The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-01-27
LINCOLN NORMAL ACADEMY.

To the Editor: The first Sabbath of the
New Year the friends of this school and
the Congregational church connected
Herewith gathered for the dedication OF
'Cathcart Memorial Hail." The sermon
ana dedicatory PRAYER We're by Rev A.
w. Curtis, u. d.. of Raleigh. Appropriate
music was sung including a special dedi-
cation hymn written by Mrs. A. w Cur
tbs.
Lincoln Academy is an American Mis-
sionary Association Normal School for
colored youth located four miles south
east of Kings Mountain station, in a
pine grove, on a high terrace facing
southwark with the mountain directly in
front.
Miss L. S. Cathcart, formerly mission
airy il Micronesia has been for ten years
its principal. and for the last five years
in charge also Of the Congregational
church connected Herewith.
During all these years the school has
been crowded beyond the capacity of the
plain wooden buildings which have been
erected only as necessity demanded. Last
spring, younger sister, Miss Susie Cath
cart. in feeble health for years. yet most
energetic teacher, and greatly loved by
the students, died at her post, leaving her
little ALL about s. ,000 for the enlarge
ment of the work. in erecting ccttage
for a hospital and nurses training school
and also to enlarge the boys dormitory
The cottage was built during the summer
under the personal supervision of the
principal, but the addition proposed to
the boys dormitory was deemed unwise,
because of the poor condition of that
bt1i1dincr Hoa 70 Of r0yof
a new hall, and across the street-to les
sen danger of fire. Mr. Brown, the A. M.
A. architect, drew the plans for three
story building of wood, 4Ox60, upon a.
brick basement running into the hill. Mr..
Tunis was sent as builder from the A.
M. A., and, drawing heavily on her OWN
slender means, with some help from the
A. NJ. A.. Miss Catheart ventured to
build The farmers in the vicinity, deeply
interested, drew the materials and gave
almost beyond their means.
Miss Carthcart took flying trip North
while the needed brick were being burned,
found many friends and substantial aid
then hurried back to put in her summer
vacation procuring materials and superin-
tending the work. With strong faith and
much prayer and great economy the work
WtuI Ou 10 1ull COMPREHENSION SuUuuy,
or a slovenly bit of work about it, Mean
while the school. with its six devoted mis-
sionary teachers, had been in session
since October LIST, and now with 1873 board
Ing students-all that could be squeezed
into the straitened dining hall--and $50
moro day scholars, they were very glad
to move into the new building with the
New Year. ..,f.
The church wcrships in the assembly
room. which with two elias rooms oceu-
pies the whole of the second floor, seat
ing 400. The halls and stairways occupy
the projecting front Of the building The
large grade rooms and a convenient sew
ing room are on the first floor; room for
a gymnasium and two other grade rooms
on the third floor. The large basement
makes a splendid shop for carpentry work
and conservatory. ALI the inside finish
is Of hard pincs oiled and vanished to-
bring out the. grain. The five other
buildings also shine with two or more
coats of the A. NJ. A. colors. We have
been observing the week of prayer with
great gladness in the new chapel
A. W. CURTIS.