Donald S. Russell, president of the University of South Carolina, will be the principal speaker at the banquet session of the 69th annual convention of the Grand Lodge of Knights of Pythias which opens here Thursday afternoon.

The banquet gets under way at 6:30 at Hotel Columbia, convention headquarters. Registration opens at 1 o’clock.

Highlights of the afternoon session will be the state public speaking contest, with winners of various local contests vying for state honors.

Judges for the statewide contest are Miss Marjorie Goode, Wardlaw school teacher; J. C. Holler, state department of education, and Roy V. Lind, attorney and member of the South Carolina House of Representatives. State winners will compete in the international contest at Des Moines, Iowa, in August.

Friday sessions will be taken up with various reprots, election of officers and conferring of grand lodge ranks.

Claude P. Davis, Sr., will have honorary life membership conferred on him by the lodge and Grand Chancellor Sam F. Mize and Supreme Treasurer Richard L. Meares will speak.

Several committees have been busy with arrangements for the annual meeting. Committees and members include the following; General committee – Horace T. Jacobs, chairman; J. B. Lucas, vice-chairman; J. S. Purvis, treasurer; Dr. C. D. Boette and William P. Ogilvie.

Welcome committee – George S. Hudson, chairman; Ransome J. Williams, J. M. Blalock, Cooper Edwards, Alva M. Lumpkin, Jr., T. A. Heise, Harry M. Lightsey, W. H. Greever, Jr., Claude P. Davis, Sr., and L. J. Castles.

Ticket committee – D. A. Stalvey, chairman; William V. Broadwell, Charles H. Sellers, C. J. Levy and R. C. Coker.

Decoration committee – Judson A. Roof, chairman; Robert V. Hudson, M. R. Mobley, Bruce Mixon, Leon Davis, C. E. Glover and W. Theo. Beckham.

Refreshments committee – L. J. Sorgee, chairman; Joe J. Mathis, Wilton T. Jacobs, L. P. Rivers, Jr., and Robert V. Hudson.

Committee on historic tour of city – F. B. Jennings, chairman; Robert Mobley, vice-chairman; Mrs. J. Strom Thurmond, Mrs. Sam F. Mize, Mrs. Alva Lumpkin, Jr., Mrs. Cooper Edwards, Mrs. F. B. Jennings, Mrs. J. S. Purvis, Mrs. W. H. Greever, Jr., and Mrs. Horace T. Jacobs.