- .-- ' - -- ' - - . .
- -
The only Paper
Publislel in
Polk County:
I
I
VOL. XXV NO. 3
: T 1 Y : 0::1 - v: : ., POLK CO'UWTY-vi
A Brief Sketch of This Most Popular Resort. The Best
to be
HISTORY OF TRYON.
The history of Tryon dates from
the building of the railroad to this
'place which was in 1878. A station
vaa located here, and the place called
Trvon City, by which name it went
X
until incorporated, when the city part
was dropped, and from that time on,
has been known as Tryon. The name
Tryon belonged to the first provision
al Governor. While going through
this section of the State with a party
of friends they stopped on top of the
mountain and christened it Tryon
Mountain. -
Mr. W. E. Mills Was appointed sta
tion agent for the railroad company,
and also selected as postmaster.
These positions he. held for many
years. Tryon was located " in 1878,
and incorporated as a town in 1884.
Hon. T. T. Ballenger was the first
mayor of the new town.- The first
physician to locate in the town was
Dr. Coxd There is some difference of
opinion as to who was the first pjiblic
school teacher but Miss Jennie Woods
taught a private school in the town
for many years. The first denomina
tion to locate an organization in Try
on, was the Episcopalians, and the
TRYON A POPULAR RESORT TOWN
The Most Popular Winter Resort in
Western North Carolina, a Town
Full of Enterprise, Hustle and Cul
ture. Opportunities of All Kinds
Are Awaiting Development. .
No other town in Western North
Carolina has the reputation as a win
ter resort as Tryon. Situated at the
foot of the Blue Ridge, at an altitude
of about 1100 feet, it is so sheltered
and protected that we do not suffer
from the severe changes or protracted
cold as do the towns of a higher alti
tude. -
From -November until May the ho
tels are filled with guests from the
noith and east, Illinois, Wisconsin
jind Michigan sending many of their
est citizens here to escape the ex
treme cold of their i northern homes.
At present we have but .three ' hotels,
JJak Hall, Pine Hill and Crestwood.
ihey are fiu capacity every sea
son and there exists a splendid op
portunity for another large tourist
note!, and a smaller one, that will ca
to commercial business. We have
a large number of excellent boarding
mouses, and they are also well filled
wring the season.
Jf a.f cial way Tryon is known far
icfe, as a "Social Town." The
ifcrTT Club holds fortnightly meet-
ngs .during the season, and. at each
tn n,S8 SOme visitor note is asked
bra?v leSl the Club- A splendid li
and V- tbe PrPei-ty of this Club,v
One iflsLvery, extensively patronized.
oieL;- PIeasant features of this
"S" nn.ls its Saturday afternoon
to entertiin18 quitS .the Proper thing
i nier n.Tm ur fl?ends at the La-
We Z' i &aturaay afternoon.
cHurches tI X11-blessed th Sod
tional anH p e, EPlscoPal, Congrega
eood bS;:aptlstJden0minations have
every S Is arl? regular services
ae ranfdlv -h- 0ur Public schools
t5on of a K Pvg. and the addi-
aS accS 8?0.01 course wil1 soon
then hae JlPhshd fact' and we will
annherP ;g.00d as can be found
not man, Ctunng industries are
Ml68- We wineK Hes' als oppor
the Blue KidL r be on the line of
a? ther Sm Cmpany and as soon
mal offer electricity
lowrato a t concern at. a
fel four tonfAt?sent we have
PM' concerns-
'5ttfacu'S X:ir' 7his concern
a i.h2hSS. mercerized
C 'xt e Trvon Tjextensive Patron-
W Balien.11 fox do., Mr.
proprietor,, as the
JFound in the United StatesJ
Rev. Milnor Jones was Rector. Pre
vous to that time there had been built
a buildng known as the union chapel,
located where Mr. Tandy Ballew is
doing business, and this building was
used as a school hQuse, and also for
religious , services and all denomina
M
1
Trdds Street, Tryon, N. C.
tions used it f5r that purpose. The
first church building erected was by
the Methodsts, and was located where
the Congregational church now stands
in fact .part of the present church is
composed of the old building, ' Rev.
Edwin Anderson was the first Metho
dist minister.
Tryon became known as a winter
resort through the influence of Dr.
L. R. McAboy and Mr. L. N. Wilcox.
Mr. Wilcox'came to Tryon from Pitts
burg, Pa., in 1869. He had many in
fluential friends in Pittsburg." He
soon interested them in the wonderful
climate of Tryon and from that time
until now, it Jias been a favorite re
sort of .Northern tourists. Some very
prominent persons have been visitors
at Tryon, among the number being
Gov. Plaisted, of Maine, Gov. Wade
Hampton, of South Carolina, William
Dean Howells, John Burroughs, Wil
liam Gillette Richard H. Edmonds, of
Baltimore, as well as many of North
name implies, manufactures paper
boxes; The Tryon Chemical Co., man
ufacturers of soaps and mill soften
ers; 'at Lynn, the Tryon Hosiery Co.
These enterprises are all doing well,
but we have room for a great many
more.
Our stores are up-to-date, carrying
" - ; 1 -
'iV fcOoneat: -4?
- Congregational Church, Tryon, N. Cc.
large stocks 'of .well assorted .mer
chandise, and enjoy a large business
wa Mve nr iewelrv store, and believe
one would pay, : Another opportunity
is for a good dentist. At prcsent c
have none.
The Tryon Country Club has the
finest nine hole golf . course in the
South, and every year it is becoming
more and more popular. At. all sea
sons of the year the courses are a
popular place, and many interesting
social events take place there. :
The Mountain Industries is another
feature of which Tryon is proud, , and
one that has done much to spread the
fame .of the town to all parts of e
country. This enterprise is under
the supervision of Mrs. G. I. Stone.
Here are to be found wood work,
weaving, and all sorts of things man
ufactured4 by the mountain people of
this section, and here assembled for
sale. It is worth while seeing. .
The Tryon School of Toy Making
has attained great notoriety, and is
becoming more and better. Known ev
ery year. Here are manufactured all
manner of wooden toys, and the fame
of our toy makers has spread far and
wide, ana last year St Nicholas had
TRYON,, N. C. FRIDAY, MAY 23, 1919.
-Year Climate
Carolijr,a's favorite sons. ? Also some
very noted and talented people visit
the town every winter season.
Oak Hall was the first hotel built in
the town: and Hon. T. T. Ballenger
was the: i first landlord. Skyuka,
Mimosa, Pine Hill and others have
followed.
The fir&t; mercantile establishment
in Tryon. -was conducte'd ' by L. " R. - Mc
aboy, Jr. 7- He sold to James McMakin
of Spartanburg, and he to Mr. T. T.
Ballenger Who later organized the
Ballenger Co., which is still one of the
strong and leading, mercantile estab
lishments :.of this part of the state.
Long before there was a town here,
it was a - stopping place" for stage
coaches which made regular trips
from Spartanburg S C, to Asheville,
.N. C. Near' Howard's Gap is the half
way point ; between Spartanburg and
Asheville. , Until the railroad was ex
tended beypnd Tfyon the stage line
was run .from Ashevile to Tryon.
There will always be considerable
wonder as to why the town was ever
named Tryon, for the record of Gov.
Tryon is not one to be proud of, and
one that has caused considerable dis
cussion. quite -a write-up on this industry. The
output of this - school is eagerly
sought. It js under the supervision
of Mrs. Vance and Miss Wynne, who
did so much to make the Biltmore In
dustries famous.
The scenery around Tryon is beau
tiful, as mountainous scenery always
is. .Manyieautiful waterfalls, tower
ing peaks shaded nooks and dells
tempt the! pleasure seeker, and those
who cdme rtp- stay but a few days al
ways lengthen their stay to weeks,
and even 'months. If you have never
been at rTryon when the flaming
azalea; the. beautiful rhodendron and
mountain laurel are in bloom, then
you have most assuredly missed a
" Tryon is in need of several hundred
more home', makers. She is the land
of "opportunity, - Why stay, away Ion-
Polk County is the land
of opportunity for the
live stock and fruit man.
Fine climate,, purest oil
waterfand best people
in the' world. t -.
POSSIBILITIES OF POLK COUN
K TY FOR AGRICULTURE
i AND LIVE STOCK. .
Posseses - Everything Necessary to
Make These Two Industries a Suc
cess. Young Men With Plenty of
Nerve and Grit Needed More Than
Any Other One Thing. Opportun-
ties Galore,
Columbus, N. C, May 24, 1919.
Editor Polk County News.
Dear Mr. Copeland: -
You have kindly asked me to con
tribute something for your special is
sue. relative to the possibilities of Ag-
'J
riculture and Live Stock, in Polk
County. When I read your! letter,
my , first impulse was that I had an
"easy .snap." But on a little ; reflec
tion the possibilities along these lines
are so great and varied, that one be-
cojlfSs bewildered in, -at?temptinff i taJ
worx tnem into a picture tnat otners,
not acquainted with conditions here,
can see them.
I will approach the subject by say
ing that there is a line running north
east and southwest through the coun
ty, where cotton abruptly quits grow
ing, and all that grows north of this
line begins. From this line to the
South Carolina line on the south, has
an elevation of about 900 feet above
tide water, on an average, and the
line above mentioned is where the
Piedmont section joins up against the
base of the mountains which rise
almost abruptly to a height of 2,zU0
feet, with a lateau on the summit
in the famous "Land of the Sky." So
it is possible and practicable to get a
stock farm, either in the fiat section,
in the "Land of the Sky," or in the
PUBLIC EDUCATION
IN POLK COUNTY
During -the past six years, which is
a single administiaton, the members
of the board of educaton being ap
pointed for a term of six years pub
lic education in Polk county has made
substantial and permanent progress.
Among other things that may be
mentioned are the following: During
this period of six, years ten new-school
buildings have been erected, or an
average of one and two-fifths build
ings each year, at an average cost of
more than a thousand dollars each.
All of these, buildings except two,
have from two to four class rooms
each" -.vv:
Several consolidations have been
made thus doing away with the small
inefficient school with one teacher try
ing to teach the- seven elementary
grades, and establishing in its place
the two, three and four teacher school
with better qualified, because better
paid teachers ' teaching special subjects
in a well organized graded school
where one teacher has from one to
three grades. - .
All of these new buildings together
with a large number of the old ones
have been equipped with single steel
framed patent desks and Hypolat
black board thus adding very mater
ially Ho the efficiency of the schools
as a medium of education, and makes
more effective the money spent for
the maintenance of the schools.
Ninetyt-five per' cent. - of U all the
teachers teaching in the county are
either in part or as a whole doing the
State Teachers' Reading "Circle work
in their homes or in special teacher
training classes. This means that
the teachers in Polk "county are be
coming really, professional teachers in
rank and recognition with the bigger
and better developed, educationally,
counties of -bur great State. -
The average daily attendance of the
children in the public schools, altho
far below what it should be, 1 is considerably-
above the average for ' the
state and has been nearly' doubled
within the past six year&T New plans
are now being worked , out -whereby
the average daily; attendance of all
famous above the base of the moun
tains, known as the Thermal Belt,
which is really the separating line be
tween the land of cotton and the lanll
of fruits. '
.Now I am aware of the fact that
there are at least four essentials nec
essary for profitable agriculture and
live stock: ,
1st; A liberal rain fall.
2nd; i Sunshine. ,
3rd; Good soil.
4th; Running water.
I do not attempt to mention these
in the order of ,their importance.
Nature, in making ur a budget of
these four essentials for Polk county,
2V J-.rvl .,T.
Erskine Bridge, Near Tryon
was generous to the point of prodigal
ity.. The rainfall is bountiful, and, as
a rule evenly distributed through the
year. Sunshine is abundant, and yet
tempered by the. nearby mountain
breezes, that render it never oppres
sivei .JJoth people and live stock, by
taking refuge under the beautiful
shade trees, can' always find comfort,
even on the hottest summer days.
For the purpose of maintaining peo
ple and live stock, all the grain crops,
such as corn, wheat, oats, rye, barley,
buckwheat, etc., can be grown in
great abundance. Then comes the.
grasses, which will grow without
question, orchard grass, tall oat
grass, timothy, blue grass, meadow
fescue, johnson grass, bermuda grass,
millet, kaffir corn, sorghum cane, etc.
Then sweet clover (mellotus) ajfalfa,
mamoth clover, red clover, crimson
clover, and even old buffalo clover are
growing wild all over the county.
Carolina vetch and other: wild vetches
and wild cow peas and soja beans or
begpar weed grow throughout the
county, and the harry vetch, , cow
the children in all the schools will be
veryl much better in the future than
it has been in the past.
Under the tactful management of
Mr. A; F. Corbin, a very large number
of adult illiterates have been taught
to read, write and do simple questions
in nn'thmptic A still larger number
of these good people have been interH
ested m their own and their emiarens
welfare by means of the work that is
hAinc donp in this chase of oublic ed
ucation in our county. We sincerely
l . 11 i n- I i : 1 1 U I 1
nope -mat tins gwou wox. wm uc in
tensified next year so that the 1920
census will show that Polk county
stands at the top for literacy in the
state. . ; '
High school work is beiiiq- done in
several of the better schools of the
county, but the Stearns State High
School at Columbus is a State accred
ited high school, the graduates of
which can enter the freshman class of
any of the colleges of -the state upon
the certificate of the school and
without "examination, or secure a
State .Teachers' Certifificate without
technical examnation.
For the past four years Stearns
High School has taken part in the
State High School .Triangular De
bates, under, the auspices of the State
University; and in competition with
the best high schools' in the country
and she has won both the affirmative
and the negative decision "V of the
judges , in three out of . four of these
debates and won the 'affirmative de
cision . in one contest. The above
shows that Polk County .is by no
means a slacker in secondary educa
tion. : V -
AjZsX. but by no means least thesal
ary of all the teachers in the county
are being raised this year to meet the
MINIMUM of the state requirements
and a six months school term is as
sured, in every district in the county
for next year. -This of course necessi
tates a slight increase in school tax,
and . quite a great v many complaints
have already been heard regarding
the extravasrance of t rVinntv
. Board of Education. But what do we
i'- rnz -r-f -. .r,.
$2.00 A YEAR
pea, soy bean, velvet bean,, etc., arr
perfectly at home.
. In addition to this array of valu
able grain and forage plants that will -under
proper treatment,, grow luxu- y
riantly, the following root crops re
spond well to good treatment: mangel v
werzels or stock beets, turnips, ruta
bagas, irish and sweet potatoes, pea
nuts, etc.
To my mind, Polk is the best wa-'
tered county in the State, when it
comes to numerous . clear running
streams In every nook and corner
the beautiful clear streams are found,
which is so essential to the growing
of good live stock, and last but not i '
least, is the soil. '
Red or chocolate clay is the prevail-'7
ing type, and where it possesses suf- -ficient
humus and nitrogen, its possi-
bilities for. large yields of all grain,
clover, grass and root crops mention- -ed,
and. almost unlimited,, . No .soil in
any section when- properly;, handled
can be made to do more per acre in
growing food and feed crops - than
Polk county soil.
Then the county is ' well located
with reference to marketing all kind
of live stock products. The main lineL
of the Southern railway between
Charleston and Cincinnati goes thru
the county, affording at Spartanburg,
S.'C, on the south, and at Asheville,
N. C. and Knoxville, Tenn., on the
north, excellent shipping facilities to
all parts of the world. -
Of course there 'are undeveloped
possibilites, tjut here is the plucky
young man's opportunityyes, oppor- .
timity going to waste for" young men
with the right kind of grit.
J. R. SAMS, County Aent.
get in value received for this? small in
crease in taxes?" We get practically
two dollars from the, state for every
dollar we pay in the county into the '
school fund. We get equal educa
tional advantages and recognition
with the richer and bigger counties of
the state. We get better educational
supervision both of. teachers and ,
schools and thus of making the school
in fact a real community center. We -get
a broader and bigger conception
of DEMOCRACY and of equal indi
vidual opportunity for adequate prep
aration for effective service and hap
py, contented living.. Taking these
things into account, I appeal to your
better judgment and 'ask you con
scientiously if the action of thetoard
of education in making these increas
ed provisions is not sane, common, x
sense and the best of economy?
The educational interests of Polk "
County are desirous and anxious to -cooperate
with the very efficient Farm
Demonstrator in his big undertakings
and with any other organization look- ,
ing to the uplift and betterment of
Polk county in all its varied phases?
intelligent cooperation and eternal
"sticktoitiveness" can only mean suc-N
cess "United we stand, divided we
fall." E. W. S. COBB,
County Supt. Education. -;'
Girls is the onlv folks that. Vina ftioii .
own way every time. 4 Girls is of sev
era thousand kinds, - nd sometimes
one gin can De like several thousand
other girls if she wants to do any
thing. Girls is alike one way, and
are an use Tats. II you rub 'em -:he
right way of the hair they'll pur
ind look sweet at you, if you rub
the wrong way or step on their tails
;heyll claw you. So long as you let
a girl have her -own way she's nice
and sweet, but just cross ' her and
sne ii spit at you worse nor a cat.
she won't sav so. ! RrAtv.. n.
yiru is aiso fiiKe mules. If a girl "
don t want to believe anything you "
can't make her. If rTk imvo
says he doesn't , like big girls , but he :
does little ones, and when I saw him
kissing Jennie Jones last Sunday. rand
told him of what he'd said, he said -he
was a biting her 'cause he didn't ,
like her I think he hurt her, for she ,
hollowed and run,; and -r there was -a
big red spot all over both of her two '
cheeks. This is aU, I .know about
girls, and father says the less I know -about
them the better off L am. Ex,