North Carolina Newspapers

1 THE SEMt-WEEKLY ROBESONIAN. THE HISTORY OF FLORAL COLLEGE. By Miss Cora John. Very little had been done in North Carolina for education before 1840. Before that time there were no pub lic schools, few private schools and academies and very few colleges. Dr. Calvin II. Wiley reported as follows for 1840: No. male colleges in the State. . 3 No. female colleges in the State.. 1 No. academies and select schools 141 No. primary schools .632 The male colleges were the univer sity, chartered 1789; Davidson, 1838; and Wake Forest, 1838. The female collesre was the Greensboro Female College (now the Greensboro College for Women), chartered in 1838, but notonened till 1847. The academies and select schools were scattered all over the State. Salem Female Acad emy was the best-known girl's school. Thus we see that in 1840 there was not a single woman's college in opera tion in North Carolina, and only one south of the Potomac river Wes leyan Female College at Macon, Geor gia.which was chartered in 1836. It is claimed that Salem College was in operation at that time, but it was not chartered as a college till 1866. The people of the State were be ginning to realize the need of higher education for women. Some of the friends of education were urging that women teachers were best for pri mary schools. The State did noth ing, however, and the burden fell on the various denominations of the State. The Methodists were planning to meet the demand in the establish ment of Greensboro Female College, but their college had not yet been built. The Presbyterians were the next denomination to put forth any effort along this line. They could send their sons to Davidson and to the Univer sity to be educated, but they had no place to send their daughters. Robeson county, which had always been a promoter of education, was the first county to realize this need enough to take action. It had, at this time, the' following schools within its borders: Lumberton Academy, chartered 1793;; Raft Swamp Acad emy, 1793; Mt. Clio Academy, 1806; Zion Parnassus Academy, 1808; and Pine Grove Academy, 1833. John Gilchrist, one of the early pro moters of education in that county, wanted to establish a female college near Centre church, in one of the Presbyterian sections of the county. Mr. Gilchrist was a graduate of the University, having received the A. B. degree in 1809 and the A. M. de gree in 1812. He was a lawyer by profession and one of the prime mov ers in the establishment of such a college as I have just mentioned. About the year 1840 he began to secure stock for the establishment of such a college, which he named Floral College. Early in the next ses sion of the Legislature the bill was presented and passed, January 11th, 1841, for the establishment of Floral College in Robeson county.- The Laws of 1841-1842 give the charter as follows: "An act to establish a female liter ary institution, in the county of Rob eson. "Whereas, several persons have as sociated themselves together for the purpose of establishing a female lit erary institution, near Centre church, in the county of Robeson, and hav ing subscribed to stock for the pur pose aforesaid; therefore, Be it en acted by the General Assembly of the State of North Carolina and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same That Rev. John R. Mcin tosh, Dr. Angus D. McLean and oth ers, who are for the purpose afore said, be and they are hereby consti tuted a body corporate, by the name and style of 'Floral College' and by that lame shall have perpetual succes sion, and a common seal, be able and an! a common seal, and be able and capable to sue and be sued, to plead and be impleaded either in law or equity, and to acquire, receive, hold, possess, enjoy and sell, both real and personal property. Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, That all articles of association agreed to, and adopted by the stockholders aforesaid, are hereby incorporated in to this charter as a part thereof; and if, at any time, the company should be desirous of increasing their cap ital for the purpose contemplated by this charter, the same may be done at any general meeting of the stock holders, provided the aggregate cap ital shall not exceed fifteen thousand dollars. , "Sec. 3. Be it further enacted. That a president and fifteen trustees shall be annually chosen by the stock holders, to hold the appointment for one year, nine of whom shall consti tute a quorum for the transaction of the business of the institution. "Sec. 4. Be it further enacted, That the president and fifteen trustees, or a majority of them, are hereby au thorized and empowered to make, or dain, and -establish such bylaws and regulations for the government of said college, and for the preservation of order and good morals, as to them may seem expedient, and necessary, subject, however, to the control of the stockholders; provided, such by laws and regulations shall in no in stance be repugnant to the Laws and Constitution of the State, and of the United States, and that in meeting of the stockholders, a majority, at least, of the stck shall be represented, and -ihaL. as . many as fifty acres 0f land, owned by the company and" appro priated to the buildings and other ob jects of the institution, shall be ex empt from taxation! "Sec. 5. Be it further enacted. That the president and trustees, with the faculty, shall have power to confer degrees or testimonials of merit on such as by their literary acquisitin may deserve t hehonors of the insti tution (Ratified the Ufa day of Jan uary, 1841.)" Soon after the charter of Floral College was granted, the stocknolders met und elected John Gilchrist, the largest stockholder, as president f :iie Hard of trustees of tha college. Ihc other trustees were Daniel Mc- lvM.vvn. Dr. .' jVi Malic, Malcomb Smith, Peter ?.'.Fachin, Rer. Archi bald AiiQueen, Cel. John M Meiil.-'Col. John C. Mcisuiin, Dr. Angus D. M-Leui . W. . Sellars, Peter A. Vc ijachin, Malroi.i'j Purcell, and four ethers whose i.pres I have been una ble .o obtain. r his was hi able body of men, five of them having graduated from the University. At once they began making plans for opening the college. The college was located in a large grove right near the historic old Cen tre church in Robeson county. It was on the east side of the Lumber river about four miles northwest of Max ton. It was opened in June 1841, af ter its charter had been granted in January, with Rev. John R. Mcin tosh as its first president. Mr. Mc intosh was at this time pastor of Centre church. He was a thorough instructor and aft excellent preacher, He is given by Mr. Melmane in the fist of best teachers in the State be tween 1825 and 1850. Mr. Mcintosh and thetrustees of the college selected the assistants with great care. These were Mrs. C. M. Mcintosh, Miss Elizabeth Jewett, Prof. John C. Southerland, Miss Wil son, and others, including Miss Mil ler of New York as teacher of mathe matics, and Miss Drew of Norfolk, Va.., as directoress of the music de partment. Mr. and Mrs. Bethea were put in charge of Stewart's Hall, the building they used as a dormitory. At first the college encountered many difficulties, for want of exper ience and means but in a very few years it far surpassed the most san guine hopes of its friends. The equip ment of the college in 1848 would seem very meagre to us today but in those days it was considered good. The catalog of that year gives the following: "It is now furnished with many helps of imparting instruction, such as Pelton's Outline Maps, as tronomical charts, globes and a well selected chemical and philosophical ap paratus." It adds further: "With all these helps and an able and experienc ed faculty, the founders of the institu tion now hope to afford their daugh ters as complete and thorough an edu cation, both literary and ornamental, as can be obtained anywhere, and at a comparative moderate expense." The first class, consisting of eight members, graduated in 1843. Two of these were from Richmond and six from Robeson county. I 1844 there were five in the class, including one from South Carolina; 8 in the class of 1845; 1 3n Hjh. 14 in 1SJT. and sixteen in 1848. Thus the numbers increased and the influence of the col lege became greater and greater. Pre vious to 1848 there had been one graduate from Mississippi, several from South Carolina and quit? a num ber from various sections of North Carolina. The catalogue of 1848 gives sixty four students from North Carolina, the farthest west hemg fron Conco'd, and the farthest east from Wilming ton; twenty-four from South Caro lina; three from Alabama; and one from Florida. The college g'"w and continued with few changes at first. Previous to 1848, Rev. F. W. Plassman had been made director of the music depart ment. Rev. John R. Mcintosh con tinued as president for twelve or fif- tetii years, when he was succeeded by Rev. Daniel Johnson. Mr. Johnson was a native Robesonian, having been born near St. Paul. He was well educated and a good teacher. He grad uated at a college in Schenectady, New York, and for several years taught in the Donaldson Academy at Fayetteville. About 1855 he took ch.'rge of Flora' (.allege arj contmuel as its president until the outbreak of the Civil War, when the work of this college, like that of many others, had to be suspended. Funds for carrying on the work of the college came from various sources individuals, the church, students, and other sources. In 1849 a law was passed by the General Assembly of the State, fining all persons ten dollars for each offense of selling any liquors' within three mil-?s of Flo ral College. The money received from such fines was given to the college and applied as the trustees directed, p 1852 the U'jraiy Board oi the State gave $2 00'.' Jo th. college and it is reasonable to suppose that funds were received from this source from time totime. The expenses per session of a stu 'Ui t were as fo'bws in 18 lv Prepatory department $6.00 fiiwuiuic W- - ? ... ii.u Junior and senior classes . . . . 12.00 Extras Per Session. Vjuc on piana r rte . ..11.00 Use of instrument 2.00 Vocal music 2.00 French 5.00 Embroidery 3.00 Shell and wax work each 5.00 (Materials to be paid for by pupils.) Board, incluihnjr washing and bedding, seven dollars per month; room rent, twenty-five cents per ses sion; wood, lijrhts, books, and sta- iil'oJiejaijjror by the M-uuerus During the p'eriod previous to the war the work done t Floral was al ways thorough and of a high grade. The laws of the college provided that "a sufficiency of competent instruc tion must be given in every depart ment." They further provided that "the deportment and scholarship of each young lady, and her punctual ity in attending!! the exercises' of the college, shall be carefully record ed by the faculty, and a report sent to her parent or guardian at the, close of each quarter and session." The college year consisted of two sessions of five months each, com mencing the first of July and January and closing the last of May and No vember. There were three regular classes and a prepatory department in the college. The work done In these var ious classes was as follows in 1848: Prepatory Spelling, reading, the five fundamental rules in arithme tic, a general knowledge of English grammar, and geography. Sophomore Class First Session: English grammar (Brown's Large), geography (Mitchell's) (completed), history of the United States (Good rich's), arithmetic (Smith's); second session: arithmetic (completed), history of England (Goodrich's) bot any (Mrs. Phelps algebra (com menced. Junior Class first session: alge bra, (completed), history of Greece, astronomy (Burrett's Geography of the Heavens), natural history, rheto ric (Blarr's), geometry (Davie's com menced); second session: history of Rome, Botany (Mrs. Lincoln's), natu ral philosophy, chemistry (including every branch of it, especially Lie big's Agricultural Chemistry), logic, geometry (Davie's). Senior Class first session: minera logy, geology, intellectual philoso phy, trigonometry, physiology (Comb's), second session, moral phil osophy (Abercrombie's), evidences of Christianity, political economy, review of the whole. Spelling, reading, writii g daily and composition evejy two weeks through out the whole course. The study of the Scriptures was made a prominent part of the course. Latin and Greek were taught when desired. Extra courses were given in instrumental music,, drawing, painting, wax and shell work, embroidery, French, and vocal music. A curriculum like this would not be considered very high now, but at that time there was no other for a female school in North Carolina as high. The standard of the college was raised considerable between 1848 and the outbreak of the civil war, but I have been unable to find to what ex tent it was raised. Instruction was thorough along all lines. Each stu dent who applied for admission to the college was carefully examined and put into the class which she was pre pared to enter. No student was al lowed to advance to a higher class unless the studies of the preceding class had been approved. At the close of each session the examinations were held publicly, and the senior class in addition to the studies of the session, were required to be examined, be fore graduation, on the whole course, in the presence of the trustees, or their committee, and their parents or guardians. When the prescribed course of studies was completed and satisfactory examination had been given, the students were given their diplomas (paying two dollaars and a half for them before delivery) on the last Thursday in May. Commencements were held annually in May, and were among the most en joyable occasions of that section of the State. They were very unique, but characteristic of the time. The large halls were handsomely decora ted in cedar and smilax; the rostrum was richly adorned with handsome paintings, bead work, and embroidery, made by the students in their school work. The board of trustees occupied a prominent place on the rostrum. The examinations were held in the morning and continued for three days'. The questions were propounded by the trustees. These men werethe crit ical judges of the girls trying efforts and each girl was wondering how she could answer the difficult ques tions propounded by them. They worked difficult examinations on the long blackboards, recited history and philosophy by chapters, explained chemistry with apparatus, pointed out on a huge globe the movements of the stars in astronomy and recited bota ny. Then music like "Ben Bolt" and "Two Merry Girls" broke the strain. This sounds ludicrous to us but it was done, and was characteristic of the time On the morning of the last day the diplomas and prizes were pre sented with appropriate eloquence. On these occasions some noted orator or divine was present to deliver an ora tion. Men like Hon. J,G. Blue, father of the illustrious Victor Blue and Rev. Mr. Wilson, father of Prsident Wilson, and others were among those who were present on these occasions. One oration that Mr. Blue delivered on "The Influence of Woman" has been well remembered by those who were present. It is said that Presi dent Wilson, then a youth of about 15 years, accompanied his father on his vish 10 me conege in iti.i, out 1 have been unable to get the statement ver-H fied. Large crowds from Robeson and adjoining counties attended the com mencement exercises. Dinner was carried in profusion by the country people and served in the beautiful grove and the multitudes abundantly fed. During commencement, the after aiMHStwiitnjxe. given. J.Qlhe students to do what they pleased. Dn-1 that afternoon which was not given to (Continued on page three.) NOTICE OF SALE. Under and by virtue of a judgment of the Superior Court of Robeson county rendered at the June term, 1913, in the special proceeding entitled J. Ed. Tyson, et al. vs. Delia William son, et al., the same being No. 567 unon the SDecial nroceedinir docket of said court, the undersiened com missioners will, on Monday, the 21st J.,., f T..1.. 1011 of 10 "11. uaj Ul truftjr av u vivrill, ill., at the court house door in Lumberton Robeson county, North Carolina, offer for sale to the highest bidder for cash, that certain tracts of land lying and being in Wishart's township and Lum berton township, Robeson county, North- Carolina, described as follows, to-wit. First Tract: On the west side of the Big Swamp, beginning at a stake by a white oak and short straw pine at the edge of the Big Swamp, the di viding corner between Uriah Pitman and William Pitman and runs south 52 west 21.75 chains to a stake U. Pitman's corner of a 15 acre survey, excepted by said U. Pitman's deed; thence along the said U. Pitman's line north 45 west 63.30 chains to U. Pitman's corner; thence the other line north 32 E. 10.25 chains to the White ville road; thence along the said road northwestwardly 31.25 chains to Wil lis Taylor's corner in said road; thence along said Taylor's line south 3 . 50 chains to his corner, a lightwood stump, known as the corner of Buck Ridge tract; thence west 9 chains to a stake in the line of the Buck Ridge tract; thence south 14 west along the line of Lemuel Taylor's 33 chains to said Taylor's corner; thence along said Taylor's other line south 62 west 4 chains to a stake by a maple at the east edge of Long Branch; thence down the east edge of said branch to the line of a 169 acre sur vey; thence along that line South 12. 80 chains to F. Lennon's line; thence along his line south 52 east 20.50 chains to a stake in said line; thence east 26.97 chains; thence north 35, East 31.97 chains; thence north'' 55 west 48.80 chains; thence south 35 west 3.17; thence north 55 west 3.17 chains; thence direct to the begin ning, containing 584 acres. Second Tract: Beginning at the corner of Lot. No. 1, at the center of the C. C. R. R. in the middle of a slash and runs along said rail road with the line of Lot. No. 1, North 67 west about 19 chains to a stake the corner of lot No. 1; thence along the original line north 20, east 10.16 chains to a stake by a post oak, B.C. Todd's corner; thence along his line south 70, east 22.50 chains, to a stake in the middle of said slash; thence up the middle of said slash to the beginning, containing 19 acres and being more particularly described in partition proceedings recorded in Book T T T, page 455 et seq. in the office of the Register of Deeds of Rob eson county. Third Tract: In the town of Lum berton. Beginning at a stake the southwest corner of R. E. L. Pre vatt (formerly the Ella Floyd cor ner) and runs along the east edge of Cedar street south 97 1-2 feet to the corner of J. A. Bethea's lot; thence east with the line of J. A. Bethea 163 feet to the line of John Redmond's lot; thence with Redmond's line north 97 1-2- feet to the corner of R. E. L. Prevatt's lot; thence with the line of his lot west 163 feet to the begin ning and being the same lot conveyed by W. F. French, Commissioner to Rosilla Pitman as fully set out and described in book R R R , page 560, in the office of the register ojdeeds of Robeson county, and afterwards conveyed by Rosilla Pitman to "W. E. Pitman as will appear in the records of the office of the Register of Deeds of Robeson county. This 20th day of June, 1913. E. M. BRITT, ROBERT E. LEE, 6234mon. Commissioners. EXECUTOR'S NOTICE. Having qualified as executor of the last will and testament of Charity Townsend, deceased, this is to notify all persons having claims against the estate of said deceased to present same to me, or to my attorneys, John son & Johnson, on or before the 10th day of June, 1914, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said es tate will please make imediate settle ment with the undersigned executor. This the 7th day of June, 1913. C. M. TOWNSEND, Executor of Charity Townsend. JOHNSON & JOHNSON, 6S6M Attys. for Executor. ADMINISTRATOR'S NOTICE. Having qualified as administrator of Wiley Oxendine, lately deceased, this is to notify all persons having claims against said deceased to pre sent same to me or my attorneys, Johnson & Johnson, on or before the 10th day of June, 1914, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recov ery. All persons indebted to said es tate will please make immediate pay ment to the undersigned administra tor. This the 7th day of June, 1913. B. J. OXENDINE, Adm'r. of Wiley Oxendine deceased. JOHNSON & JOHNSON, 696M. Attys. for Administrator. yid. Wisdom (OoprDcbt. M r W. H. C.I CBT acotofU Don't Forget th it we are taking subscriptions for stock in the Eighth Series of the Robeson Building and Loan I Association Stock will be issued July 1st We have helped others. Let us help you. You will do well if you want to save your money or if you wish to build a home to investigate the BUILDING AND LOAN PLAN. Build your home with rent money. C. V. BROWN, Sec. and Treas. At Bank of Lumberton r k Prepared ! This is the season of the year when we are making prepara tion for the coming of ' the time when that Tobacco which you have planted will be ready for curing. Have your flues made now, so that there will be no delay. Place your order now. McAllister fldw. 60. MEREDITH COLLEGE. One of the few colleges for women in the South that confers an A. B. degree representing four years of genuine college work according to the standard of the Association of Colleges of the Southern States. Diplomas awarded those who complete the course in the Schools of Art and Music. Library facilities excellent. Systematic training in physical education under director and assist ant. Courts for tennis and basket-ball. Board and furnished room in Main Building, heat, light, library, tuition, fees for physician and nurse, and all other minor fees, $220.50; in the East Building and Cottages, from $47.50 to $65.00 less. Students not offering the necessary units for entrance may pre pare in Meredith Academy, which is rated in Class A of the accredited schools of the State University. For catalog, Quarterly Bulletin, or fuller information, address R. T. VANN, President, Raleigh, N. C. T Beautiful Chimney Rock Gap REACHED VIA Seaboard fllr Line R. R. Chimney Rock Gap has been for years famed for it s beauty in both song and story. Why not spend your vacation at one of the comfortable hotels beautifully situated in this lovely valley. Hotel Rates emrka"eap $500 to $10.00 per week HOMELIKE SERVICE Good Roads !!ine1 Lci vlr y , Good r lining The Seaboards New Schedules Make it easy to get to Chimney Rock, Rutherford ton and surrounding mountains. Write today for booklet JAMES KER, JR., H. S..LEARD, CT--T. p.-A.vCharlotte4 .D. P. A., Raleigh, N. C. H H E