STUDENTS DISCOVER
DUPLIN'S HERITAGE
I
James Kenan High School senior
Mitchell Kernstine views himself as
a typical student and knows he would
never have visited Liberty Hall or
Cowan Museum in Kenansville had
there not been a folk art class in
Duplin County this year.
Mitchell Kernstine
"Duplin County means more to
me now than it ever has." said
Mitchell Kernstine. one of 10 Duplin
high school seniors participating in
the folk arts program. The class is
the only one of its kind in North
Carolina designed especially to
expose high school seniors to tradi
tional forms of folk entertainment,
material cultural and and crafts, and
family folklore. "Before the program
began I didn't know what Liberty
Hall or the Cowan Museum were all
aooui.
Folklife students work weekends
at Liberty Hall, the restored
southern plantation home of the
Kenan family, as tour guides. The
students also spend Saturdays at the
Cowan Museum working with
curator George Cowan to record
historical data on the items dis
played.
"Mr. Cowan has a story for every
item; it's amazing all the knowled he
has. and we (folk arts students) are
trying to record as much as we can in
order to preserve it for the future."
Mitchel smiled. "Mr. Cowan is
great, he never runs out of new
stories, he's had an experience for
every one of our questions."
The folk art class was designed in
connection with the North Carolina
Scholars program to provide high
school credit in art education for
Duplin students. While some of the
10 students need the arts credits
provided by the folklife class.
Mitchell said his interest in history
drew him into the program. Mitchell
plans to graduate as a North Carolina
Scholar but received the required art
education credits in the James
Kenan music department as a
member of the chorus.
The students select one area of
folk art to research during the year.
Mitchell chose a project in material
icplture which includes artifacts and
^architecture. Folk artist Stacy
^Andrews became a major source of
information in Mitchell's study of
handmade wood shingles. Other
^students in the class found Duplin
folk artists Ray Flowers builds his
own musical instruments, Elli Carl
ton crafts corn shucks into chair
bottoms and Annie Lewis can recall
events from her lifetime and stories
told her as a child. And. these Duplin
-artists became a basis for a film
i written. directed and produced by
I the folk art class.
"The film was not planned as part
of the class," Mitchell said. "And
the Film really drew us together and
broadened our exposure in the folk
art class. Without the production of
the Film, I would never have been
involved in the projects other stu
dents were researching. Filming the
student narrative at Liberty Hall and
folk artists on the surrounding
grounds and spinning wheels and
George Cowan at the Cowan
Museum more than three hours of
footage had to be edited into less
than a 15-minute program, Mitchell
said. The end resulted with two
showings of the film. "Our Rich
Inheritance: A Study of Duplin
County's Regional Folklife" on the
public television channel.
"Usually it seems things get
better the year after you get out,"
Mitchell said. "But this program is
one thing I am glad didn-'t get started
the year after, because I really
enjoyed learning about my heri
tage." The students participating in
the pilot folk art program include
Mitchell, Carlton Smith and Cynthia
Middleton of James Kenan High
School, John Lewis of North Duplin,
Camille Grady and Andy Maready of
East Duplin, and Elaine Uzzell,
Anita Conrad. Karen Hanchey and
Nanda English of Wallace-Rose Hill.
The program is coordinated by
Shirley Gaskins and meets after
normal school hours.
9.C. Maxwell, J.D.f Joseph Carr,
reasurer; William Farrior,
iecretary; N.J. Farrior, tyler. O.R.
<enan, Joseph Carr, Henry Grimes
ind William Farrior were appointed
1 committee to draft by-laws and
-ules of order for the government of
he lodge. The lodge was rechartered
"Wrrmber 9. 185."1.
From the report of Warren Lodge
9o. 101 in 1852 it is noted that the
?eport is headed "General Returns
Tom Warren Lodge No. 101 Ancient
fork Masons."
On Feb. 10, 1855 a resolution was
ntroduced providing that the Master
>f the lodge be authorized to sub
.cribe for and in behalf of this lodge
(100 to the Female Seminary to be
milt in Kenansville and theasurer be
nstructed to pay the same out of
odge funds. This resolution was
)assed and adopted March 10th.
At the meeting held July 10, 1858,
brother William B. Middleton was
ippointed to solicit subscriptions for
he purpose of building a new lodge
milding.
On Jan. 8, 1859 the following
-esolution was adopted: "Resolved
hat Thomas S. Watson be allowed
rom the evidence he has produced
)f his having been entered, passed
ind raised to the sublime degree of
faster Mason by Lodge No. 97,
Edinburgh, Scotland, to be entered,
massed and raised in this lodge
vithout paying initiation fee and be
tllowed membership by paying three
Jollars."
May 7, 1859, a motion was made
and passed that Martha Hammond
\bernethy be sent to school at the
;xpense of the lodge for one session.
The present lodge building was
greeted in 1860, and the dedication
*>as set for Dec. 27, 1860.
The following is a copy of minutes
From an unusual meeting on March
21, 1861: "The lodge was opened in
lue form on the third degree of
Masonry. A petition front Mr. Kedar *
Bryan was presented accompanied
ivith the requisite fee of $20. For the
aenefit and instruction of the lodge a
dispensation was granted by Brother
S.W. Neal, G.S., to receive and
Ballot on said petition, whereupon
ihe following committee of investi
gation was appointed: Thomas S.
Watson, Johnathan Chestnutt, and
J.W. Hinson, who reported favor
ably. A ballot being held resulted in
his election. There being no further
business the lodge was dispensed
with on the third degree of Masonry
and opened in due form on the First *
degree of Masonry. Mr. K. Bryan
who had just been balloted for, being
in waiting, was duly prepared, intro
duced and initiated as an Entered
Apprentice. There being no further
business before this lodge, it was
dispensed with and opened in due
form on the second degree of
Masonry when Brother K. Bryan
being in waiting, was duly prepared,
instroduced and passed to the
degree of a Fellow Craft. There
being no further business before this
lodge in this degree it was dispensed
with and resumed labor on the third
degree of Masonry when Brother K.
Bryan being in waiting was duly
prepared, introduced and raised to
the sublime degree of Master
Mason. The lodge then called off
from labor to refreshment until 7
p.m." When the lodge resumed
labor Brother A.H. Parker was
raised.
At a meeting held Aug. 8, 1863,
the follwing committee, William A.
Allen, William Farrior and Kedar
Bryan offered this resolution:
"Whereas, the Masonic Fraternity
and particularly the members of
Warren Lodge No. 101 have heard
that their Brother William J.
Houston, Captain of Company One,
Ninth Regiment North Carolina
Cavalry was killed in the late battle
near Ashbv'* Gap. and whereas the
members of said lodge feel that it is
due the gallant and distinguished
services of their late brother, that
they should express their high
appreciation of the noble qualities of
head and heart of the deceased.
Therefore, resolved that this lodge,
in the death of Captian Houston, has
lost one of its most distinguished
members, the people at large, one of
their most gifted citizens and suc
cessful legislators, and the services
of the Confederate States one of its
bravest officers.
Resolved, that in common with our
fellow citizens, we deplore the loss of
our distinguished brother and friend
and will ever cherish a fond recol
lection of his noble qualities as the
perfect gentleman, and hereby
tender to his afflicted wife and family
our heartfelt condolence in this their
service trial.
Resolved, that the members of this
lodge will wear the usual badge of
Masonic mourning for 30 days in v
memory of our deceased brother.
Resolved, that the secretary of this
lodge be requested to furnish a copy
of these resolutions to the' Wil
mington Journal, and also a copy to
the afflicted wife and family of the
deceased. The Raleigh Register and
Fayetteville Observer will please
copy and send bill to the Wilmington
Journal office."
On March 12, 1864 a motion was
made and carried that all monies in
the hands of the secretary and
treasurer belonging to the Lodge be
funded in four percent bonds of the
Confederate States.
SPLITTING WOOD FOR MAKING SHINGLES
Stacy Andrews of Cedar Fork was one of five folk artists featured in a film
aired on the North Carolina public television station Feb. 21 and 28. The film, i
entitled "Our Rich Inheritance: A Study of Duplin County's Regional
Folklife," was written, directed and produced by the Duplin County folk arts
class. A group of 10 high school seniors make up the folk arts class which is
coordinated by Shirley Gaskins. Stacy Andrews is pictured above in an
appearance last year at the Duplin County Fair in Kenansville where he
demonstrated the art of making wooden shingles.
J <. '
Along The Way
__ By Emily Killette r
The Sc. John's Lodge in Kenans
ville was founded only three and a
half ye^rs after the Grand Lodge of
North Carolina and in 1941 local
citizens celebrated St. John's 150th
birthday.
Along the Way began a series last
week of the history of St. John's
Lodge as written by Mr. Faison
McGowen for the 150th birthday
celebration. The original history was
read during the celebration by A.T.
Outlaw, then register of Deeds for
Duplin County, and was published in
THE DUPLIN TIMES newspaper.
The second part of the history series
appeared in the July 3, 1941 issue of
DUPLIN TIMES and follows.
On May 1, 1852, Warren Lodge
No. 101 was organized with the
following officers: G.W. Wallace,
W.M.; O.R. Kenan, S.W.; Henry
Grimes, Jr., J.W.; J.H. Judge, S.D.;
An organizational meeting to form
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CLUB
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35
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