to Claflin and are sent out into the world as great leaders.
We are in the worst and best of times says Dr. Tisdale; and we are all in the same boat, the “haves” and have nots”. A leak in the boat will sink us all if we do not work together to repair it. What we have are temporary oppressions of today and it will not keep us down. All men are created equal. We must have courage, tenacity, and confidence to fight for it, demand and command it. America is still a place where all things are possible, real change is embedded in the American dream and like dust, “I will rise.”
Deacon Joe Manning, Sr., and the Honorable L. Casey Manning, Sr., received the donations and contributions.
Paul Manning, Jr., and Sandra Manning-Kirby recognized two outstanding citizens in our community for our annual Community Recognition Award. The first award went to Ms. Dorothy Alford Bethea, a retired teacher who served in many capacities in her long and colorful career, including serving as president of the Criterion Club for 18 years, and doing outstanding work in our community in the service of leadership. The second award went to Rev. Delen McRae, a pastor with close to 40 years of service in Connecticut and South Carolina. He was instrumental in getting Calhoun Street changed to Paul J. Glenn Highway and Ruby Woods Carter Road named for Mrs. Ruby Woods Carter.
Linda Manning Langley presented the 2017-2018 Harnethea B. Manning Scholarship to Ms. Sarah Marie Johnson, an outstanding senior at Dillon High School. Sarah will be attending Furman University in Greenville, majoring in forensics and biochemistry. Sarah is the daughter of Mrs. Lashann Johnson.