The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-05-16
ROCK HILLS GRAND GALA
LAYING OF THE CORNER STONE OF
THE WOMEN'S COLLEGE.
Ten Thousand People Form the wit.
Messing AssembIage-Elab Ex-
ercises and Ceremonies In the Old
County Of York.
From the Columbia State. |

n From the Columbia State.
Rock Hill, May l2.-To-day men are al
gathered together. Political differences fO
the first time In years are cast aside All ar
one In this matter of the education OF the VIC
! men Of the State. Tlllmanite mingles wit
Conservative and Conservative meets ant
} grasps the hand Of Tlllmanite with the bes
} of feeling. Men may wrangle among them
selves, but when woman, that greatest gift Q
God, and her material welfare IL 10 be consid
cred, they cease to wrangle. At least 1t Is 81
with the South Carolina man.
Throughout this day the hearty good feel
Ing which has attached 10 everything In rela
tion to The Industrial College has been pre-
served. Every man seems TO be proud of th
dawning Of the new era In the education q
the women OF South Carolina.
Then, again, the people OF Rock Hill, which
active business town In the State, now hav
ing 5 OOO inhabitants, and street cars running
and rumbling all night, are hospitable peo
pie, and they have done everything possible
TO make every man, woman and child fee
perfectly at home. In this effort the people
Of YORK, Lancaster and Chester have hearti
| ly united with them, and between them they
have accomplished more than any one ex
pected in the way OF entertainment.
| Rock HIPS guests began 10 arrive on Fri
day, and by Friday afternoon 1t was extreme
| ly difficult 10 secure hotel accommodations
But provision was made for everybody, ant
no one has gone hungry or wanted place L
sleep. The crowd has been enthusiastic
from the very first. and this enth uslasm hai
been kept up all the way through.
THE EVENTS OF THE DAY.
| At 9:55 o'clock the first instalment of the
visiting crowd arrived In the city. Long be
| fore that hour everybody had been up and
doing. music had been sounding upon the
streets, the sidewalks were lined with all the
preparations tor the success OF the greatest
day In Rock Hills history we're practically
completed. The Fort Mil band went to the
depot about 9:SO O'Clock and along with them
| went majority OF Rock Hill's citizens and
members Of the reception committee TO meet
| the students OF tue Winthrops brother col.
lege-CIemson. This train, which had left
Clemson ut T.. tn., was composed or many
coaches and had aboard besides the faculty
OF the college, the corps OF S8 cadets, all In
| full dress gray uniform In command OF Lieut.
Donaldson, Of the United States army, and
many people from along the line OF road be-
tween this city and Fort Hill. There were
| about 800 In all. All of the members OF the
| faculty came except Profs. Hardin aud Hart
and DR.. Brackett. The boys were soon drawn
into line and the battalion formed. They
had had their guns only three weeks. but
| handled them like veteran soldiers and made
handsome appearance.
THE GIRLS OF WINTHROP.
At 1910 o'clock the special train of eight
coaches which left Columbia at q. m. ar.
rived in the city. There were over GOO visitors
aboard. Among them were the corps OF sixty
fair students Of the Winthrop Normal Col.
lege who next year Will come TO Rock Hill 10
attend the very school the delegation OF
In charge OF President IL. B. johnson and
1he following members OF the faculty: Miss
Leonard, principal, and her assistants, Misses
McCants, Woodrow, Souther, Bonham and
stoney. The girls seemed to be happy and
did not seem 10 have minded their long ride
In the least. They were soon taken out TO the
college grounds and given sests OF honor
Accompanying the Winthrop contingent
were all Of the teachers or the Columbia
graded schools and few OF the scholars. In
addition TO these there were the young ladies
of the South Carolina College for Women OF
Columbia, In charge Of President w. T.. At
kinson and his faculty, and then again there
were plumber OF The students OF the South
Carolina College. They were accompanied
Finn or the faculty. The college boys wore
special badges and Joined In the parade.
their way to the city hall to await the forma:
tion of the parade. Governor Tillman stood
upon the piazza of the Carolina Hotel and
watched them pass.
Among the notable visitors who came in
upon the train from Columbia, not including
those mentioned above, were w. d. Evans.
r. R Hemphill. Col. F. NJ. Mixson, John
Ssgy Sea aES ESaRT % G9 W f. We
son, Rev. NJ. NJ. Kinard, Geo. Evans, j. T.
Barron, F E. smith. Com ptroller General
Ellerbe, Mcdonald Furman, Mrs. Hannah
mlssioners OF the College, Miss Blanche
O'Neale, Miss Grace Moore, Miss Agnes Nc.
Master and other ladies from Columbia and
elsewhere.
PREPARING TO CELEBRATE.
About 1890 o'clock the carriages for the
specially invited guests began To arrive at
the hotel, and very Soon the committee OF re-
1 tod fhnIr
cupunts out, placed them therein, and they
were driven TO the masslng point. In the
meantime the Masons, the members OF the
State Grand Lodge, began to assemble also al al
they donned their elaborate regalia. There
were many Of them, and they came from all
parts of The State. The contingent OF. M Masons
was in charge OF the grand officers of the
Grand Lodge OF the State who were to lay the
massive and beautiful cornerstone OF the
handsome new building which Is destined so
soon TO become the educational resort OF the
young women OF South Carolina.
THE PROCESSION MOVES.
Shortly before IL o'clock the procession be-
gan to move. 1t went up Main street piece
| then down Caldwell, aud turning out OF Cald'
well proceeded down White street until the
road leading directly to the front of the beau.
tiful college building was reached. The pa
rsde was In every sense OF the word mosl
attractive one.
|
| Jones, the chairman OF the committee Of ar
rangements, and the members thereof.
| Following came many OF the marshals o
the day and the Gold Hi cornet band.
committees of arrangements and all Other
committees.
Then followed the Governor of the State
and all Stale officers and The members OF the
reception committee I'm carriages.
| Following the carriages came the State
Grand Lodge of Masons. There were 10 or lOl
members Of the Lodge, all wearing full re
galias and bearing in their hands the varl
Gus symbols OF the order. They made hand
| some appearance. They were escorted by .
members of Rock Hill Lodge, No. Ill.
Following the Masons came the corps o
Clemson Cadets.
THE CORNER STONE.
The cornerstone was placed just above th'
granite foundation In The east corner OF tn
tower, and faces Oakland Avenue and th'
city. The stone Is gray sandstone. three Zee
thick the larger base being al by 31L inches
and the smaller 70 by 81 inches. On The OAK
land Avenue face of the stone will be tn
following inscription
| Winthrop Normal and Industrial! College
= | 1891"
Bruce & Morgan, Architects.
Thompson & Decker Construction Company
Builders a. ID. 1891
On the other face there appeared
Board of Trustees: B. r. Tillman. Govern
or, Chairman; E. 5. Joynes, II. 3. Buistt: W
j. Roddey. W. N. Elder. \. {. Fuller, F. 3
Gary, w. ID. Mayileld. Il. a. Crawford. X. X
, Hemphlll, d. w. McLuurln, A. H. Patterson
j. f. Brazeale, w. b. Dunlap, Secretary ant
Treasurer.
SurInounting The stone proper was anothe
r somewhat smaller stone with the following
inscription on It's south ftce -. p. Dend!
q. NJ. A. l.. 5S94," the Masonic embleuIs ap
peariug in The center. On the east lace wa
the inscription, Nv. II. Stewart, Superin
: tendent."
EIGHT OR TEN THOUSAND.
| ly ipn