Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-11-27
Miserllaneuu5 Ratlin9.
WORK OF THE D. A. r.
State Regent Tells of What Has Been
Accomnlishad

Accomplished.
| One of the most interesting feature.
Of the recent annual conference Of the
Daughters Of the American Revolution
was the report Of Mrs. Robert Moul-
trie Bratton, the state regent. which
was, in part, as follows:
Daughters of the Twelfth Annual
! Conference of South Carolina. Ladies
and Gentlemen-As / come before you
for the third time to render my annua
report, 1 am forcibly reminded Of the
two small boys discussing with delight
full anticipation the near approach Of
Thanksgiving. What shall we have
for dinner?" said one. why, turkey
and cranberry sauce. of course,
came the quick reply. "Oh, pshaw!'
said the other. I'VE had that las
Thanksgiving" So it seems, however
good the food may be, the palate tire.
Of it oft repeated.
A state regents report must neces.
sarily follow the same lines each year
therefore the only amends 1 can Offer
you for possible sameness is the prom.
ise not to detain you long.
1t is indeed a pleasure to greet sc
large an audience this morning and
extend to each and every one cordia
| welcome, thrice welcome to the 18TH
annual conference.
/ believe in this yearly assembly OF
the Daughters. 1t is here we gather
fresh courage and enthusiasm for oul
| work and grow in warm touch, one
with the other. Our experiences OF
the year are detailed. From the sue
cess Of others we gain inspiration, and
from the failures we profit by expert
ence: for it is only through failure that
true success is attained.
am happy to report our state work
well organized and its growth most
encouraging. My especial work has
been along the line of organization, as
I consider large representative mem
bership Of prime Importance to the
success Of any state society.
u
qualification to hear the vice president
general in charge Of organization re-
port to the last national congress, that
South Carolina tied for third place In
the states, showing the largest in
crease in chapters and members.
1t is my pleasure to report three new
chapters since the last conference
the Lieut. Samuel Bacot Of Florence
the Old Cheraws at Cheraw-and one
recently organized at Laurens, which
adds to our roll the illustrious name
Of Henry Laurens."
At five other points in the state
have begun the organization Of chap
ters. These may not develop during
my remaining term of Office. but al
any rate will prove easy foundations
for my successor to build upon.
The total enrolment of new mem
bers for the year is 1873; total MEM
bership $50; number of chapters 25.
These figures indicate success and
interest, but Daughters, "let us not be
weary in we'll doing" Pause a mo-
ment and reflect what this organiza-
ton represents. Go back in memory
to that long, unequal struggle Of eight
weary. blood stained years! 1t is In
memory Of deeds Of valor then enact
ed that we have banded together as
the Daughters of the American Revolu-
ton. Women of Carolina, women OF
Sumter, l call upon you to glorify
that memory by wearing our honored
insignia.
But think not for a moment that
when you have proved your eligibility
to the Daughters ranks and purchased
the golden wheel that your obligation
has ceased. All, no, it has only begun!
Tell me not from what stock Joe grew
But prove me your stock, by wha
you do"
There are graves in lonely neglected
spots awaiting recognition.
"Ah! we'll to mark their resting spo
To Daughters Of a veteran dead"
There are valuable records buried
in obscurity. Bring them to light ant
place them where the ravages Of time
can not destroy that succeeding gen.
erations may profit thereby.
There are historical buildings fas
falling into decay and fading from
sight. There are battlefields we'll de-
fined upon the pages of history, but diff
| fcult to find in real life. The path
way to them Is almost lost your wo-
mems hands can clear the way.
| This work was left for us to do,
Waiting a century or more.
'Tis ours, the joy and duty, too,
To honor thus brave men Of yore."
There is a generation of children
growing up. See to it that the names
of Sumter, Moultrie, Pickens, Marion
Rutledge, Hayward. Laurens and
host Of others are as familiar to then
as their very alphabet. And, oh
Daughters, let not your efforts be al
in the pleasant places of life. Confine
them not entirely to the handsome
graded schools Of the cities and towns
Rather would beg you to join hands
with the South Carolina Association
for the Improvement Of Rural Schools
and go out into the highways and
hedges, into the little log cabin schools
Carry with you the pictures Of our
heroes and heroines. Drape upon the
rude walls our beloved flag, and teach
those little pupils what that flag stands
for
"As it floats over the sea and our land
And in every wind under the heaven
And these children must take up the
work begun by the sons and daughters
Teach them now that they possess a
priceless inheritance won by the tolls
and suffering Of a noble ancestry"
1t was in 1881 at Providence that
Gen. Washington said Of the children
who surrounded him bearing torches:
I'VE may be beaten by the English, 1t
Is the chance of war, but behold an
army they can never conquer"
Many Of our chapters report inter-
esting memorial work accomplished
during the year. A goodly number OF
revolutionary graves have been locat-
ed and marked and a large number
Of applications for markers are now on