The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-01-20
THE GIRLS COLLEGE.
ROCK HILLS CROWNING GLORY AND
ORNAMENT.

First Annual Report of President ID. B
johnson of the Winthrop Normal and
Industrial College for Young Women
The Record of Successful Year.
Rock HILL, Jan. S.-Some persons
who have not been thrown into 8
state of ecstasy at the growth OF Rock
Hill have been heard to make remarks
about the improperly of "blowing
ones own horn" On this point Rock
Hill has clearly defined views: First,
| if you have horn and blow 1t your
self, some one will probably hear it,
# you don't use your breath, however
fine your instrument, it may never be
heard; then it is absolutely necessary
that your horn be heard lastly, cele-
brated performers on musical instru
ments are largely Indifferent to the
feelings of the audience at large;
their endeavor is to satisfy themselves
and the chosen few whose approval is
valued; in this last respect Rock Hill
differs from tho musician; she hopes
to give forth a note that will please
the entire world.
For some years the talk of Rock
Hill was about factories and other
business enterprises. In the last two
years different note has been heard
| in the strain; this last is the song OF
| Joy over Winthrop.
When it was decided that the Col
lege should be located here there was
great joy; torchlight procession with
bass and kettle drum accompaniment
was needed to show our feelings; when
the time came to deliver sixty thous
and dollars worth of bonds, aud as
yet the College was in the future, the
pleasure was not so pronounced; but
there was never finch or doubt. Be
fore the building was near completion
| all doubt was at an end, and from the
day the doors of the institution were
opened all have felt that, for some
years at least, Winthrop College was
the most attractive of all our attrac
tions.
A visit there is source of inspira'
ton; the building, with larger popu'
lation than that of many towns, seems
alive with people moving hither and
thither until the visitor ceases to try
to watch all who come and 60, and
confines his attention to what IS most
interesting to him. It does not make
any difference to what department he
goes he finds it busy; everyone has
something to do and no one is idling.
It is this incessant work and admira
BILE order that made possible the re-
suits which have been obtained.
The report of President Johnson on
the work of the last year has been
submitted to the board of trustees and
has been adopted by them and will be
presented to the Legislature. There
are several reasons why it ought to be
full report. It's the first annual re-
port of an institution of which much
is expected and for which, according to
our means, much has been done; then,
too, the Legislature soon to meet is tc
decide whether additional buildings
are to be built. To enable one to form
a just opinion about this, the very
fullest report of work and prospects
ought to be submitted and considered
carefully. We will not attempt any
discussion of this report; it consists al
most entirely of facts which stand fol
themselves. We will give extracts
from it that will be of interest to the
public.
"The Winthrop Normal and Indus
trial college at Rock Hill closed its
first session successfully last June,
notwithstanding the difficulties at
tending the organization and equip
ment, alb initio, of every department
and the classification and instruction
of three hundred and thirty-fve Col
lege students, all new, except twenty
seven, who came from the junior
class of the school, SIS conducted al
Columbia, and seventytwo children
in the practice school.
1--WE kept within all of the financial
estimates as to expenses of students
made in our prospectus before the op'
ening of the College and also within
the appropriations for the mainte
nance of the College made by the
General Assembly, as will be seen
from the financial statement accom-
tpanying this report.
"Good board, including furnished
room, light. heat and washing, was
given for So. so a month, and the aver.
age cost of the uniform dress was only
$22. 81, when it was estimated that il
would be $50.
"As one result the satisfactory work
| of the first session there has been a
most auspicious beginning of the sec
ond.
"The attendance is already greater
than that of the whole of last session
and would have been still larger il
there had been ,,dormitory accommo'
dations for all those making applica,
ton for admission. -.
"Of the 800 who applied for admis.
sion to the College last summer, 403
have been enrolled, but only 24O OF
them could be accommodated in the
present dormitory. The. Others are
boarding in town at increased expense
and at much inconvenience to them
selves, and away from the..wholesome
restraint of College discipline, in
great measure. Very many of the
800 who failed to enter college could
and would have attended at the small
cost of living in the dormitory, but
could not meet the greater expense of
boarding in private families, and 9th
ers were not permitted to come by
their parents when it was ascertained
that they could not be in the College,
directly under the supervision OF the