The Savannah morning news., 1901-10-20

named by Speaker Gibbons he and the
other trustees appeared at Bethesda.
Johnson peremptorily refused to sur
render possession until he could carry
the matter into the courts. Two con-
stables were then sent out from Sa-
vannah and he was forcibly dispos-
sessed, some violence, johnson claim
ed, being used in accomplishing this.
From what is known of the disposition
of the manager it is not surprising
that physical force had to be
resorted to to carry the new law
into effect. Johnson's conduct led to
his Imprisonment temporarily. During
his confinement he claims to have re-
ceived flattering proposals of appoint
ment as president of the orphan house,
with a liberal salary, on condition that
he submitted to the regulations pre-
scribed by the trustees. On his hber-
alton he endeavored to take legal steps
to secure possession of the property.
The family of the Countess of Hunting
don and other interested parties in
England apparently gave him no en-
couragement or support and the va
Iidity of the law was never contested
as he desired.
The history of Bethesda for the next
ten years is obscure There is reason
to believe that little was done by the
trustees at the home. The times
were not propitious. The country was
lust emerging from the shadows of the
struggle for liberty. The income was
necessarily small, and the scope of its
usefulness must have been limited.
The inauguration of a college was pre-
mysterious at such time, and the trus-
tees were too level headed to undertake
a utopian scheme. The lands that had
been left by the Rev. Bartholomew
Zuberbuhler in trust as part or the en-
dowment of the proposed college were
probably those referred to in an act
If December s, 1871, setting aside the
haonests made by him of lands in
Chatham and Glynn counties ana vest
ing them and his personally IN the
Waldburgers as nearest KIM
The orphan house, only partly re-
stored after the fire, was allowed 10
fall into further decay. A Metnoolst
nreacher visiting it in 1900 wrote tnaC
in one of the half-ruined wings ne
found a small family of whites living;
in part of the other wing
family of negro slaves. I1e
remainder had been converter M NJ
formerly inclosed the orphan nousS
1,reroises were leveled with the GROUND
ana in many places the foundations
were ploughed up. There was no scnoVi
Of any Kind. at the place and the whoie
was rented at $50 per annum.
The school Re-estabhsheo'
While the trustees had been unable
IN maintain Bethesda as in FORMER
years they endeavored to execute their
trust nv conducting an "Engllsh reau-
10 writing and arithmetic schooF' In
savannah for the free education or poor
children. Having accumulated sollle
funds they decided at meeting 81
Nav 6. 1901, to repair and complete tne
north wing of Bethesda Inc pIeslue!te
and Messrs. Morrell and Gibbons were
aaa aointed committee ito contract
with suitable persons to undertake
the same" AS soon as room con-
venient for the purpose OF a. school,
and room for the residence
Of a tutor were completed, the school
,aferred to was directed removed from
the city to Bethesda. The salary ol
the tutor was placed at $500 year
and the president was authorized 70
aneaee him. Applications for the al
mission of orphans free We're oruereoa
wade through one of the members OF
he trust. who should vouch for the
Indulgence of the orphan. The children
~ moor parents, similarly vouched for
yyare 70 be admitted only so far as
schooling was concerned, unless 1t ap-
neared "that their parents were in so
distressed a condition as not TO be able
70 maintain the children, in which case
they could be admitted to the tree
grounds of the institution as IN tne
Ease of real orphans" All other chill
dren whose parents might desire them
educated at Bethesda were to be adj
mitted to the school at the rate OF
"a a quarter for reading and spelling,
81 a quarter for writing, and IS quar-
ter for ciphering. As soon az SUFFICIENT
accommodations were provided poara-
avs we're "a be admitted. In order 10
induce parents 10 place their children
al the school and "to exhibit the IN
tention of the trust 10 establish an
early and complete seminary OF learn
Ing OF Bethesda" ~ was resolved that
AS soon as the north wing was re-
paired steps should be taken imme-
diately 10 repair the south wing. ana