The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1906-09-06
AT CHILDHOOD'S OLD HOME.
FOUR DAYS IN HARNEfT AND ABOUT.

since the printing OF last lssue'
The first day out was r.snctuated
with such unplessar. incidents OF
trsvel that the other days had to be
acked pretty FULL Of better things in
rider to >ven up. But things eyened
~ all 1lght and we came out FORUM
ia ut last.
A wreck on the Seaboard road de-
Eyed us so long that we would not
have made connection for the Raleigh
nd Southport railroad had there not
Oeen sorne kindred trouble on that
road. We arrived at Raleigh quite
toe late to make the regular connec-
yion, but some disabled engines kept
% waiting until nearly IL O'Clock at
night, and We reached our destination,
chalybeate Springs, about five hours
ate, namely, IL 80 O'Clock Saturday
morning.
Through the kindness of Mr.. D. 81.
sxenter, at Chaly beate, we we're we'll
AIRED for, and in the early forenoon
.4,rIyed at the site OF the old Lockamy
sahool house, now Christian Light
church. It was here we spent our first
day at school when a boy about six
7ears cid. There was scarcely thing
nat bore a familiar look except the
Kite sand in the road and the oak
1-ee around whose roots and in whose
shade we ran and shouted IN school
GOV glee during recess hour and the
midday "pIay time" A score of years
writes great difference and stamps a
treat change on trees and fields and
faces.
The occasion that took us to the
rIace was a Sunday-school celebration,
anticipated in by Christian Light
sanday-school and several other neigh
s,oring schools which had been invited.
hundreds of people came together to
enjoy the occasion, but in all that
tarong there we're more strange faces
than familiar ones. Since our child
hood days and the last visit to the
place verify a new generation hath
arisen; and this fact made the hand
grasp and the greeting of childhood s
com panions more cordial and more
Joyous. ..-.--..---.-
Language is too poor to furnish de-
acription OF ones feelings on suoh &C.
casion as this. In one short hour the
stretch OF years is lived over again,
and the feelings that we'll up must be
suppressed.
The days exercises consisted OF
singing by class trained for the COCA
sion, short talks by the representatives
Of the various schools present and a
fig and bounteous dinner on the
ground for all. Together with a mum
tsr of others, the writer made some
remarks regarding the great work Of
:unday-schools, and the enthusiasm
which characterized the speeches indl
Gated the live interest which the PEG
pie of that part of Harnett feel in the
work.
The singing was without instrument
Of any kind. Just the sweet, earnes
voices OF the girls and boys, youns
women and young men made music
enough without instrument.
All, the changes that have com,
since the days when the old "Blu,
Back" speller was the only book tina
two thirds of the school children studiee
for the first year or two of school life
And be it said to the credit and goot
sense OF the school teachers there now
they still use the old "Blue Back" some
It ought never to be abandoned en-
tirely.
AZ vail SAAO AdhAO 0AA dOU uOAGlOl
al who participated in the days exer
cises would be unfair to those left out
so we must be content to say that i
was a great day and one that the Sun
day-school folks and the people gener
ally OF that community will long re
member as a glad day indeed.
HARNETT CoUNTY's DEVELOPMENT.
Perhaps no county in North Care
lima has made better development dun
ing the past ten years than Harnett
and 1t is certainly true that no peopl
deserve it more, for the people of Hal
nett are amongst the best in the lanG
For half century they have been Gu
Of from many OF the better advantage
enjoyed by the people of many othe
counties, but new impulse has touch
Ell the county and new spirit actuate
the people and they are rapidly deve
oping in intelligence aud materis
prosperity.
Educational interests in the count
have been greatly quickened durin
the past ten years, and the Du
ham and Southern railroad from Car
to Dunn, and the Raleigh and Soutl
port from Raleigh to Fayetteville, are