The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-29

schooi was divided into three divisions and
an additional teacher employed. Mr. r
W. ODorn resigned at the close of the
last scholastic year and Mr.. C. P. Mingle
dorf was appointed TO fill the vacancy ETa
resigned Jan. l, 1888, and MIR. w. S. Hea,h
was appointed principal. Mr. Heath fills
the position with great credit 10 himself
ana satisfaction TO the managers. | take
pleasure IN calling attention to the report
OF the superintendent of public education
on the condition of the school,
Inc matron, Miss Gillespie, resigned Jan.
the vacancy
The farm last year furnished the homo
with an abundance of vegetables. This
season, however, the crop is not so prom
lslnS' OWING 10 the continuous dry weather
ana the heavy frosts this month. The
farm is In excellent order and all the
buildings at Bethesda in good condition.
Ihere are 102 boys at Bethesda Thirty
I'VE boys left during the year and thirty
one We're admitted, making total nuns
per OF boys there during the year 1873. The
boys have enjoyed good health. except in
some Instances where illness was brought
on by vaccination
we are indebted to Messrs Lawton &,
cunningham and Messrs. Lester &. Raw
enel for legal services during the wear: 10
Hon ii. L. Ferrill for services in inden-
turing the boys; to Drs Duncan. Heirs
Lanier and Chisholm for medical atten-
.Ion' ana TO Drs. Mingledorf and Back
man for dental services.
Through the efforts of Prof. Ashmore
the children of the public schools of the
CITY contributed several hundred books IN
the boys Hbrary5at Bethesda These gifts
are appreciated, not only in themselves
but as evidence of the sympathy OF the
boys and girls of Savannah for the or
phans at Bethesda.
me Sunday school has been conducted
by Mr. Heath, assisted by neishbors. and
the officers of the orphan house.
Since our last meeting the society has
lost two of its Oldest and most devoted
members-eX-Presiden Joseph S. Fay
VINO died at Woods Hall, Mass, and Col
George s. Owens of this city, an honorary
manager
Deg leave to refer you to the reports
OF the several committees and officers Of
The society for further information. Yours
respectively. j. H. Estiu
President Union Society.
After the meeting the members. under
the escort of the boys headed by the
pand proceeded to the stand under the
oaks After a prayer by Rev. r. Webb
President Estill introduced as the orator
OF the 18th anniversary Rev. John d.
Jordan of the Savannah Baptist Church.
VINO uellVered a most interesting address,
Mr.. President Members of the Union So
ciety, Beneficiaries of Bethesda, Ladies
and Gentlemen: 1t is matter of deep
personal regret to me, as well as to you.
mat the chosen orator for this occasion is
unable to be present, and this regret is
intensified by the fact that his absence is
due to his personal illness. In the midst
OF an extremity the society has turned to
me TO save them from having to report
this part of the programme blank.
CHANGING at the addresses of a number
OF the men who have spoken before this
society, 1 find that they nearly all begin
with an apology about a lack of time to
prepare, and therefore they had to speak
'off-hand." When 1 am prepared 1 speak
on-hand, when, unprepared l use a man.
uscript Lake Pontius PLATE of old, What
have written,I have written" and 1 must
stand to it,
If 1.-The words of my mouth" could make
clear 1.-The meditations of my heart" l
would need no excuse or apology before
you this day, but, with a medley of IDEAS
and confused tongue, 1 fear my effort
VIII be an apology only. Yet, if God can
be gloritied and this noble cause can be
fostered thereby, l present myself will
ing sacrifice upon the altar of your char
ity.
We stand to-day upon historic ground
sacred ground, 'hallowed with a thousand
memories of the noble dead, but even more
sacred because it is dedicated to the high
eskof purposes, developing the life and gem
Jus, and directing the powers and destiny
Of the helpless living-the noblest work
that God has given to mortals.
While this ground is sacred to us because
of the noble, generous souls who founded
this institution and those who have main
tanned it, it is even more sacred to me be
cause SO many barefoot, orphan boys have
made tracks upon it while in training for
the graver duties and sharper conflicts of
life.
AS 1 turned hurridely over some pages,
kindly furnished me by member of this
society, I was struck with the number of
names of distinguished persons who have
been connected with this institution either
in its official management, or as orators
or as visitors, and l thought what va
rlety, and how instructive it would be to
have the history of many of them. Then
1 thought how instructive il would be to
have a history of many of the boys who
have been brought up here. The boys.
where are they? Once they played upon
this sand waded in this marsh, and
climbed these trees 10 see the pillows of
the incoming tide, and with thousand
fancies did they dream how that some day
the tide would bear to them a ship laden
with good fortune Still the tides ebb and
flow, and the pillows rise and fall, but
what about the ship and the boys? Some
of the boys took passage on the steamer
Good Fortune. and others sailed on Ill
Fate. Boys who were brought up here
have become honored and successful bus
mess men in Savanhah-honorable citizens
cot no mean city," Others have done well
in other cities, some have become farm
ers, lawyers, doctors, preachers and con-
gressmen. l learn that one has been Gov
ernor of this state and filed his station
we'll In our own America,
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrims PRIDE
phan boy.
Many boys, who were brought up here,