The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-04-24
BETHESDA'S GALA DAY.
TIE UNION SOCIETY CELEBRATES
ITS I4orH ANNIVERSARY.


Thronged With People-The soci-
ety's Annual Meeting and President
Fstilrs Report-The Officers Elected
for Next Year-Resolutionso of Thanks
to the Society's Donors-The Orphan
Bows Dinner-The Address by g. B.
Adams, Esq.-Interest in the Tech
biological School
The 14Oth anniversary Of the Union So
ciatv and the 150th of the establishments of
the orphan house by George Whitfield was
celebrated at Bethesda yesterday. The at
tendance was the largest in twenty years,
and there was a spirit in the entire proceed
inps that has certainly never been excelled
in many years. Every train was crowded,
and the two first almost uncomfortably so.
II might be said that the new technology
;cal building was the principal source of
attraction, but to many of the visitors
everything was new and worth seeing. The
thousand and more people went from one
noint to another examining the institution.
The Bethesda boys came in for their full
share of attention. Mothers, sisters
brothers, and friends, all had kind
words for the little fellows. Not the
least interested of the visitors were those
who were once wards of this society, some
of whom had just reached mans estate, and
others whose years were indicated by gray
hairs of fifty winters. Take it all in all, We :
terday might well be called ''red letter"
day in the calendar Of Bethesda
The annual meeting was more than usu-
ally well attended. 1t was called to order
at l o'clock p. m. by President EstIll.
III. ell x,,ar,tarc D..
S. B. Adams, J. Sullivan, d. r. Thomas.
B. r. Armstrong. r. ID. Walker, Rev. r.
Webb, H. j. Sutcliffe, A. s. Nichols, r. b.
Reppard, S. Gardner, ID. Brown, George
Chatterton, Jr., e. W. Cubbedge, J. A. G..
Carson, T. Ballantyne. g. Bourquin, J. s.
Collins, w. K. Wilkinson, j. B. Fernandez, o.
Butler, George Jesse, Waring Russell, NJ. J.
Solcmons, William Rogers, and others
The minutes of the last meeting having
been already presented in pamphlet form
to the members, they were confirmed with
out reading
The president read his annual report as
follows:
THE PRESIDENTS REPORT.
BETHESDA, April 20, 1890.
To the Members of the Union society:
The year which has Just closed will mark an
important epoch in the history of the society.
In nv last report stated that had been try-
X
the long talked of school OF technology, and had
gathered a little information on the subject
and that suitable building ant limited outfit
would cost about IS, 600, and that a teacher
could be secured at a salary ranging from 81, 900
to s., 500, according to circumstances. Such q
school would do much good not only to our
boys, but to the community, and would be the
means OF supplying large CORPS OF educated
and trained mechanics" The ink was scarcely
dry on the paper In which the report was pre-
seated when was called upon by Mr. j. d.
Weed who informed me that Mr.. Ed
a resident of Savannah, HAD read
my report and had written to him for further
information regarding the suggested techno-
logical department. The report made TO him
by Mr.. Weed impressed Mr.. Parsons so favorably
that he at once sent Ibis check for $1,000, to be
used as Indicated in my report. The techno-
logical building was begun on Oct. IS, 1889, and
completed Jan. IS, 1890, and the work of instruc
ton began on the 9th of the same month. The
building is 50xl0O feet, with two floors. II has
a spacious boiler house. In addition to this
there is blacksmith shop, fully equipped, and
water tower forty feet high, ON the top of
which is q tank of $500 gallons capacity sup
piled with water by steam pump in che boiler
room. The main building is supplied with ma
chinery suitable for manual training school,
list of which will be found in the report Of the
teacher in charge of the chronological depart
ment.
THE SCHOOL ITSELF.
The school is under charge Of Prof. George
Chatterton, Jr., who also superintendent the
construction of the building and the installment
of its plant Instruction is given in carpentry
in all its branches, which is to be followed by a
course in blacksmith work. The effects of this
school will be seen not only at Bethesda, but in
a few years will be noticeable In the improved
skilfulness of the mechanics in this section of
the state. The chronological department, ex-
elusive of the pay of the teacher, has cost up
to date S.. S2S SO. All the bills are not yet in,
but l think the total cost will not exceed $500.
In addition to his original subscription, Mr.
Parsons made second subscription of $500,
and kindly offers to make another subscription,
so as to cover the entire cost of the technology
ical department. In honor to the gentleman
whose liberalty made this addition to Bethesda's
educational facilities possible, the institution
has been designated the Parsons archaeological
School,
By direction of the board of managers I Sc
cured bids for building the eastern wing of the
orphan house, but they were so much higher
than ! anticipated, and as we were about to
construct the chronological building, l have
done nothing further in that direction. 1t is
very desirable that the addition to the orphan
house should be built, but at present l do not
see where the money is to come from to do it.
On April 30 last the laundry was accidently
destroyed by fire. A new building has been
erected on the site of the old one at a cost of
Ss91. .a-a
THE TEACHERS
l found it necessary, as suggested IN my last
report, TO employ an additional teacher, and on
May | Miss Wallis was made assistant at a
salary of $25 per month and board. Mr. G. w
Lee, the principal, resigned his position on Aug
!; no appointment was made to fill the vacancy
but On the reopening of the school, Sept. l.
Prof. George Chatterton, Jr., who had been en-
ployed to take charge of the chronological
school, kindly acted as principal until he was
relieved in January to assume the duties for
which he was engaged. He was succeeded by
Mr. j. Nj. Gillespie, the present principal. The
school committee reports the condition of the
school to be excellent. and its general good
order noticeable feature. 1t was the unani
nous opinion of the committee that the school
was never in better condition.
Mr. Chaplin, the superintendent, has per-
formed his arduous duties TO the entire salts
faction of the board. and while his labors have
been increased from year to year, there has
been no corresponding increase in his salary l
am glad to state the board Of managers, at q
meeting held on April IS, increased mis- salary
from $50 to $40 per month, TO date from April !.
We had lightweight boys at the last report;
there are now nlnety-eight in the orphans
home. Twenty-three boys have left Bethesda
Tor various causes. as more fully appears in the
superintendent's report, and thirty-two boys
nave been admitted, making the total number
OF Boys who have been at Bethesda during the
year l21. The boys have. as a rule, enjoyed the
Lest OF health, not one having been seriously
SICK during the year. We had few cases of
grip but it was il a very mild form.
Lots Nos l05. II and liz, Springfield planta-
tion lately held by the estate of Finegan and
re'entered for non-payment OF ground rent, are
now IN the possession of the society and are
bringing rental of $500 year.
THE PROPOSED HOTEL.
BY request of the board, Mr.. w. G. Preston
submitted preliminary plans for a hotel to be
erected in the rear of the Whitfield building,
the estimated cost of which was $50, 600. There