The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1907-09-19
BAMBERG C.. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER l9, 1907
DENr1ARK'S SCHOOL.

DENrlARK's SCHOOL.
Fine Opening Last r1onday Morning.
Addresses Delivered.
DENMARK, Sept. 16.-The Den
mark graded school began the fall
session this morning with the follow
ing excellent corps of teachers in
charge: Prof. E. H. Hall, superin-
tendent; Prof. John R. Jefries, prin-
cipal; assistants, Misses Minnie Tim
mie, Leila Sellers, Georgia Graham,
Harriet Ketchin and Ellie Blyth.
Miss Irene Whisonant of Blacksburg
will be at the head of the music de-
partment. Sight singing will be
taught the entire school. Instru-
mental and vocal music will be taught
pay pupils. This is Miss Whisonant's
first year at Denmark. Her first
days work shows that she will be
hard worked the entire year. Prof.
Jeffries is also q newcomer. His
work will be wholly in the high school
department. Mr.. Jeffries is grad
uate of the pedagogical department
of the South Carolina university and
comes highly endorsed. A teacher
for the commercial department. of
the high school will arrive in a few
days. The Inauguration of this new
work promises to be quite popular:
The opening exercises were simple.
Good talks were made by Messrs. S.
G. Mayfeld, C. C. Ellzey and j: B.
Gillian, the latter two are members
of the present board Of trustees.
The new high school building. now
in course of construction, will be
completed by January. When pres
ent plans are completed, Denmark
will have one of the best equipped
public schools in the State.
It is difficult to say what will be-
come of the old wooden school build
ing. Some 20 years ago, when the
community was without a school
building of any kind, the people were
called together at a public meeting
and money was subscribed for the
purchase of a lot and the erection OF
school building. Messrs. S: D. M.
Guess, ]. G. H. Guess, H. G. Rice, j.
2. Steadman and G. w. Goolsby
were named as trustees and the
property was decided to them as
trustees of Graham school. The
above named gentlemen contributed
the bulk of the money to build the
school. :.
About IL years ago a special dis
trict was created and a public board
of trustees assumed control of the
property, which was the beginning
of the present system of excellent
schools. Until recently the public
board of trustees was composed OF
members of the original board, when
the school was run as a pay school,
supplemented by public funds. At q
recent election a new public board
was elected with a great issue which
involved the location of the new
building. On this new board not
one of the original five was elected.
The campaign was waged with BIT
terness, with final victory for the
new town, now known distinctively
as Denmark. Before the election,
two influential members of the old
time board expressed themselves as
being willing to donate the old prop
erty to the public schools, but, on &C.
count of the feeling created in the
hot campaign. they have gotten to-
gether and asserted their right to the
property and will likely refuse to
turn it over to the public.
The public board, which most OF
the time preceding the recent cleo.
ton, was composed of members OF
of the old original board. It is ru
mored that there was a tacit under
standing among them that all i'm;
provements put on the old schoo!
building should 60 as payment OF
rent by the public school. This agree
ment, if it is true, has never been an
nounced to the public, the voters;
the tax payers, although the real
ownership of the property had been
discussed at public meetings many
times.
The people are really expecting the
old board to donate the property tc
the public schools and are watching
the issue with intense interest.
The original cost of the old build
| ing was 81 900. Public funds amount
ing to S1,600 to $4,000 have beer
spent on the old building, enlargine
and repairing. The donation Of TIM:
property to the public trustees woulo
remove every handicap and a fine
equipment would be the final out
come. Lawyers have given thel1
opinions freely, unsolicited, and the
real point of legal right is still debat
able.
The old board consisted of the
strongest men in the community
Their release of the property woulc
onlv he in harmony with the grea