Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-04-24
LAYING OF THE CORNER STONE.

of the Kings Mountain Military School was ialu'
ON Tuesday last, with appropriate ceremonies by
the Philanthropc Lodge, A. F. NJ. large
number of ladies and gentlemen, Of town and
country, were in attendance, and the exercises
throughout were conducted in manner entirely
BETTING the occasion. 1t was proud day for us
all-marking the permanent establishment, in York
Vile of m Institution which is surely destined to
be one of honor and great usefulness of the State;
lasting monument of the enterprising and patri-
otto spirit of the founders and the pride and
boast of the community to whom it has been espe-
cially allotted to cherish and foster it.
At ten o'clock, the members of Philanthropic
Lodge, No. IS, were formed in front Of their Hall,
under the immediate superintendence of Assistant
Marshal, A. F. MCCONNELL, and proceeded to the
public square, where they were Joined by the
Cadets of the Military School; the citizens gener-
ally the Workmen of the Building; the Intendant
and Council of the Town; Commissioned officers
of the 34th and 46th Regiments; the clergy; the
Professors of Literary Institutions; the Chaplain,
Professor and one of the Principals; and the Ora
tor and one of the Principals. The procession,
formed, in the order thus mentioned under the
command of Col. W. B. WILSON, Col. W. H. Nc
CoRKIE, and SAM'L W. MELTON, and escorted with
excellent music by the Columbia Brass Band, was
marched to the site of the new building, in the su
burbs town, on the Kings Mountain Road, where q
goodly company of ladies and gentlemen had pre-
vously assembled, numbering in all at least twelve
hundred persons.
After an appropriate prayer by the Chaplain,
Rev. Mr.. GIBSON, the Grafton appointed for the
occasion was pronounced by Gen. DANIEL WAL
LACE. Inasmuch as we shall be permitted to CO.
py the address entire, it would perhaps be improp-
er for US now to do more than referto it in gener-
al terms. 1t was one of the speakers best eff
forts; in admirable keeping with the ceremonies
of the day, and received by the large and inteli-
gent auditory with evident indications of general
and hearty commendation. In sketching the his
tory of the State Military Academies, Of which
this Institution is the frst-born; in awarding a
worthy compliment to the talented and energetic
Principals in his elaborate vindication of the rig
id system of discipline and other features which
impart distinctive character to the Military
School and, especially, in o truthful eucidation
of the proper aims of education, moral, mental
and physical, the speaker was successful to de-
gree which met the anticipations Of his warmest
admirers. We shall publish it in our next issue
and we think our readers, upon perusal will agree
with US in commencing it as an eminently sensi.
Bile, well-tmed, and very appropriate effort.
At the conclusion of the address, the interest
ing ceremonies prescribed for such occasions were
conducted in due and Masonic form, under spe-
cial dispensation, by the Worshipful Master Of
the Lodge, having previously deposited the box
containing copy Of the Holy Bible, The Alma
nae for 1856, copies of the newspapers Of the
town, coins current in the United States; the
Register of the Military School, and the following
RECORD:
The Military School was established, at York
vile, South Carolina, in January A. D., 1866,
under the present Principals, Captain M. JENKINS
and Lieutenant A. COWARD.
On this the twenty-second day of April, A. D.,
1856, this Institution, whose Cornerstone is
about to be laid, under the control of the Princi
pals, assisted by Professor c. A. SEADRooK, num-
bers eighty Students.
This Building designed by JOHN A. KAY, Archi-
tect, is under process of construction by RICHARD
HARE, Mason, and o. P. CRAWFORD, Carpenter.
On this, the twenty-second day Of April,
A. D., 1856, the Procession having been mar
shalled and marched to the site of the Building,
by COL W. B. WILSON, Col. W. II. McCoRKLE,
and SAMUEL W. MELTON, Esq. the Corner
Stone will be laid with due Masonic Ceremonies
by the Phianthropic Lodge, No. 78, Of Yorkyille,
of which the following are the names of the pres
ent officers, viz: RICHARD HARE, Worshipful
Master; JAMES L. CLARE, Senior Warden; PEYToN
B. DARWIN, Junior Warden; LEWIS NJ. GRIsT,
Secretary; DANIEL OLEARY, Treasurer; MILES
JOHNSON, Senior Deacon; ]. EDWARD JEFFERYs,
Junior Deacon; S. ]. KuYKENDAL and A. Copy,
.Seward, JAMES S. LEWIS, Tyler
Hon. DAN'L WALLACE is the Orator, and Rev'd
JAMES D. GIBSON, Chaplain Of the occasion.
MAY GoD BLESS AND PROSPER THE INSTITUTION.
When the ceremonies were ended, one Of the
most pleasing among the incidents of the day oc-
Cured, to the agreeable surprise of many and to
the qualification of all. A beautiful banner, pre-
pared for the young ladies Of the Female College,
was presented in their name by Col. WILSON in a
brief address, which was responded to neatly and
happily, on the part of the Cadets, by Capt JES-
K1Ns. The banner, got up in handsome style,
is adorned on one side by view of the mountain,
with the notices -"KING's MOUNTAIN: Our Coun-
try-her rights and her honor;" and on the other,
the arms of the State, with the motto-"SoUTH
CARoLINA-her Past and her Future" 1t is q pecu-
li,rly graceful and beautiful tribute, which does
infinite credit to the good hearts of the fair donors,
and will be faithfully cherished by the gallant
young band to whom it has been given in charge.
After the benediction, the Masonic Fraternity
were escorted to their Hall by the Cadets and thus
we're closed the exercises ofan occasion worthy to
be remembered along with the most valued Incl
dents of our town-history.
Now that the Institution has reached, beyond
the term Of an experiment, the position Of a per-
manent establishment, we would not omit to give
expression to the sympathy which our people en-
tertain in its behalf, and to bespeak for it that
enlarged measure of patronage and confidence to
which it has proved itself so eminently entitled.
We speak knowingly when we place the Kings
Mountain Military School in comparison with any
other subordinate Institution in the country. The
admirable system Of discipline which the Princi-
pals have adopted and to which they adhere with
an unbending frmness; the rare and excellent
combination Of physical with mental training, so
entirely requisite to the full development Of every
faculty; and, above all, the high and honorable
tone of character which they studionsly and sue