The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-06-14
commencement.

Last week was Commencement week at
Due West. 1t is the great occasion OF the
year In that city of letters. and great numbers
of people are always present to do honor 10
the people and to the splendid colleges which
that people have built.
Erskine College paved the way for denom-
national Colleges in this State. Although
the Associate Reformed Presbyterians we're
weakest In point of numbers, yet they led all
the rest in the noble effort to educate the sons
of the church. Erskine Is the fountain head
OF Presbyterianism In the South. Nearly all
the preachers in hat Church were educated
at Due West. And 1t is true that Ersktne
has SEMI out many noble sons for service in
Other denominations. The blessings of this
Institution extend to every part Of this cour-
Try, and lis influence In the world of letters
is everywhere felt.
The Due West Female College was organ
lied more than thirty years ago, and from its
walls have been sent out some OF the best
women that the world has ever seen. With
out exception their education, their talent,
and their loveable personality has exerted an
influence Tor good among men and
their labor has been for the CORY of
the world to come. This editor when a
child of twelve years, left the parental roof
with the prayers an j the blessings OF a pious
mother, that he might learn The printers
trade in the Erskine Miscellany office-now
the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Office.
Dr.. j.. l. Bonner, and DR.. j. o. Lindsay were
then the editors. H. D. Wray. H. L. Holland
William Siansell, Pink Starnes, John Il.
Darlington, Coleman q. Pickett, H. Manly
Darlington. Frank Clerk, and others were
were printers In the Office at different times
while we were an apprentice. DIR. Lindsay
sold his interest in The paper at the close OF
1851, and DR.. Bonner was sole owner until he
died. From childhood to old age We have
loved Due West as we have loved no other city.
Although all the men who we're In the fore
front in 1851, with the exception o fProf. ]. F.
Lee and ]. Marion Bell, have gone to their
reward, yet, to US 1t is Due West still. and we
love the name OF the town apd revere the
memory Of the past. The printing office In
Due West has always had a warm place in
our heart. It's association in our heart has
been homelike. But for some reason un-
known to us. that paper has time and again
given us more and deeper wounds than any
other. We may have deserved 1t all, and
may have reason to be thankful that our
treatment has not been more severe.
1t may be that in forty years Of fidelity and
continuous effort that we have done nothing
to commend Us TO favor In the sight OF the
old Office, where we were once treated SO
we'll. II so, more's the pity.
In 1859. DR.. ]. 1. Bonner was the first en-
dorser TO our note for the purchase OF this
Office. DR.. E. E. Pressly, whom we thought.
and still have no reason to doubt, was one OF
the best men on earth, was one of the sure
ties. Col. d. o Hawthorn and job Mathis,
with the father OF this scribe made up the
note.
But we digress. The personal JOY and the
heartaches Of any of US are as nothing when
compared to the great festival of letters that
annually takes place at Due West. The files
OF the Press and Banner for twenty-five con-
years best attest the value and i'm
of these occasions as we'll as our
affection for the colleges and people. II the
columns Of the Press and Banner do not now
nave as much in them about commencement
as in former days, the fact may be accounted
for in that other fact that we are older now,
and the journey is more fatiguing than 1t was
10 former years. We were younger then.