The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-09-20
New Series-V0l. XIV. No. 9


showing who were present and lend
ing their aid in the establishment OF
an enterprise that means so much to
the whole township.
The exercises were commenced by
singing America the Misses Dar-
gan leading, which one Of them per.
formed on the organ and another on
the violin, the audience joining in the
singing.
After a prayer by the Rev. Mr.
Barnwelll Mr.. Cain was elected chaiT~
man. Mr. Martin, the State superin>
tendent, was then introduced and de-
livered a most thoughtful and am>
pressive address on the public school
system and showed by vivid illustra>
tions the great benefit derived by
merging several small schools into
one large one and making a high
school Of it. He said that combina~
ton and cooperation was the spirit
of the age, and spoke of the great
success in all lines of business by
many working together under one
head and uniting their energy, reso-
luton and determination to attain
their object.
When Mr.. Martin closed his adj
dress Mr.. Wallace spoke of his ex>
perience as a teacher and county SUI
perintendent of education, and told OF
the success he had met with in Rich
land county in combining several
schools into one and having the chil~
dren conveyed in covered wagons
from the surrounding country for
miles to the school house, and advised
the people of this township to com~
bine their schools if it was possible to
do it. Mr. Wallace in a simple, un>
affected manner dilated on the object
lessons that could be set before the
children in such school by teach>
er who knew his business and tried
to do his duty, and the inspiration to
the children by such lessons to LEAD
lives of culture and refinement.
| At the close of Mr. Wallace's adj
dress Mr.. Pearson gave short but an~
structive and interesting talk on Our
Wild Birds" telling, from his own OBJ
seryation. their value to farmers ia
! their destruction of insects and the
seeds of troublesome and harmful
plants, and expressed the hope that
lessons on these birds will be taught
in the schools of the State.
At the end of this address the meet
ing adorned for lunch, after which g.
business meeting was held to discuss
the possibility of establishing the high
school, and when everything had been
talked over it was agreed that anoth>
er meeting would be held at the same
place on the 18TH. when the trustees
would report upon the practicability
of establishing the high school at
once.
It is proposed to get Acton from the
present owner, DR.. George Dick, Of
Sumter, to hold the school exercises in;
The dwelling house at Acton was built
by Francis Kinloch, a member Of con-
gress during the Revolution, about
1900 It is a large house, in beauti-'
full and very healthy situation, 'anG
Mr.. Martin said, when he saw it, thar
it would be the finest country school
house in the State. It would be an
ideal place for high school in the
country and it is sincerely to be hoped
that the plan can be carried out and
bring some more people here, rors.
like many other country neghbor-
hoods, this one is being rapidly de~
serted, and the excuse often given is
lack of schools.
Col. Dargan, to whom credit is due
for inaugurating the idea of essah~
! fishing the school. forcibly pointed oOt
the good to be done, not only i'm an
| educational way, but to encourage
people to come here and those thac
are here to stay. Almost every young
man as soon as grown leaves to gee
work somewhere else; none wish to
farm under present conditions, and if
something is not done to keep people
here one of the most beautiful and
healthful spots in the State will be de-
serted. and two of the Oldest churches
in this part of the State. the Church
of the Holy Cross. Episcopal. and the
High Hills Baptist Church will be-
closed.
People seem interested. and It is to
be sincerely hoped that all who can
will go out on Tuesday, the 10Th, and
| find a way to esta blish the school, as
the beginning of a movement to