The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-05-16

and sallow faces are met with but 1t is the
exception, not the rule In behavior the
operatives are polite. mannerly and cour.
teous. They all work with snap.vim and
vigor. u
school. There were eighty pupils in the
school, whose ages ran from six TO ifeen
years. the girls out numbering the boys
Every child that 1 saw looked fresh and
clean. The girls had their hair combed and
cured. The boys were as full OF life az young
calves. There was not child but what mad
the glow OF life in his or her face. They had
plenty OF books and were com Portable. The
school building was attractive within and
without. The seats we're Of the most improv-
that would surpass that factory school build
From the school 1 went into the homes OF
the operatives. At the first place stopped
aud preparing dinner. There were three
rooms In the house-two bed rooms, dining
room and kitchen combined. In the bed
/ room there was a.handsome oak suit consist.
there WAS baby cradle and very pretty
clock. There were pictures on the wall. The
bed was we'll furnished and the linen was as
clean as any hotel would have. The room
the house kneaded the dough. two happy
looking chubby checked children played
about the house. The youngest member OF
the family. an innocent looking infant was
wrapped snugly In the cradle. The woman
looked to be about twenty.six years old. For
| thirteen years she had worked in cotton
she '' was vas an mill hand. She likes @ The be- life lie
around the cotton mill and Is perfectly salts
fed. .....
"One ofthe teachers In the Atherton cotton
ago: Il teach about twenty five children.
They come from the mill settlement. l have
visited the homes OF every pupil In my room
and found cleanliness, comfort and happiness
OF five OF my patrons. The parents at each
home can read we'll and all but one can write.
In three OF the homes saw organs and in the
other two pianos. On the floors of three
saw carpets and rugs, and In all clocks, tables
from three to four nice beds and abundant
chairs. The cotton mill people are very fond
several places saw. quite variety OF pot
flowers and In many front yards flower plants
and fruit trees. There were twenty-siX chill.
dren, sixteen girls and ten boys. in the five
years. All were we'll and cheerful. The
Atherton mill school Is well attended, the
Interest grows all the time. On Sunday the
most most % efthem e to sunday schooi.' Cd ''' anu
"In passing through a mill settlement some
weeksago, stopped at the home OF a middle
aged man who had five children working In
house. I met him some distance from his
house: l said: Il want to see how you people
live. 1 would like to 90 in some home where
severa, children Iye He s started ted In jtfy
house. I have five children, but they are In
the mill Entering the house from the rear
Wa went through the dinning room into
bed room and then into the parlor. The old
gentleman was proud OF the parlor: He
threw back the window curtains and pointed
to the large pictures on the wall. They were
paintings from photographs of bis children.
The floor OF the room was carpeted and In |
one corner was an organ. From kitchen to
to garret the house was clean. When mine
host had seen me to the door he said: i
farmed on rented land before ] came here.
but could not feed my family there now.
like the life here. The mill hands do not
change from mill to mill as they do In some
mill. The owners will not have any but arst
class people as operatives. like my employ
ers. They treat US well II We behave In like
manner toward them. five mlsbehave they |
When moved here the superintendent
warned me against drinking. He said that
he would have none but sober help. He
meant what he said, for have not seen a
two years ago., Every week my family con-
sisting of two boya, and three girls, make an |
average Of $40. My children are in good
tented. All Of us belong to the church and
attend regularly
II went from house to house and heard the
same story; Indeed. there Is no problem at
the mill owners and operatives, dwell in.
harmony. The problem was solved when the
drst help was secured.
i The various religious denominations In the
mill sections are doing great deal for the
factory element In the South. Preachers call
on the operatives and their families at their
homes. Churches are built and preaching
and Sunday school conducted at nearly every |
mill. Within the last five years In the South
much has been done for the betterment OF the
condition ofthe cotton mill help. The work
Is still going on. .--.,
"No one who knows the facts as any one
can learn by going to the mills, can doubt
tn at the people who work In the cotton mills
OF the South are far better of In every way
than ever before.
"North Carolina has $4,000 operatives"