The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-06-24

iII.IIEIs MANUAL LABOR SCHOOL,
The Noble and Unselflsh Work ofTwo
Men Who We're Nneducated.
Two penniless, orphan boys named
reared In the ragged mountains" near
Charlottesville, Va, were accustomed
to pick blackberries and sell them to
the students OF the State University.
Though raised in poverty and ignor-
ance they had bright minds, and as
they gaZed at the great buildings of
the University and witnessed the lordly
airs Of the students they began to
reason, and one said to the other {:
Boys like us can never hope to go to
school, but | will tell you what we must
do. Let us 90 to work, make money
and establish school for the children
Of Albemarle County"
They talked over their plans, dream
ed about them, grew enthusiastic over
them, and strange TO say, kept them
steadily in view as they grew to man
hood, ane went vigorously to work to
push them to completion.
They were shrewd, enterprising, in
dustrlous and very successful business
men, and soon began to accumulate for
tunes. John Miller died in l849 leav-
ing an estate Of 800, 900, in fee simple
to his brother Samuel but with the un-
derstanding that it was to go toward
establishing their projected school.
Samuel Miller died IN 1869 in Lynch
burg where he had lived and made his
fortune. He left 100000 to establish
an agricultural department in the Uni
| versity OF Virginia, 100000 to a girls
orphan asylum in Lynch burg Ito which
he had given during his life about
S2OO. .O00), 100000 in private legacies
| and the residue to establish "a manual
labor school for the benefit of the poor
children Of Albemarle County, Va"
The will was contested, but after
seven and half years litigation was
compromised, and the executor, N. M.
Page, a good old Baptist deacon of the
neig ghborhood, had managed the estate
so snperbly, (changing investments,
reinvesting accumulated income, etc.
after paying out $4,000 in legacies,
S2OO,OOO as compromise to the contest
ants, and 100000 in LAWYERS fees,
costs. etc, he turned over to the board
OF trustees, the Governor, Treasurer
| and Auditor OF Virginia, for the estab-
sishmcnt of the school the sum Of oae
| million two hundred thousand dollars
| tSl, lUU, ,UUU,) which was over $lOO, 600
| more than the whole estate was valued
| -.
Will add, to complete the remarkable
| financial history of the school, that we
hav now 200 acres Of land, beauti-
| tul grounds and buildings, shops, phys
| lcal laboratories. electric plant water
works, and very complete equipments
| Of every description, all of which has
cost over $780, 200 and been fully paid
for, and the school has been running
for over eighteen years at an cxpendi-
ture OF over one million dollars, and yet
we have invested to-day in good inter.
est bearing securities one million four
hundred Thousand dollars Isl, 400, ,000)-
| two hundred Thousand moro than the
executor originally turned over-which
yields an income Of $72, 900 (scvcnty.two
thousand dOllars) per annum for the
support Of the school. There have been
no gifts since Mr.. Millcr's original leg
acy.
But must not go into the detail Of
the history OF this school, and will only
say that the manual labor" feature
has worked admirably, and the results
have been most gratifying. All Of the
300 pupils are required to do their share
farm or in the garden, in the wood and
iron shops, and in the foundry, wait on
the liable, learn printing, telegraphy,
type-writing, etc. The girls wait in the
dining room, learn to cook, learn dress
making, bonnet making, embroidery,
house cleaning, the art Of the laundry,
drawing, painting, music, etc. None
are excused from these duties, and
when one develops special talent for
% particular department special op-
portunity is given for perfection in that.
The result is that although the
school has been in operation only eigh-
teen years, 1t has sent out men and
women who are doing excellent work
in various positions of honor and USE
fulness.
miller school boys" are now profes-
sors in Clemson College, S. c., the Uni
versity of New Mexico, the A. and M
College OF New Mexico. Emory and
Henry College, Virginia; two at the
Virginia Polytechnic College, two at
the Louisville Manual Labor School,
two at the Industrial University of Ar
kansas, six at the Miller School and
one at the University of Virginia, and
many OF them are occupying important
positions in machine shops as electri-
clans, etc.
Girls were not admitted into the |
school until about eight years ago, but
they are beginning to show the results
of their training here, and many of
them are already illustrating the very
great advantages Of the manual labor"
traiuing. And such Is the high opin-
ion Of the school entertained by the
public that people are moving in num-
bcrs into the county to get It's advan-
tage for their children, and at recent
meeting of the board there were ten
vacancies in the school to fill by the ap-
poihtment OF pupils, and over 200 appli.
cants.
--zass e.
The worlds production OF copper
In 1909 lnnrnnt