The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1894-04-26
SENATOR VANCE'S LOVE
FOR SALEM'S VENERABLE FE
MALE ACADEMY.
Sent the Girls Two Barrels Sugar
During the War Other Bright
and Happy Incidents.

Sent the Girls Two Barrels o Sugar
During the VI ar Other Bright
and Happy Incidents.
While the life and works of the
great statesman, who has just been
laid to rest, are still fresh in the
minds of our people, it is right and
proper that we should recall to our
minds the special relation he bore to
one of our institutions during the
late Civil War. viz, the Salem Fe-
male Academy.
THE ACADEMY DURING THE WAR.
1T will be remembered that the
Academy was flied TO it's utmost Ca
pacity during those trying times:
many whose homes had been burned
and refugees from their native towns
placed their daughters in the Acad-
emy, feeling that they would be safe
and well cared for: others felt that
their own homes might he attacked at
any time, and to find secure shelter
committed their children To the ven
erable schnO! home. Still others used
it in the ordinary way, to secure the
educational advantages.
TROOPS PASSED THROUGH.
But all these causes combined pla-
ced in the hands Of the great war"
principal, Rev. Robert de SchWeinitz,
Il task which few men could have per-
formed. 'Ghe simple task OF securing
the necess a y food supplies for three
hundred and more pupils, with the
large list of household attendants,
was one Of great ditliculJy. To this
was added the dangers accruing from
necessary ccnfusions which accompany
warfare. Bodies OF troops, both Con-
fedcrate and Federal, passed through
this section from time TO time. The
horses, so necessary to carry on the
farming interests, were menaced more
than once: the protection needed for
the very bodily safety Of the pupils
was 1T times Il question of deep
anxiety. With these and many other
perplexing questions on the mind of
the Principal, the weary months and
years dragged by.
SYMPATHY AND KINDNESS.
Those who were present at the
Vance memorial services on WedneS-
day, April 18th. will call TO mind
the high tribute paid to Gov. Vance's
extraordinary sympathy and to his
heart SO filled with kindness. With
these peculiar traits We will not Won
der that when Principal de SchweinitZ
placed the difficulties of his position
before Gov. Vance, he at once met
with Il NEST hearty response. All
through those dark and tcmpeStuOuS
times, when the great hearted states
man was caring for soldiers and clti-
Zens, women and children, in all parts
of the State, Nc portion received more
sympathetic and continuous aid than
did the Academy, with the hundreds
of precious young lives sheltered be-
meath it's roof. When special sup
plies were needed, Gov. Vance secur-
ed them when such thing was pos
sible.
READY TO. PROTECT.
Had special protection been called
for, he would have been swift to re-
spond. In every way that was
possible he gave his influence to
aid the school in successfully dis
charging its trust, and the truS+
was faithfully performed even to the
close OF the struggle, never since tie
beginning OF the century had the
doors of the school been closed for a
day, summer or winter, and with the
| blessing of God, under the protection
and support of the now departed
statesman, President de Schweinit2
was able to threw wide the doors OF
sheltering Alma Mater throughout
| the entire war season, as well as in
| times Of peace.
DE SCIWEINITz AND VANCE.
| Well does the writer Of this sketch
| remember the meeting Of these two
noble men at Il recent commencement
| season of the Academy. The Senator
| was the honored orator of the occa
! sion. With his ready wit and magnet
| ic manner he had held his audience ar
| hour or more. All were charmed, al
| delighted but none more so than the
| bright young women students-tht
| Academy pupils. When the of1icia
exercises were at an end the company
repaired to the spacious dining hall o
| the Academy. and Senator and Prin
cipal. each with hair silvered will
age sat down, side by side with th'
| daughters of those who d generation
earlier they had sheltered and pro
tected. The company was yer,
bright and happy one, and none wht
were present will ever forget it; bu
the central figures were the venerabl,
statesman and the aged Principal
| both esteemed and revered for tn.
great things they had accomplished
Happy speeches were being made, an:
good will and pleasant humor wa
abroad, when Principal dc Schweinit
arose and said: young ladies,
| want to tell you of one special fayo
that my friend, Gov. Vance, did m
|
1t was near Christmas time aud w
had
NO CANDY AND NO SUGAR
to use in making candy, and ther
was great lamentation Throughout
the school. In my sore distress [ az
pealed to my friend Vance and b
sent us two barrels Of sugar with lii
tie delay, and our mourning was turne
to JOY" The young ladies laughe
heartily at the pleasing manner il
which the Governors friendly gallant
ry was dissented, when Senator VanC
slowly arose, looked calmly over th
scores of bright faces turned to him
and said in mock solemnity: Il d
not recall the grand act which m
friend, Principal de Schweinitz, ha
just dissented; but one thing 1 do kno
had / been aware Of how beautifl
Salem Academy girls are, | Woul
have supplied them with all the suga
they could possibly have used, if hd
been obliged to call on every soldis
in North Carolina to get it y
RECEIVED SUGAR AND SUPPORT.
J The applause that followed th
J characteristic reply of the Governs
i may readily be imagined. But b
r meath these pleasant after dinner r
+ marks there ran a deep current
solid fact; for not only did one call c
the other for sugar, but he called {
!. him for support and for protectio
and not only y-was sugar supplied, b.
support was supplied, and had Il
emergency arisen, the entire reser
soldier force of North Carolina wou
!, | have been called out to protect t.
: young lives within the Academy.
Warm and bright. should be t.
memory of
!. ZEBULoN B. VANCE