The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1904-07-16

Dulld1nR was uSed Tor some time as q
hospital. and within it's walls not a
few Confederate soldiers were nursed
back to life, or had their wounds
healed under the careful attention Of
skilled physicians. Later the proper
ty came into possession of Mr.. Geo.
w. Ragsdale, who leased it for some
years to different individuals for
school purposes. Later still the
property passed into the ownership of
several citizens of Grenada, who al
lowed it to be occupied by schools for
the general good OF the community,
as at that time there were no public
schools.
From these owners the splendid
property was bought in the year 1882
by the North Mississippi Conference
and has remained the property of this
Conference ever since. For twenty
years the Conference leased the
grounds and building to various in
dividuals, who conducted school for
whatever profit could be made, but in
1902 the policy was changed and Con-
ference took possession of the property
and commenced conducting school
on its own account through its board
of trustees of the institution. While
under the leasing system the school
was successful, and the foundation
was laid for continued advancement.
Under the direct control and man.
agement of the trustees the educa-
tional progress made has been moth
ing less than phenomenal, and there
is, indeed, an exceedingly bright
future for this most worthy of schools.
| MANY IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENTS.
The addition and permanent inn
provementS made to the property has
been great, but what counts for even
more than this is the increased inter
est in the school, manifested by the
whole Conference and by the patron
izing public. The pastors are alive
TO the need of an institution for the
higher education of the daughters OF
the Methodist families of the Confer
ence and are full OF faith in the pos,
sibility of building strong college
by the plan adopted.
Under the present efficient manage
ment the college has shown marked
degree of progress. The first year un
der this regime witnessed the erection
of a substantial, thoroughly comfort
able and commodious new chapel, suit
able class rooms, and twenty-eighl
dormitory rooms. These additions,
together with furnishings, necessitat
ed an expenditure Of $4,000, ant
proved valuable acquisition to th'
institution, inaSmuch as it provided
accommodations to greater numbe
of students. This summer the BOart
of Trustees is remOdeling and modern
izing the interior of the main struc
ture, which, when completed, will
give an added capacity of about fort.
girls. This increase in capacity wa
demanded by the pressure of peopl
for entrance of their daughters, which
heretofore had to be denied in numer
Gus cases because of lack of room
These repairs, if such they may b
termed, make the main building prac
tically new, and cannot fail TO be
source of qualification to the friend
of the college. All interior walls an
ceilings were torn away and made new
the floors have been re-laid double wit
high-grade flooring, two flights of cas-
steps at convenient places constructed
: land the whole interior changed, twer
ty-four additional rooms, all well light
ed and ventilated, being the result
An elevator has been put in the rea
of the building Another importan
, improvement and one that will be al
preciated is the hot water heating sy'
tenn, which has been constructed
, all parts of the building, thus assurin
{. perfect comfort during the wlntt
!, months. Hot and cold water batf
, have also been added, and fire escape
, have been furnished to each wing, de
+ igned to avoid crowding in case of
+ panic from any cause whatever.
i EXTERIOR DESIGN cHANsED.
, In the basement will be the culinal
J, department, the dining room and ii
+ baths. The whole basement wi
e have concrete floors, will be lightt
It by twenty-four large prism-glass wi
+ dows. The ceiling of this commodio1
# apartment has been raised full TO
and is supported by neat iron column
4