The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-12-17
CRITICIsEs THE NORMAL.
Dr.. G. N. Ivie Declares the Manage
ment Should be Changed.


press in relations to the state of affairs
at the Normal and Industrial College in
Greensboro, is to say the least, astonish-
ing. For some unknown reason to the
public, the press has had but little to-
say regarding this sad affair. This being
a State institution and deGr to the hearts
Of the people eff our Stats Those who
have NOT suffered directly are shocked to-
know that there exists some where at
this institution a cause that has darkened
many homes and made many sad hearts
throughout the domains of our State
What this cause may finally be, and who
is to blame for same, cannot say. How
ever ] do know that there is some ex-
isting circumstance that so poisoned the
SYSTEM of the young ladies in attendance,
that in many cases. has resulted i'll death. /
have recently stood by the grave Of
my beloved sister, who fell a victim to
this deadly poison. ! was by her bed
side for ten days ard nights, she was
also attended by five other physicians,
doing all that medical science and skill
could do, yet with no effect The dead
" poison which filed her SYSTEM was
sufficient to have killed half dozen strong
mon. There is a side to this sad picture
4
question that the public would like to
have answered Why was it that these
Young ladies. orr sisters and daughters,
who were so near and dear to our hearts,
were kent huddled in this pest hole. as
it were. until the situation was so alarm
ing, with scarcely no knowledge of the
sid state of affairs scaping the college
domains? 1t is now known that sew
L. q. -.
Of this school. girls were falling in sick
ness almost as soldiers in battle. Yet it'll
seems that the management Of this i'm
stitutioD. to whose tenderest care these
girls had been entrusted. all the while
was indifferent, 50 far as the public
knows. treating this as a very slight af-
fair. and is known to have spoken con-
temptously in regard to it even after
deaths had occurred In the college. When
the news of my sisters illness reached
her home. brother went for her. They
seemed 10th to have her leave, which
resulted in her remaining at the college
amid the poison some days longer. Later,
after my sister had grown much worse,
She was refused the privilege Of sending
me telegram, as to her condition. One
Of her friends wrote me by letter of her
cDNIHIlOHs Il went 1OI utI at VuCts anu
found her condition critical, which re-
suited in her death. ] learn this has
been the experience of many. What
moral or legal right did the management
of this institution have to keep these
girls confined there under such critical
circumstances? Tor common sense or the
exercise of the least reasonable Judgment
was sufficient to have shows any one
~.
at this institution, as many girls as were
constantly falling, In the same condition.
This is indeed a serious affair. If it,
be criminal Indifference and neglect on
the part of the management. 1t is moth
ing more nor less than murder, if it oe
incompetence it is surely scandal.
Whatever it may be, it is to be greatly
lamented that our state institution
should be desecrated by a management,
who for any reason would jeopardize the
lives of innocent girls trusted to their
care. Were not their lives more sacred
than the public welfare and name Of this
institution. Again. were these girls pris-
oners of war? that they should be held
together under any circumstances? And
it is indeed heart-rending, either for
criminal indifference or incompetence, to
HilNG lueul KEPT cDLuilkst dAif4d HAANiiiF
ic whose startling rapidity was enough |
to alarm the dull Arab of the heathern |
world. Yet no word was spoken, no
action was taken, until the situation was
So grave as to force its own way into
the public. If even common sense had |
ruled at this institution, school would |
have been suspended before my sister
and many others We're taken sick. The |
Normal and Industrial College has been
the pride of our State, and from this |
standpoint, aside from the loss our loved |
ones tins sad affair is much to be re-
GREETED. But whatever has been our
feeling in the past toward this institu-
ton. however much we have loved it,
so long as it remains under the same
it deserves to become a |
'.by word and reproach'' among all de-
cent institutions of our land.
G. NJ. WE, NJ. d.
Stoneville, n. G.
I'VE regret that DR.. Iyie feels called /
upon TO write in this strain. Readers Of
this paper know that nothing has been
kept from the public, but that this pa
per. along with others, has insisted that
the facts in the case be ascertained and
made public. We have no rea-
son to believe that this has not al
ready been done-Ed.l
------