The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1901-05-30
NOBLE GIRLS
GOLD MEDALS
A THRILLING SCENE AT THE
COMMENCEMENT OF THE
BAPTIST FEMALE
UNIVERSITY.


CHEERS FOR sakvE YOUNG LADIES.
Who Voluntarily Nursed Their schoo
Frfsnd-when the Dread Smallpox In
vadsd the Institution-Dr. van.'s Flo
ausDt Remarks.
, Incidental to the commencement,
, exercises Of the Baptist Female
University last week, there was ar
occurrence that is not common on
such occasions. At the close of the
i. annual concert, the President, DR.
K. T. Vann, took the platform and
told a most pathetic and eloquent
story Of those days during the ses-
sion when the smallpox, got into
} the institution through one of the
servants. One of the young lady
} students had a severe case of the
dread disease and one or two Others
had varioloid. The Times Visitors
report of the incident says:
i "The entire institution, contain
ing over two hundred girls, was
quarantined for a month and the
girls endured the confinement like
soldiers. When the news of the
] dread disease became known two of
the young lady students volunteered
to nurse the girls who were sick
with the disease. For a month
they were shut in the rooms of the
building in which the sick were
confined, and ministered to their
wants, going voluntarily into con-
tact with the most lOathsome of
diseases to save the lives of their
friends. 1t was the same spirit that
upheld the martyrs in the days of
old. DR.. Vann called Miss Bessie
Love and Miss Miriam Welch, of
Waynesville, N. c., to the platform,
and bestowed upon them each a
beautiful gold medal, presented by
the students and faculty of the in
stitution, in token of their brave
deed. On one side of the medal is
engraved the name of the young
lady, and the college monogram, on
the other is marked: "For Heroic
Service February, 1901" The med
ais were pinned on the young ladies
by Miss Leila Highsmith, one of
the young ladies who had the disease,
and who probably owes her life to
their nursing. The audience that
filled the chapel and all the halls
applauded them wildly.
DIR VANN's REMARKS.
DIR. Vann, in the course of his
speech of presentation, said: "Not
many years ago the governor of
fonking province, in the presence of
a French army corps, called before
him Sister Marie Therera and ad-
dressed to her words like these.
Sister Marie Theresa, you were
wounded on battlefield of Balaklava,
while caring for our stricken sold
iers. You were afterwards wounded
at Magenta, in the front battle line.
You followed our armies into SYRIA.
China and Mexico, rendering all
womanly service and sacrifice. At
the battle Of Reichshofen you were
borne from the field and laid down
to die in heap of wounded soldiers.
After your recovery, when a shell
fell among a group of wounded who
were under your care, you seized
the death missile with it's blazing
fuse, bore it twenty yards away,
dashed it to the ground, and were
yourself mangled by the explosion.
You have continued to the present
hour in your heroic service. Sister
Marie Theresa, kneel and receive the
cross for tried valor. No soldier in
the army could wear it more worth
lily. Soldiers, present arms.' And
as the gallant Frenchmen executed
the order, the tri-colors of France
were dipped in reverent salute.
Miriam Welch and Bessie Love,
four months ago when the shadow
of a great horror fell upon our school, !
and one of your fellow students was
stricken with smallpox, when no
nurse could be procured, and the
stricken girl with her roommate
was imprisoned, in all likelihood for
a month, without suggestion from
any one, you volunteered to give up
study and pleasure and freedom that
you might immure yourselves and |
nurse the stricken ones. Your
teachers and fellow students felt
that deed like that was worthy of /
something more than passing words
of thanks. And SO they have sought |
in some manner, however made
quate, to express their high appre
ciation of your sacrifice. They have
therefore had made for each of you
. medal Of gold. I think it fitting |
that one of the sufferers blest by |
your gentle ministry, should present |
these tokens, and I shall ask Miss
Leila Highsmith to perform this
pleasant service. Here Miss High
smith stepped forward and pinned
the medals on the young ladies.l In
comforting these medals we have be-
slowed on you the badges of knightly |
womanhood. They are memorials |
Of our grateful regard. May they
also be q lifelong inspiration to |
high womanly service.
GROWING TOWNS.
Where Salaries OF Postmasters sre In.
creased,
Salaries of postmasters ct these