The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-05-16


from shame at their long neglect. or from tardy
alizatOn Of the necessity and importance OF the sy
TEN Of training which we propose 10 inaugnrate her
that there has not been dissenting voice thus "a
raised against the building and equipment Of this co
ege since the idea first took shape three years ago.
Before proceed to give q brief outline of III
scope and plan Of the institution as 1t has bee
mapped out by The Board OF Trustees, would z
back little to speak Of Clemson. As you all know
that college Is located ut Fort HILL the old house
I Carolinus greatest statesman, John g. Calhoun. Th
history OF it's endowment by Mr.. Clemson, who's
name 1t bears Is not necessary to be given yOu
all familiar with it. 1t is OF the connection Of tn
school with Cslhouns memory and spirit, which
Its presiding genius. that wish to speak, In 1850
Daniel Webster, Calhonns great compeer In the Sen
ate, was made Secretary Of State In Fillmores Cabi
net, and his place was filed by appointment Of tn
Governor Of Massachusetts. In March OF that year
Calhoun passed 10 the land Of shadows and this sue
cessor Uf Webster, man OF noted ancestry, of rip
scholarship, the highest integrity and character, tn
broadest stat iesnanship, eloquent and every wa.
fitted to do the subject justice, pronounced eulOg,
| npon the dead Csrolnsn. in the House of Represen
atves, Of which he had been a member for ten year
previous, which was eminently worthy Of both
| This Is the bond of union between the two men
Dsgusted with the trend Of political AFFAIRS for h
was friend OF the Sonth this man retired from pub
lie life and devoted himself u other pursuits On,
good works. as have made his name a household wort
| In America.
SO that, when George Peabody, the celebrates
phanthropist who has done much for education
In the south, died, this gentleman was appointed
chairman OF the Board Of Trustees to carry out hi
will. This was more than twenty five years ago, ant
You readily see that he must be very old. At h
home in Boston he is calmly awaiting the call of th'
Master. 1t Was our hope and purpose, and we uset
every effort to have him grace this occasion with hi
presence, but his physical condition did not permit.
In response, however, 10 our urgent invitation, ht
has sent us letter, which will read:
Boston, Mass, May g. 1894.
Hts EYrcllancv Goyarnor Tillrpen Tho Hon W n
Mayfeld. Professor Edward 8. Joynes, Committee.
Gentlemen:
Your most obligng letter Of the 3Oth ut., reached
me last evening, and hasten TO acknowledge 1t with
my sincere thanks. When my ilustrous friend, Mr.
Peabody, to whose memory all the tributes oil
Southern schools and colleges rghttully belong
placed In my hand his great instrument Of endow
ment. more than quarter Of o century ago, and ap.
pointed me the permanent chairman Of his trustees,
did not dream for moment Of the duties distinc-
tiOns which that appointment would involve. My
heart. like that Of Mr.. Peabody was wholly engross.
ed with the welfare Of the children Of the South, and
with the restoration Of brOhery love among the peo
pie Of the Union. | could not have imagined that
should enter my s8th year. II at all to be so highly
honored as your communication announces, In the
old State Of south Carolina. Conscious Of haTing
cooperated to the extent of my ability with my fel
low trustees and with our succssiYe general agents
DR.. Sears and DR.. Curry, In promoting the vital
cause of education In all the Southern States, which
were included In Mr.. Peabody's endowment, lave
hilton. have fonnd an ample reward for oil have
done attempted to do In the signal success with
which the efforts Of our board have been attended and
blessed.
ing to its close. to the distinguished conpl
ment arranged for my approaching birthday. laost
hrartily do wish could be with you at Rock Hill
personally on that occasion, but age and infrmties
compel Inc to deny myself and can only assure you
Of my heartfelt gratitude.
The Normal and Industrial College with which
South Carolina has honored MY name had already
fulfilled the expectation and hopes Of It's friends
under the devoted care Of President Jobnson. May
1t continue To be- for centuries 70 come, an ornament
and support to the State which has so wisely and lib
orally founded it.
Believe me, gentlemen, respectfully and faithfully
Robert c. Winthrop.
will say here, by way of parenthess, that It was
Fund that the Training school for Teachers started
In Columbia In 1885, began the work which laid thc
foundations Of the institution which we are now
erecting.
- Ikaow voice the sentiment Of every man, woman
and child In this andIence anf m South oaroiina,
that 1t Is altogether fit and right that have honor
ed Calhouns friend and eulogtst by giving hs name
10 Clemson's twin sister And know you will all unite
with me in the prayer that this grand, good old man
may be spared at least to the ution Of hopes
In the assembling within these walls of 800 South
Carolina girls for whom we are preparing. Neither
OF these men can receive any honor from the asso-
citation of their names with the two colleges. Let
hope thai the youths Of State from association
will emulate their illnstrions example.
This school Is to be known as the Winthrop Nor
NAL and Industrial College. These two words "Nor-
NAL" and "Industral the two lode OF stars which
must guide our people out Of the wilderness OF pow
erty, ignorance and stagnaton, which surrounds us.
Within their meaning lies our only hope-the one
says educate: the other means work. would not be
understood claiming or intending that the women
off Stot dD nutn
rant In fact years ago in discussing the causes
OF our depressed financial condition, made the as.
sertiOn-and stick to 1t yet-thst only two classes
of our population did their due share Of work. No
observant or fairmindeG person will Geny that our
wives and daughters have met the changed conditions
wrought BY the emancipation OF the slaves with
much greater success and Orttude than the men and
that they do much larger portion Of work than we
bulk OF the labor among the cUored people 10 per-
formed by the men.
But t0 rorurn to the scope and purpose Of the two
lines Of teaching which we expect to pursue here;
the great need Of better teschers-teachers trained
specially for that vocation. There hundreds and
thousands of fairly we'll educated women In eur State
msEy OF whom are following the noble ayocstion OF
teaching, But the mere possession of knowledge
does not carry with 1t the power OF imparting It Of
exciting emulation. OF making study interesting, OF
training children how " think and exercise their
reasoning powers. have often thought that teachers
are born not made; and We occasionally meet with
those who have genius for imparting know ledge.
But the improved systems which have been adopted
In the Winthrop School, and facility with which oil
the graduates of that school 0btsn positions at more
remunerative wages than Others Of equal education,
who have not had its advantages is proof that nor
NAL training Is absolute necessity and Invaluable
Without rejecting in the slightest npon the work
which has hitherto been done In this line, II Is our
purpose enlarge and improve on that work, and 1t
will be ambition to have such professors and In
augurate such curriculum will not only furnish
facilities for persons already educated 70 get this
NAL training. but TO take the young girl fresh from
home and carry her through all the classes up to the
highest proficiency in the normal department, confer
ring degrees for the varying degrees Of proficiency.
There will meyer be any restrictions as to the num-
Der of normal students but will take oil who a-
ply for this specific training.
But along with the normal, cO.ordii.a .ated ana OF
equal importance will be the Industrial feature OF
the school. Somebody long ago said "Knowiedge
was power" In those latter days We have also come
And knowledge, coupled with skill backed BY indus
try will always insure any woman, however fragile,
absolute exemption from want and poverty. Every
father who thinks Alright, would have his daughter, II
thrown ON her own resources, able to earn her own
support The effects Of slavery upon our habits and
customs ore still plainly visible, however. We are
disinclined ss people to have our women IeaVe
home to seek their fortunes or enter into lndustrs
life. The consequence Is that, with the system Of ed
ucaion which has hitherto prevailed, preparing wo
men solely to adorn the drawing room and shine IN
society, our women have been altogether helpless and
our system Of education has been fatal olunder.
How many thousands Of our women, tenderly nur-
tured, carefully trained at the expensive boarding
schools have found themselves by the death OF iath'
er, brother OF husband, thrown on their own re-
sources left battle with the cod hard word by the
loss Of their protectors: Every day we come across
some of these and while on increasing number have
found positions OF late years clerks In stores the
vast army have had no other avenues open to them
except work sesmstresses or In cotton iactories
/ .l,ac tkat optfan antt rnts
Industries of our State have only developed In the
cosrser fabrics their labor has not been very remuner.
alive and it is only sought IS the dernier resort.
ANY one who has visited the Northern cities and fac
tories struck with the painful contrast in the dress
demeanor intelligence and evident prosperity of the
skilled female labor, compared with that which We