Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-06-09
1892, AND 1902.

Today when the ever hospitable cltizens
of AfilIedgeville have been toasting ana en-
PERTAINING Minister WI T1ng-F ang,
worthy representative of far-off China
and he. in choicest English has been adj
dressing youthful Georgians on COM
mencement day, n seems appropriate that
a woman who has lived all her days IN
Georgia should tell of few of the changes
for the better that have taken place IN
that city since those far-o1 times wneh
II would have been considered little snort
Of sacrilege for a heather to attempt 70
instruct and edify Christians. OF for the
state to establish college for white girls
wonder sometimes where we are at,
ANYHOW? The civil war has knocked out
a good many Of our most cherished IDEAS
and IL we live long enough we VIII ac-
knowledge that these changes nave peeh
beneficial to the largest number Oh peo-
pie, and that Is progress.
MiuedgeviIle is lovely with her elm
shaded streets. her comfortable homes ana
kindly people who make you so happy that
YOU never want to leave them
A far back as I can remember the
southern Recorder, published in Milledge-
Vile. was a regular visitor at our mouse.
mill n ceased TO exist as an Independent
naner NV father was an old-time WING
and that paper advocated his style OF poh-
tics Nv first attempts at learning the
alDnaneI were IIOHA It's AaAAAA-NA
which were considered less awesome ana
fornidable TO the youthful mind than the
standard blue back spelling book. HOW
ever the pictures of the runaway slaves,
with the budget on the end OF a STICK over
one shoulder interfered wofully with the
attention II was desired and expected
should be given to a, b, c, etc.
How splendid 1t is that there are no pic
tures of runaway slaves in the papers OF
TODAY That change has been decidedly
beneficial 1 wonder If Minister WI ana
his secretary. Mr.. Chung, experienced as
great difficulty in mastering the rudiTnents
Of an English education as we poor Geor-
CLANS? II not, then the Chinese mina
must be Of superior quality, and It's All
right for them to come over ana clVlilze
US.
The Southern Recorder inspired me in
later years with a growing desire 70 VISIT
the place where the wise men OF Georgia
assembled each year TO make laws not
only for the men who voted for them, Du1
also for the women. the children ana the
negroes who did not.
think that paper must have been re-
sponsible also for the idea that possessed
me that legislators were selected as such
because of their superior degree OF excel
Iency morally. mentally and physically.
nv first visit to the state capitol In Mil
ledgeville, in the winter of 1865. anninlated
all those preconceived Ideas. The king
English was murdered then as now by
representatives and Mr.. WI cannot eNcei
them along that line.
Ny spleasantest. recollection Of that day
was an introduction to Hon. Joseph f.
Brown by cousin John Thrasher, then
a representative from Fulton county Gov
ernor Browns friendly manner and plain
common sense soon made me feel at ease
in his presence. 49,
The capitol building impressed me as be-
ing very shabby and. dingy, but the war
clouds cast a gloom over everything and
| everybody A. long drive to the Mnatic
| asylum was the next feature Of my visit
! DR. Green and HIS family resided IN the
asylum and wondered how my old
school friend. Matte, retained her seTzse
| I'M that place When one of the inmates
Rugged and kissed me was frightened
out of my wits and left in short order.
The fnebriates were in evidence. as they
| are. today occupying the room that should
| be reserved for the insane who do not
wiIfulIy destroy their minds by the use Of
alcoholic and other narcotic poisons.
The next place of interest was the state
penitentfary. Convicts in stripes with ball
/ and chain on their ankles were unfamiliar
sights to Georgians. for they were shut
from view In this penitentiary. The APP
| pearance of the squad emerging from the
large gate to do some work on the out
side is indelibly fixed in my mind. The
| equally brutal-looking guards who follow
ed them wherever they went, and those
who paced their seemingly endless round
on the walls appeared 20 be Of the same
| order OF beings. and / arrived at the con-
| clusion that all the horrible things had
been thrown at Milledgeville in lump.
But change came
In 1892 when l made my second visit the
/ capital had been removed to Atlanta.
Il I add hod the
state lunatic asylum. and still there was
! not sufficient room, for. in defiance Of
/ the law inebriates continued to fill the
| places that should have been reserved
| for the worthy insane who were fncarcer-
| ated in jails and police stations. The walls
| of the state penitentiary had been leveled
| to the ground and on its site stood a hand
some brick building known as the Geor-
| gia, Normal and Industrial college and.
| like the Iunatic asylum, 1t was crowded
| TO it's utmost capacity. but by the young
girlhood of the state who desired to be so
| educated that they would become self
supporting, The old governors mansion
| served as dormitOry.
| In 1902 again It was my good fortune TO
| visit Milledgeville and / found a vast
! Improvement. Atkinson hall had been built
| and an annex to the executive mansion.
II the spot where the cd jail of the pen
itentiary once stood a lovely flower gar
den now yields It's treasures OF qua anc
| blossom under the fostering hands of
''mine host" Mr.. A. r. Phillips.
Miss Jennie Fords model kitchen and
dining room is nearby in a lovely white
| cottage. and behindxit, on the site of the
old penitentiary brick yard is a very fine
vegetable garden. also under the care. Of
] Mr.. Phillips. who furnishes the vegeta-
| bles for the boarding department of the
college. The main college building is to-
| tally inadequate to the demands made
upon 1t. From top 60 bottom 1t is crowded