The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1884-03-22
UMBERTON.
Its Thrifty People, Jolly Editor, the
COlOred Normal school. and Not
Least, the ss Robson Yam.''
al correspondence o)U.e Chronicle.

/
Special Correspondence Of the Chronicle.
LUMBERToN. March 1S.-Once on a time
when the Lumber River ran wildly be
tween its banks, carrying on its foarning
waters fallen timber, brush. and the yari
Gus Debris of the unbroken forests, a
| sturdy Scot, one of the first settler. III
| these parts gave it its name. and then.
| when he started town near by, what
more natural than to call it Lumberton
1t is well to revive this not too enthusias
| tic legend, or otherwise some of your read
ers may make the same mistake Yankee
! did who got off at the depot here the
other day and, after looking arolnd
awhile asked Where in thunder are
your saw mills l thought from the naIae
that this was Southern Oshkosh" No,
this is not a great numbering centre, where
| singing saws are whrling, and pine logs
| disappearing before their ravenous teeth.
| It's nothing more than neat, thrifty, con
servative county seat, with a square, brick
court house, small, neat churches, one,
! the Baptist, very pretty edifice indeed
| small, well stocked stores, and numerous
| tidy houses, fronting on neatly kept door
yards whose shrubs and flowers speak of
the womanly taste within. There are no
lOafers on the streets, although the raw
material for their manufacture can be had
by those who seek it, from which it may
be inferred that the Robson folks are
t. IS (not te-tOtalers mind you, but
truly temperate.)
Robson is the biggest county in the
State, in area owes no debt, minds It's
own business, and, like individuals who
do that, it prospers. The organ of it's
public opinion and the leader of its pro-
gress is the Lumberton Rodesonian, a
weekly paper edited by that dryly humor
Gus and sturdy member of the State Press
Association, w. w. McDarmid, whose
honest, hearty laugh would cure the blues
of the worst dyspeptic in the land. If the
Lumbertonians only knew what was what,
they would set up a sanitarium for the
blues and make its editor it's physician in
chief No other medicament would be
needed but as soon as the fame of his
cures was noised abroad, every incoming
train would have blue streak behind it.
; I confess to hearty liking for these
t people. They are as thriving set of men
. as can be found in any community. Go
, into the store of Mr.. J. A. McAlister, the
7 county treasurer, and have a few minutes
chat with him. You will learn more about
} this county in ten minutes than you could
| from some officials in ten hours. Then
? there is the postmaster and hardware
5 dealer, Mr.. E. K. Proctor, who once lived
) in Boston, | believe. man of clear
mind, shrewd, pleasant, quaint OF speech,
5 broad and progressive. Col. Rowland and
his partner, Senator Mclean, are excellent
5 lawyers and highly esteemed citizens; and
5 80 I might continue, only THE CHRONICLE
Q could not well: afford to publish the Lum-
: berton directory, which would De neces-
: sary to do justice to all the citizens of in
r telect and moral worth. Take the fore
f going therefore as types of the commu-
: nifty.
e There is, however, an institution for the
s education of the colOred race called the
Within Normal School, that must not be
Y left out, for it is an honor to Lumberton.
: D. P. Allen, the Principal, was born a
: slave in Virginia. During the war he be-
t came the body servant of Gen. Francis A.
s Walker, of census fame When his mas
S ter was captured at ReamS' Station in Nir-
e ginia, Mr.. Allen went to Massachusetts and
: | there attended the State Normal School,
l. at WeStfield for series of years. His
education completed, he came to Lumber
s ton and started a school for the children
It Of his own race. His courtesy, manly
i bearing and self-respect attracted the at
# tentiOn of the best citizens. Some OF the
g school commissioners called to inspect his
t. work and were so well pleased that they
IS gave him their cOuntenance and aid. AT
: ter few years he went on to Massachu
e sets, taking strong letter of commenda
|, | ton from county treasurer McAllister
e Old friends in Westfeld and other towns
# assisted him, and after seven weeks alb
sence he returned, bringing back none,
'e enough to put up and furnish large ant
le suitable school building. This was finish
IF ed in 1878 and occupied. Here through
or the winter he teaches a public school, bu
1T in the summer he carries on his privat
rt enterprise, the Within Normal, wher
e, young people Of both sexes are taught tn
I'd work of organizing, governing and teach
O. ing public or private schools for colore
pupils His method is objective. Stu
Of dents are required to teach, not tell wha
lg they know. In his circular Mr.. Allie
a. says ''We draw Out-not cram in.
to The references, published by permission
le comprise the names of the most prom
It, nent white citizens of Lumberton. The
es say that the best teachers of colore
IS. schools in this county are graduates of th
st W hitin Normal. AT the conclusion of hi
e. circular Principal Allen makes an appes
lie to colored parents which ends thus ''Ps
in rents, our race must be elevated by tn
o. efforts Of your sons and daughters. The
educate them, for you will then benef
them and also the race" 1t is creditabl
to those to whom he appeals, that so man
have taken his advice.
he Robson county has more land tha
" farmers. Some is good for cotton an
ed corn, some for forage crops, much for pc;
,r nuts, considerable for bright tobacco
he which, however has yet to be tried, br
he the crop of crops, unfailing, super-abur
m dant, is the sweet potatoe. A Robeso
of yam properly cooked is the ne plus ult'
n of its species. Whoever doubts shoul
k come here and try their rich juiciness.
he little cnap at my eipow knows no" IL
ITS himself, as his sticky lips, and beamin
in eyes testify, while the piping hot spec
,is men in his tiny hand sends out an app
, a tizing steam that suggests my signature.
no YAM.
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III Out of the Race.
tie Rockingham Cor. in Raleigh Register.
ch There is one man in North Carolina wi