Decatur, Ga., January 7, 1904

Mr. A.J. [i.e. J. A.] Cheek, Danville, Ky.

My dear Mr. Cheek,

This will be, if I am not mistaken, the fourth letter I have written you about the diplomas for the graduating Class of 1903, and you have never deigned to reply to any of them. I for one paid my diploma fee, and have neither received my diploma, a certificate from you of the fact that I paid that money, or a certificate of the fact that I am entitled to a diploma, and have not even received the last report for the last term of 1903.

And now I am going East to college next Fall, and I want that last report which will contain the grades on the studies and the final examination grades. I also am going to have a diploma from some one of the Faculty or Board of Trustees, or know the reason why. Now you have neglected so long to have our diplomas properly filled out as Dr. Roberts [William C. Roberts, president of Centre College, died November 27, 1903] is dead, of course, he did not sign them, and can that fact be remedied or explained?

This letter reads a little too horribly, but if you were in my place, how long would you care to wait for a diploma which should have been delivered on June 10th 1903, and which on January 7th 1904 had not been heard of, nor had it seemed any nearer delivery now than then. If I had not paid that exorbitant and outrageous fee of $7.00, which should buy a dozen, two months before hand, and you were holding my diploma waiting for me to pay that $7.00, it would be different, but you have had the money for nearly a year now.

Hoping that this will at least cause you to remember that you owe the last class which graduated diplomas, and that I will have the satisfaction of a reply.

I remain yours sincerely,
Lockwood Barr
Box #64
Decatur, Georgia