Commeration
Service Set |i
Over 100 years ago, a
day - after - Thanksgiv
ing meeting between
two Warren ton Baptists
became a pivotal event
for thousands of North
Carolina orphans. On
Sunday, March 10, the
Warrenton Baptist
Church on N. Main
Street will commemo
rate the role of the Rev.
C. A. G. Thomas, a for
mer pastor, and Dr. R.
D. Fleming, a Warren
ton dentist and active
Baptist, in providing the
impetus for the begin
ning of the Baptist Chil
dren's Homes of North
Carolina, for which 1985
is the centennial year.
The 1883 meeting be
tween the pastor and
Fleming resulted from
the latter's failure to
make his usual liberal
contribution to the an
nual Thanksgiving Day
Offering taken by the
Warrenton church for
the Masonic Orphanage
in Oxford. Pastor
Thomas sought an ex
planation for Fleming's
failure to give.
Fleming's response,
quoted in "The Mills
Home: A History of the
Baptist Orphanage
Movement in North
Carolina 1885-1932,"
became a rallying cry
for Baptists across the
state: "I have always
given but I am now con
vinced that I ought to
give what I can directly
to the support of the or
phans of the Baptist
brotherhood. The
Masons have done and
are doing a fine work.
They, with the help of
the Methodists, are able
to do it. The time has
come for a Baptist or
phanage. I am ready to
do my best for it and I
feel that God will give us
his help in this new and
noble work."
Pastor Thomas ad
" vised Fleming to write a
letter to the "Biblical
Recorder," the state's
Baptist newspaper, to
express his sentiments.
In July, 1884, Fleming
followed Thomas' ad
vice, and his letter was
printed. The letter
called for Baptists to
begin and support an
orphanage "not for Bap
tist orphans only
but...supported and
managed by Baptists for
the benefit of all or
phans." His letter,
signed simply "Warren
ton," was quickly
DR. BILL CROUCH
followed by other sup
porting statements, and
on Nov. 11,1885, the first
orphan child was taken
into the home estab
lished in Thomasville.
The work initiated by
Dr. Fleming and the
Rev. Mr. Thomas now
includes 18 facilities
caring for 368 children
across the state.
Leading the Warren
ton Baptist Church's
celebration on Sunday
will be former pastor
Dr. William H. (Bill)
Crouch, who has
become a second link
between the local
church and the denomi- .
nation's Children's I
Homes across the state.
In May, 1984, Dr. Crouch
became director of
development for Baptist
Children's Homes of
North Carolina, Inc., <
assuming responsibility <
for all fund-raising ef
forts, public and church 1
relations, and news j
media communication. s
He will speak at the 11 a.
m. worship service.
"One Hundred Years
of Caring" will be the
theme of the anniver
sary observance. A film
during the Sunday
School hour at 9:50 a. m.
wilt depict the work of
the Children's Homes.
Dr. Gary E. Parker,
pastor of the church,
noted, "We believe the
Christian contribution of
Warrenton leaders
should be celebrated
and affirmed. If not for
Warrentonians who
cared 100 years ago,
many young children of
today would be without
the love of a; Christ
centered community.
We invite the public to
join us in worship to give
thanks for those who
cared."
Elimination Contest
Held At John Graham
By BECKY CORBETT
On Monday, Feb. 25,
23 John Graham Middle
School students com
peted in a Spelling Bee
elimination contest. The
event was held in the
school's media center.
The purpose of this
competition was to
select the four top spell
ers who will represent
the school in the Warren
County Spelling Bee to
be held at Warren Coun
ty High School on March
7. Each school with
grades four through
eight will send three
participants and one
alternate to the county
wide spelling bee.
After intense concen
tration and effort by all
23 students, the winners
in the spelldown were:
Stacy Alston, Red Com
munlty; Angela Bal
lance, Red Community;
Teresa Johnson, Green
Community; and Steve
Odom, Blue Com
munity.
Principal W. T.
Ramey, m welcomed
the audience and ex
pressed gratitude to
those guests who gave
their time assisting with
this selection process.
The judges were:
Mrs. Bernadine Bal
lance, Mrs. Louise Hun
.ter, Mrs. Ivoria Terry,
and Mrs. Kathy Wilson.
The word caller was
Mrs. Junell Blaylock,
director of Exceptional
Programs.
Assisting with seating
the contestants were
Kenneth Alston and
Willie Moore.
A special thank-you
goes to Ms. Moli Davis,
guidance counselor, who
made badges and rib
bons for the winners.
The competition was co
ordinated by Mrs.
Becky Corbett, eighth
grade language arts
teacher.
More Babies
The annual number of new
borns in the U.S. is running
at about 3.7 million, up about
16 percent from a decade
ago. That number is expect
ed to increase for the next few
years at baby-boomers have
babies of their own.