Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-01-21
GREAT DAY AT WINTHROP.

GREAT DAY AT WINTHROP.
All DAYS are great days at Winthrop
college. Every day there are nearly
five hundred young women receiving
intellectual, moral, religious and ply
sical training that is destined TO make
them irresistible forces in the uplifting
of their present and future homes and
in increasing the power. glory and
greatness of South Carolina and the
nation.
But last Saturday was a great day
in another sense. AS the result of the
throp's great president. Mr.. d. B.
Johnson, the state of South Carolina,
through her representatives., was ena-
bled to get an actual glimpse Of the
splendid work that the institution Is
doing. and from what can be seen,
heard, thought and felt, draw inspira-
ton in the contemplation of the splen-
did new era that is now dawning upon
the state.
Almost the entire general assembly,
members, officials and attaches, accept
ed President Johnson's invitation to
participate in the Lees Birthday cele-
bration and a special train from Co
lumbia brought not less than 200 peo-
pie, all of whom were received by the
Winthrop faculty and students as they
disembarked in the college grounds,
taken to the college and treated to a
day of entertainment so full of charm,
novelty, good fellowship and instruc-
ton that it will likely remain impressed
upon the memory Of most of them for
many years to come.
Most complete and admirable ar
rangements had been made beforehand
for the entertainment of the visitors.
Every contingency had been provided
for. The Daughters of the Confedera-
cy took q very prominent part in the
work Of entertainment, plotting the WIS.,
itors about the ground, showing them
through the buildings, and waiting up
on them at dinner, and Of course, they
made a great success Of it all. The
girls from each county took charge or
home folks.
From the train the visitors were es-
corted to the college auditorium. There
President Johnson announced the pro-
gramme Of the day, and told how 1t had
been arranged that visitors should be
shown through the college from four
different directions. each party being
pended upon to discharge their respec-
tive duties without any resulting con-
fusion and during the next few hours
until the 2 o'clock dinner, the building
was done most thoroughly, the visitors
being entertained and instructed by
what they saw in every department
from kindergarten to manual training,
music, art and literature.
The dinner was tremendous attalr,
some 600 people being seated at about
sixty tables, accommodating ten per-
sons each. The visitors were seated
at the same tables with the students
and members Of the faculty. The din
ner consisted of turkey, rice, ham, po-
tatoes, coffee, fruit, mince pie. 1t was
splendidly prepared and delightfully."-
served, the walters having become ex-
perts under a system that requires each
of those occupying each table to take
week about as mattresses. After the
dinner had been in progress for nearly
two hours, President Johnson raped
for order. and called for the toasts. TO
Speaker Whaley had been assigned the
first response, the sentiment being ap-
propriate to the day and the occasion
as follows, Robert E. Lee-l have LED
the young men of the South in battle;
I have seen many of them die on the
field: l shall devote my remaining ener-
gies to training young men to do tnelr
duty in life" Speaker Whaley elo-
uuently. but earnestly, pointed out the
lesson of service in Lees life as mil
itary leader and president Of Washing
ton and Lee University. The other
speeches were in a lighter vein. The
toast card was as follows Hlgh
Schools" Hon. ]. w. Nash Of Spartan,
burg: 1.-The State of South Carolina,
Senator ]. E. Boggs Of Pickens: the
General Assembly" Lieutenant Govern.
or II. G.. Mcleod; winthrop College,
Hon, Olin Sawyer of Georgetown;
Higher Education" Senator w. N.
Graydon of Abbeville: "The Common
Schools" Hon. o. B. Martin, state su-
perintendent Of Education: "The City
If Rock HILL" Mayor John T. Roddey;
"The Press" Capt. w. E. Gonzales, ed
itor of the State; Woman" Hon. j. M.
Banks of Orangeburg.
That the utmost good humor pre-
vailed and that the entire company
was in delightful spirits goes without
saving. The speakers said many pleas
ant things about President Johnson,
the college, the faculty and the young
ladies. So friendly was the prevailing
sentiment that applause hung on
triggers
notable feature of the esprit de corps
of the whole institution seemed to be
confidence in and enthusiasm for
President Johnson. The girls do not.
of course applaud with shouts like
horrid boys. They confine themselves
to handclapping; but they are under
no handicap in this respect. They can
make a noise that will drown all
other sounds, and whenever any
speaker said anything nice about Mr.
Johnson. no matter what, the big dln-
ing room would buzz with an enthu-
siasm that left no question of the pop
ularity of Winthrop's president
During the speaking there came
out q fact that is now pretty gener-
ally appreciated. Whenever Winthrop
needs anything, it becomes the bus
mess not only of all the present stud
ents but of all who have ever belong
ed To the institution to put the mat
ter up to representatives and other
state officials Of their acquaintances
i'm personal letters. These letters are
OF such nature as to call for replies,
and when the replies are all gotten
together they show something 10
about the same effect as a completed
roll call with the announcement that
"rhe ayes have it." and it is as 1t
for anything that she does not need
and never fails to make good use OF
il after she gets it,
At this time there are enrolled at
Winthrop 49S girls. OF these 432 find
sleeping accommodations in the two
dormitOries and the others board in
Rock Hill. OF the large number who
were TUNED away last year, more
than 200 were prepared to comply
with the entrance requirements. They
were denied admission for lack OF
room. A new dormitory like those
already in use will cost 100000. The
Peabody education board has already
given $4,000 for the purpose of the
dOrmitOry, and the Legislature is be-
ing asked to appropriate the balance
of $4,000 to become available in two
annual payments. The proposed new
dormitOry will give accommodations
for 200 additional girls and President
Johnson calculates that they can
have all the advantages of the college
at an extra cost Of only $4,000 year.
But it is not to be understood that
there is any doubt about the general