The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-10-12

of University training it, might bt
worth while to consider that every
one of the four Binghams graduated
with first honor at a great Univer
sity.
Its Third Headmaster.
AS has already been said, William
and Robert Bingham joined their
father in 1857 and they became in
turn the Third and Fourth Headmas
tiers of the School. Each of the -four
headmasters had great difficulties to
overcome, but the Third Headmas-
ter's work was more trying than that
OF any of the others. His father was
in failing health after 1856 and the
war came on and took his brother
away. He was man of very great
intellectual force, but of feeble
body, and he died in 1873 He had
to contend, not only with the usual
difficulties which beset those who
deal with boys in times of peace, but
with these difficulties much aggra-
waited in time of war. The scarcity
of supplies, the scarcity in the city OF
books, the scarcity of teachers, the
difficulty of communication, the ex-
element, the decentralization, had to
be met A constantly depreciating
currency and a constantly increasing
price for everything made the finan-
| cial conditions well-nigh intolerable.
But William Bingham met every
rarely exhibited.
In the absence of his brother and
in the failing health of his father, he
| Nv nv hi 70 e,
nephew and namesake, William Bing-
ham Lynch, also first honor grad
uate of the University of North Caro-
lima, in the class of 1859, who came
from the chair of Greek in. Davidson
College to the School early in 1862,
became a partner in it in 1864, with
drew in 1879 to etablish school of
his own at High Point, and went to
Florida on account of failing health,
some years later, where he still Occu-
pies a high position as teacher and
as a man.
Finding it impossible to get sup
plies ten miles from the railroad, the
Third HeadmaSter moved the School
to Mebane, and by stroke of genius
he incorporated it as a Military Acad-
envy and secured exemption from the
Junior Reserves for the Bingham
Cadets up to IS. His fathers health
Jailed entirely in 1864 and he died in
February, 1856. In December, 1854,
William Bingham became the Third
Headmaster and he carried the
School through the war and through
the depressing conditions after the
war. In February, 1873, the month
in which his grandfather, William
Bingham, and his father, William
Bingham, had died, the third William
Bingham joined the silent majority.
Its Fourth Headmaster.
At his brothers death Robert
Bingham became headmaster He
had the training of the Bingham
School, of the University and of per-
haps that greater University still
four years service in command of
men in Lees army, and he had the
benefit of very close association with
his father and brother, than whom
the country has produced no greater
instructors and guides of youth. The
panic of 1873 was upon the country.
The reconstruction, with it's period
of terrible depression, was upon the
country The School had been re-
duced to SO tuition fees It's build
ings were still the log huts erected in
1S64'o by William Bingham. Its
patronage had never extended beyond
seven States. But it is only justice
to say that the Fourth Headmaster
has not fallen behind his predeces
sors. In his hands the School in
creased steadily in numbers and effec-
tiveness. In the hands of his prede-
cessors. it had, as before stated,
never reached beyond seven States.
In the hands of the Fourth Headmas-
ter it has reached out to 38 States
of the Union and to II localities be-
yond the seas, as has already been
stated.
The MigratiOns of the School.
It's First Headmaster moved the
School from Wilmington to Pittsboro,
from Pittsboro to Hillsboro and from
Hillsboro to mt. Repose." Its Sec
ond Headmaster moved from MT
Repose" back to Hillsboro and from
Hillsboro to Oaks. It's Third Head
master moved it from Oaks to
Mebane These changes of location
were easy, because the School had no
equipment to speak Of Some people
think that a school-house is a school,
that bricks and mortar are better
than brains; but nothing better illus
trates the fact that the teacher is
the school, that brains and not NOR
tar, are the essentials of a school
than the fact that the first three
headmasters combined did not put
more than $500 into buildings and
equipment. But the time had come
for a combination of brains and
bricks President Garfield said that
the best school he had any knowledge
of was Mark Hopkins on one end of
a log and himself on the other end.
The Hon Mr.. Mebane, late Superin-
tendent of Public instruction, said
officially that up to 1870 all the pub
lie buildings in North Carolina did
not cost more than $4,000 and that
$4,000 was more conservative esti-
mate; whereas now the public school
buildings in Asheville alone cost
more than 100000. In the hands
of Robert Bingham the log quarters
of the war period were displaced by
framed buildings; an acauemic build
ing was erected and comn1odious
gymnasium was added the first one