The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-06-15
INTO SOUTH CAROLINA AND BACK.
Observations and Impressions Pro-
duced by the Changed Condition of
Things-the Spirit of the New South
Materially, Morally and Iatellect.
uaJIV.
Communicated

Materially, Morally and !ateliect.
uaIiy.
Communicated
Travelling by rail in these last days
ones first feeling a. he misses the noise
and crOwding. and obstreperousness OF
the negroes from the ear in which he has
been accustomed to sit will be one OF
to the man who drew the
Jim-Crow bill, and specially to the
Legislature that made it a law. The
plan of letting both races travel together
in the same ear, did not promote the
comfort or aimability of the white man
and certainly did not improve the man
ners OF the negro.
THE NEW SOUTH
is no longer a dream but an actually.
The traveller notes this as he sees fro IN
the car window the succession OF factory
towns, from Henderson and Franklin
ton to Raleigh ana from Raleigh to
Charlotte by either line OF railway. The
struggling villages Of other years, with all
their marks Of un-thrift. have given place
to others which wear the cheerful gar
ments OF hope, progress and prosperity.
And the country around these factory
towns, formerly given over to cotton and
corn, most Improbable servants, is now
occupied largely by truck and dairy
farms which yield larger revenue.
These remarks apply also to South Caro-
lima. Old things have passed away.
New things are taking, have already
taken their places The changes indi-
Gated found ample illustration in
SPARTANBURG,
Il, 4 he, t.,rp # NV
tourney. Stopping there in other years
| did not find it different from other
small towns in the South; without any
great amount OF capital Or enterprise
and apparently without any great
future. Now there is u population of
10000 souls with all the marks of in
definite growth. In the town itself more
than 81 900, 900 have been invested in
manufactures. In the whole county
there are % cotton mills into which
more than $6,OOO,OOO have been put
OF course | noted with pleasure this
change of industries with thecorrespond
ing increase OF prosperity, but it was
not of them that | wished to write
specially. Considered alone they might
well awaken anxiety, as cating
utter engrossment in the desire for
wealth | had noted on my journey
other things which filled me with hope
and Joy. One could not miss the factory
walls, and tall smoke-stacks, and white
cottages. Neither could he miss the
school-buildings. Some OF these are
larger and far more costly than the
factories and are fitted up with all that
art and taste can do. Durham and
Greensboro furnish notable instances.
The New South is wide awake and in the
race with the other sections of the
country, for financial inpendence and
power. The Newest South is struggling
hard for moral and intellectual develop
ment. This spirit finds expression in
CONVERSE COLLEGE
whose annual Commencement | had
come to witness This Institution is
like a splendid dream. 1t has grown up
in nine years and its first conception as
well as it's execution is due largely to the
man whose name the college bears. Mr..
ID. L. Converse is OF New England birth.
In 1855 he removed to Spartanburg to
be the manager of the Glendale cotton
mill, near the town. La 1861 he went
into the military service of the South in
the first company which was raised in
Spartanburg. Later, by request OF the
citizens, he was detailed by Gov. Pickens
to reopen the mills. He has continued
in the business ever since and prosperity
has attended him. He is now perhaps
the wealthiest man in the town. Ten
years or more ago, his attention was
directed to the need OF better educational
facilities for Southern women. After re-
peated and earnest solicitation his
pastor, DR.. B. F. Wilson, consented to
! 4 l.,, fnnnInr opI ha,I Of
college for women. DR.. Wilson is Il
native of South Carolina, a graduate of
Davidson College and Princeton He il
a man of large administrative capacity
and is thoroughly equipped for his work.
At the outset he decided that the College
should be placed above the small and
low grade seminaries of the country, SO
as not to come into competition with
them. This has been done. He also
determined that the College must furnish
what a purely UNCONVENTIONAL institu-
ton can not always give; the highest
scholarship without irreligion, and re-
Iigion without offensive sectaranism
The conditions Of the charter are that
the four leading denominations must be
represented in the Faculty and on the
Board of Trustees if any one shall get
majority on either Board the charter is
forfeited and the property reverts to the
original owners. These were lofty ideals
but they have been carried out. Money
was required and it was given without
stint. From the first Mr.. Converse has
been the largest contributor. His first
gift Of $40, 900 has been followed by
other and even larger gifts. Buildings
which meet every requirement of such an
Institution stand in a campus of fifty
acres. The equipment, from the pipe
organ which cost $1,000, to the In
Urinary and the kitchen, seemed to me
complete. The sanitary arrangements
according to so competent an authority
as the american Journal Of .Sunitatoa,
satisfy every demand OF Science. There
is an endowment of $1IO,OOO. Last
year 452 girls, representing fifteen
States, were gathered here. Thirty four
of them were from North Carolina. The
graduating class consisted of twenty
four members. Five of them were North
CarOlinans: Miss Johnston OF Asheville;
Miss Payne of Wilmington; Miss Nc
Brayer OF Shelby; Miss Gibson of Scot
land county; and Miss Mary Hufham of
Henderson. 1t was gratifying to learn
that these North Carolina girls stand
in the front rank for scholarship and
lady-like department.
PERSONAL.
Among former North Caro.lIianS that
met were DR.. Watkins, for twelve years
pastor of the First Presbyterian church
in Raleigh, and Rev. DR.. Landrum, for
about the same period Baptist pastor in
Marion. Strong ties bind these brethren
to North Carolina. Many a time they
= he =
Old North State. \ cordial welcome
home awaits these sweet spirited prodi-
gals if they should decide to come back.
DR.. BRATTON,
the new President OF ST. Mary's, has been
filling the chair OF History in Converse
College. | saw much of him during my
stay and he was my travelling companion
on the way home. rejoice that he is to
be the head of this old and popular
school. | do not know where the Trus-