Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1909-09-15
THE OLD ITALIAN ACADEMY.
Interest Centres About the Parent
School and Carmel Church.
(J. Edwin Brunson, in the Greenville
Daily News.)


Scotch and Irish, driven by religious
the rulers Of the country, left the
Emerald Isle, and, animated by that
spirit of man which seeks to be free
from the overbearing dictates of 9TH
ers, attempted the perilous voyage
across the Atlantic to make for them
selves new homes in the uneXplored
Businesses Of the New World.
Throughout the whole Of that dan
gerous journey, which in those days
consumed about month, their true
hearts were set upon the goal toward
which they were working-religio
liberty and the freedom of their con-
sciences. Entirely ignorant of the
land into which they were going, and
with no guide save that which was
vouchsafed them oy Heaven. they
landed in America, in the northern
portion Of the newly discovered coun-
try, and settled Pennsylvania, after
which they worked down into the
southern portions. South Carolina
was yet, for the most part, in the pos
session of the Indians, and it was not
until 1777 that tract Of land about
forty miles square was ceded by them
to the descendants of these early i'm
migrants,who settled it rapidly This
tract of land was laid off as Pendle-
ton county, and the hardy Scotch
Irish people took possession Of it and
lived there in the simplicity of the
early days.
These people were characterized
by their frugal manner of living and
their plainness of manner and dress
by their neglect of luxurious living
and the simple honesty which they
Sh IN oil
In 1889 these settlers founded a
church in the near neighborhood Of
the present site Of the town of Lib
erty. This was a brick building, very
large and expensive for that class of
people and for the times in which
they lived. The church became the
social centre of the community, and
had about sixty or seventy families
in its membership. 1t was first known
as Richmond church, and afterwards
as Twenty-three Mile Creek church,
but later on 1t came to be known as
Carmel, by which name it is still
known to the pubic.
Various pastors served this church
from year to year, up to the year of
1886. These pastors came and went
from year to year, aching at one
church a while and then moving on
to another. The country around the
Carmel neighborhood continued to
look upon the church as the social
and educational centre of the COM
munity, and for long time all the
education that the children received
was that absorbed from the Sunday
school teachers.
In the year 1882 there came into
view the person Of Rev. J. l.. Ken
nedy, who was one Of those figures
which loom up against the ho! iZon
OF past history. Around the youth
full years Of this man,as around many
another who has been Of inestimable
service to his fellows, the mists Of
tradition hover, shutting out much
Of the truth Of his early life. 1t was
thought that he came originally from
Spartanburg county. At any rate he
came to Carmel as its pastor in the
year 1886, and some time later he
founded the Thalian Academy, which
still stands as monument to hi,
memory. This academy was about a
mile or two miles from the Carmel
church, and Mr. Kennedy, from the
years Of the beginning of the acad-
emy till the feebleness Of old age
broke the strength of his work served
the community both as pastor and
teacher. he being the principal of the
Thaiian Academy.
Thalian Academy the Parent School
and Largest in the State.
The Thalian Academy was the larg-
est school in the State at that time,
and the farmers from all around the
( neighborhOod sent their sons and
daughters to school there. From dis
tant points In the State pupils came
to study under Mr.. Kennedy, who
had made name for himself by his
methods Of teaching. The farmers
in other counties sold their spare
market produce at the best prices
available, their cotton bringing about
six or seven cents a pound, and with
the proceeds sent their children to
be instructed under Mr.. Kennedy and
his daughter. Board was obtained at
some Of the farm houses. The STU
dents were put to study in an out
house in the farmers back yard.
About the only time they came into
direct contact with the farmers fam
lilies was at the meal times, when the
students marched up to the "big
house to partake Of the frugal re-
past OF the master Of the house
Across the road from the school
house there were one or two circular
buildings, large enough to hold half
dozen boys, the house having
mud and stick chimney and no floor.
Here some of the students lodged.
In fair weather they sat and studied
out under the trees, by which the
houses were surrounded, moving
around the trees to keep In the shade,
or in the sunshine, as the sun moved
from one position to another. This
recalls the incident told Of Lincoln,
who studied law in his youth under
the shade of n largo oak trpe and