The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1891-04-23
REMrNHCENCES OE REV. JOHN 4.
KENNEDY, A. M.
BY REV, GEO. W. Boaas, MASON, TENN.

Nas
By REV, GEO. W. BoGGs, MASON TENN;
was very glad TO see notice in some
paper that the monument which the Thali-
an Association proposed to raise at the
Centennial of Carmel Church in August,
1859, was completed and set up in its place
in front of the church where he had
preached for so many years.
l desire, for the benefit of the young
people, TO put Oh record some things which
will soon pass away with those who took
part in them. In regard to many of these
things cannot vouch for the dates. So
far as can Judge, no man in the up coun-
try of South Carolina within the last fifty
or sixty years, has done such noble work
as he did. My acquaintance with him be-
gan with the opening of the second year
of the Manual Labor School, which was
located about five miles cast of Old Pen
diclon. Prof. Kennedy presided over the
school and Mr.. Clarke over the farm and
boarding department. We had seventy
five. perhaps eighty students. The two
families occupied houses to themselves.
lhc students occupied double log cabins,
which were built on two sides of a square
center. Each cabin was intended to &C
c0mmOdatc four students. Judging from
oil that | hav" learned about the school of
Rev. Moses WadGell, ID. ID. , at Wilmington.
in Abb"villc county, the plan of the fnun-
dcrS OF this school, was to have one of the
same kind, with the additional feature of
three hours labor per day, Sabbath except
cd) from each student.
The design was to put education within
the reach of those of moderate means, and
help boys in educating themselves. This
was surely !audablrEpurposc. If am not
mistaken, only sixty dollars was CHARGED
for a session Of rinc or ten months. 1t
WAS expected that Tie labor of the BOYS
(many OF them were grown mem would
raise ncaiIy everything necessary to run
tie G"ari''n" G"Ialimtn nj. And so it would
il The plan could have been carried out
MI krnncdy'S reputation as an ir&truc-
tor and diSCiplinari#n, was such MS TO draw
a crowd Of students. Among them were
those whom other teachers could not man
age, and sem" who had never been on a
farm, and knew nothing about work and
had no desire to know. One came from
the sea coast who did not know how to
handle an axe. There were others who
knew something about farm work, but
were inl"irnt, lull of fun and mischief.
lhry were for spending their hours i'm
play. lhc superintendent was not long in
linhlnT uul who could he relied upOn.
Such lie appointed as monitors over tlc
various sounds sent to work. rcuuirinm
them to report Tie idlcrs. This offended
HE ldlcrS. | remember one time when
he sent me with some boys to burn some
brush, | was constrained TO report some of
'hrN. lhry expected ne to fal$ify to
screen them. AS ! hated TO incur their
I nINt th
and begged Him 10 "N"us- ne from ever
acting SIS monitor in such cases. But he
was forced to put the unpleasant duty on
some one, and must take my turn with
the others. | am glad TO say we had some
noble boys who wanted an education
They studied hard. When called out TO
work iGcy were faithful.
Times have changed very much in the
dlSClpIlne OF schools. Some of the bows
were quick to try how far they could 30
W'h Mf. hcnnrdy. One young man, who
was nearly II head taller than Mr. X Kcnnc-
,ay, save INN some imrcrlincncc. Before
he na0 tlhc 10 think, lis jaws were Slap
IcG.
On another occasion, a boy of fourteen
or fifteen was guilty of some grave Of.
i'n>c which the r!ii.c;Ial rcfcrrCd to tie
trustees. Their decision Was lie should
ricriEr SO many stripes in their presence
ana that "l the whole school. He prcfaccd
IT with short but telling lecture The
impression made upon me at the time WAS
lhe duty OF INJECTING the rod, hu.l Mir.
krnntdy's feelings far more than it did
That boys flesh
Another Incident Of different charcc-
Ter: w hilc everything like gambling was
l;r"hihltcd, yet some things looked i'm tla,
dlrrcllrn. Many Of the BOYS cnra,-rd
p 81 in
liry 0ld not bet money, they would bet
biscuit We had buscuil for S,ppcr every
other night. We were divided at the table
IN mcSSvS of six each. 70 every mess
was Plate of twelve biscuit, two ariccr,
You WI: readily perceive that under This
state OF things il biscuit was an object of
Importance. Many OF the bows wolI}1 nm,
up 'he evening biscuit upon the i. sue Of
the game. One yourgstor who was an cx-
pert soon had numbered on band. The
losers Mad t. Sup on corn bread, OF which,
am happy to say, VIC had the greatest
plenty.
Before the close of the session, which
think was in 1870 or 1886 n very n:olir
nant fever broke cut in tie school. TE,.
trustees wc,c called together, Aftcr.con.
sliciing The situation they decided TO close
the session about month in advance of
The Regular time. The students were re.
pncS!cd to remain few days to lay by the
crops.
Before tine to crcn the fail session, the
trustees concluded 10 break up the school
ana sell the property. So died the fils,
'MaEruI Labor School" Of that part of
South Carolir;i
TO the best Of my recollection Mr. Ken
nrdy moved from thefc TO the vicinity of
Carmel church, and taught school i'm n lor
house. near tie place where Liberty dcp0t
now IS. Here he had Il mixed school,
And although it did not have as much rep
nta'lon as Srmc other schools taught by blm.
\ ct, there WAS faithful work. Tie Girls
cNcrtrd good influence over the other SEX
IN more ways than one. The girls stood 0t
the hrad OF their classes. From This place.
Il EordIy number wet to llil useful stntiOus
in ho'h Church and State. y thing occurred
Whi.c Nr. Kennedy taught at this paIcc,
VIII, h was g:cat trial to him and some rf
Of LIS friends. Three boys. G. W. B. and
and Kennedy Boggs and Jessie Sargent.
agreed not 10 study II certain lesson. or if
they Cid they would not give the correct
answer. llr passed ever the failure the
first time, but warned them, il must not oc-
lHr "%ain. But next moinng thcy all fail
I'll aGEn. Two Of the three, (as was after