The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-18
ONE FREE DAY A WEEK.
TEE TELFAIR ACADEMY TO BE
THROWN OPEN SUNDAYS.

The Free Day Fight In the Georgie
Historical Society Ends in the Adop
ton of Mr.. Rockwelrs Plan-Ths
Debate on the Board of Managers
Report-The Society's officers for
This Year-The Annual Reports--Di-
rector Brandt's Report on the Tel
fair Academy.
Sunday will be free day" at the Tel-
fair Academy of Arts and Sciences. The
free day resolution was carried by q large
majority at the annual meeting Of the Geor-
gia Historical Society last night.
The meeting was largely attended Gen.
Henry r Jaskson presided. After
the presentation of the annual reports the
report of the board of managers Of the Tel
fair academy upon the resolution Of Mr.. J.
deBruyn Kops passed at the last meeting
requesting the board if Mr.. T. d. Rockwells
free day resolution did not meet its ap-
proval to formulate and present 10 the So
ciety some plan for a-free day.
THE MANAGERS RECOMMENDATION.
Upon this request the board Of managers
adopted resolution at its last meeting to
the effect that the librarian OF the society
be authorized to issue cards to any person
of good character over 10 years of age upon
the written recommendation Of any men,
Der Of the board, which should be good for
admission at the academy on the first Sun
day of the month following the date upon
which the card was issued.
A second section of the resolution referred
to the request Of Prof. Otis Ashmore that
the pupils of the high school be admitted
free when accompanied by their teachers
for the study OF the works of art. The
resolution made the academy free TO the
two highest classes of the high school when
accompanied by their teachers under such
restrictions as Director Brandt might pre-
scribe. 1t announced that resolution to
that effect was passed by the board several
years ago, but that the teachers and pupils
of the high school had never awaited them
selves of the privilege.
On motion OF Mr.. Rockwell the section of
the report referring TO the high school was
adopted.
MR.. RoCKwELL'S PLEA.
Mr.. Rockwell then moved that the first
section Of the report referring to the free
day be not adopted. and supported his mo-
ton BY strong argument. 1t seemed to
him from the expression Of the board that
1t was the manner of the free day which
was the point Of difference, all being agreed
upon the advisability of it in some form or
other. Mr.. Rockwell said he had first pre-
sented resolution that the academy
be opened free on Thursday of each
week which had subsequently been
amended changing the day to Sunday aud
making it applicable only to citizens of Sa-
vannah. The free day proposed by the
board, be said, had too much red tape about
it, and il adopted it would practically kill
the free day plan. IA man might as well
telegraph the President in Washington for
ticket as TO go about 1t in the manner pro-
posed by the board" said Mr. Rock we'll.
ONE DAY NOT ENOUGH.
The resolution only provided for one day
In month, which would not answer the
purpose. On the other hand. Mr.. Rockwell
said bis resolution was very simple, aud
could easily be carried into effect He ar
gued In favor OF a spirit OF liberslity upon
the part of the management. and predicted.
II such spirit were shown, greater interest
would be taken in the academy. "The
idea is now" he said, 'that the Telfair
academy is a close corporation. and that
every effort is made to keep it SO.
Ills idea was that cards should be issued by
the librarian TO the members who might is
sue them to friends or any worthy person
applying for them the name of the member
Issuing the ticket and that of the person APP
plying for 1t TO be written upon the ticket.
JUDGE HARDEN'S SPEECH.
Judge Harden led the opposition to Mr..
Rockwelps motion. He began by saving
that he was one Of the five patriarchs still
remaining who were connected with the
board OF managers Of the Telfair academy
when the trust was assumed by the
Georgia Historical Society, corse.
1uently he was better acquainted
with the history of the academy and the
reasons for the existing regulations than
many Of those present.
Judge Harden discussed the objects of
Miss Telfair's will of which he had a copy.
He said her desire was evident in the will
that the name of Telfair should be honor
ably perpetuated. At the end of seven
years of litigation with the heirs the man.
ayers found themselves in possession of over
SAG 900, the accumulated dividends upon
the 100000 of Augusta and Savannah rail-
road stock, devised for the support of the
academy by Miss Tcltair. They then con.
ceived the idea OF enlarging and
adding to the building, aud to do this
1t was necessary to borrow s25, 600. which
was loaned by Gen. jackson. This loan
was purely upon the honor of the society.
and only small portion of it has ever been
paid. The condition is that so long as the
Interest upon the loan is paid the principal
will never be demanded.
ANoN-CoNTRIBUTING PUBLIC.
Judge Harden argued that it was useless
10 depend upon the general public for sup
port. The board once canvassed the city
and received only the subscriptions of the
members OF the board themselves
he did not consider it a
wise plan to endeavor to secure
the public's favor at the sacrifice of a por-
ton OF the income of the academy. What
had been accomplished, he said. was by the
efforts OF few individuals. Judge Harden
announced plainly that he was opposed to a
tree day. He voted for the resolution Of
the board for the reason that Mr.. Rockwell
opposed it, because he believed it to be tile
quickest way of killing the free day idea.
Mr.. Rockwell corrected Judge Harden
upon statement he bad made as to Gen.
Lawton's opinion of Miss Telfair's wishes.
Mr.. Rockwell said Gen. Lawton
old him that as he drew Miss
Telfair's will he knew that it was her
intention that the academy should be free.
DIR. BULLocH's PLAN.
DIR. Bulloch opposed general free day.
He proposed instead free day once a week
for the families of the mem ers Of the so-
ciety. Mr.. Rockwell remarked that DR.,
bulloch's proposition savored of the old
mans prayer, Lord bless me and nv
wife, my son John, or his wife: us four and
no more" If it should be adopted the
public would have reason to characterize
the academy as a close corporation.
Col. Mercer said he voted for the resolu-
tion in the board, though it did not entirely
meet his views, because he favored a free
day.
f-o1 Co~o-o., .4otoS A. 49,