The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-11-14

ports described fully the fine character
of the entertainment Florence, S. G.. Of
fered 10 President Taft. There was no
straining after effect. and therefore the
truest hospitality. such a highly spiced
and warming fish stew as her men would
enjoy in the woods on their hunting and
fishing trips was exactly what was Sc.
before the President, and he enjoyed the
simplicity There We're no toasts, for, as
one Of the local leaders said, Whoever
heard OF formallty at a fish stew?' The
hsh used were just those easily secured
I'm nearby waters-the Dream and the
red breast.
The receptacles for the ferns and
flowers set along the tables were scooped
pumpkins No army OF strange walters
was imported for the occasion. but the
young ladies of Florence. sashed with
the national colors. waited on the guests
as artlessly and pleasantly as they would
at one Of their own little entertainments.
were assigned to tables by the pulling OF
straws. and thus every possible jealousy
was eliminated.
The stew was served IN the assembly
room Of the graded school. OF which more
later. and the subsequent dance was IN
a tobacco warehouse. In such manner
did the chief city OF the Pee Dee region
and IT Is entitled 10 the praise which be-
longs to such hospitality as expresses its
.genulneness in acts of simplicity.
President Called Cute
The ultimate adjective was surely ap-
piled to President Taft by a lady OF
Florence. After ne had left for his train
and tho excitement had subsidized she said,
Isn't ne cute?" Mr.. Taft made several
Of his quick. humorous turns.
A great bunch OF chrysanthemums from
the T. p. a brought out the character
lzation OF the travelling man as one who
works all. day and travels all night, like
do"
A silver goblet from the order OF Rail-
way Conductors was presented by Sen
ator Smith. and accepted with a laugh
and motion of the shoulders that cap
tured the diners My Journey is so near
an end that I cannot let a single chance
go by 20 make a speech The conductors
have been good to me Chere a halt and
chuckle growing into a broad laugh.
a man who has travelled further at pub
lie expense I'm the past two months than
any other man in the United States
Durinc the open-air remarks. delivered
from a platform built out from the front
Of the school. an enthusiast approved a
statement by calling out. An right. old
boy" Mr.. Taft stopped instantly, 10 say,
"Au right old boy that's just what
Il is all over the United States" and
thus led up naturally 10 the expressions
of broad natlonalism that were tele-
graphed from Florence.
Florence Shows Progress.
Florence IS a progressive little city OF
possibly 1900 inhabitants The schools
are remarkable feature OF II. Seven
teen years ago there were 160 TO $50
school children. Now there are 1.6o0-1, 100
OF them white. The town. led by this
growth TO realize its destiny as the cen
ter Of the Pee Dee region, has now
planned it's school facilities so as to pro
vide for future growth. The Central
Graded School. just completed, may be
correctly described as a marvel Of com
pIeteness and modernity. Much Of the
planning was done by Superintendent Of
Schools Mann. native Carolinian. with
degrees from Germany and France lie
has specialized on school hygiene
In the new building. therefore. You find
such up-to-the-minute devices as these:
A system OF ventilation that can change
the afr in each room Of the great building
five times an hour. two sets Of furnaces
with interchangeable service so that with
one the chill can be taken from all the
rooms or with both the rooms can be
heated: the inlets for heat near the cell
ing Of each room, while the exhaust
screens are near the floor, thus obvlatlng
all play Of moving air on any of the
children: drinking fountains that cannot
be contaminated with the touch Of lips;
Eratings In the main hall for drying wet
shoes; rainyday playrooms for boys and
for girls on the first floor; green black
boards, with yellow crayons 10 obviate
the eye-strain caused by the vivid con-
trast Of black and white. and, in process
Of completion. an emergency room for
each sex. fitted with simple remedies and
requisites to cope with sudden sickness
or accident Twice week the entire
fectants
The building is so placed on large
body of ground that high schools and a
public library can later be placed. with
out crowdlng the original building, thus
working out a genuine civic center.
Industrial Schools Near By.
I spoke Of this remarkable equipment
to Gov. Ansel. who said that similar
progressiveness was being worked out in
other cities Of the State The governor
was present in the city to address the
Pee Dee business mems convention. but
more particularly to visit the State In
dustrial School. established during the
year outside Florence for hrst-offense
boys. or boys who were uncomfortable
by home discipline The purpose is to
save such boys from drifting into crimi-
nal lives
Florence Is about fifty years old Its
nrst-born child was Harry Husbands,
who, though "the first citizen of Flor
ence," goes his way without any special
airs-so much so that when he brought
a convention visitor from the railroad
station I'm his fine automobile a tip, or
! fare, was offered. The whole town
laughed over the episode-for the whole
town soon knew it-and the visitor was
guyed gOod-naturedly for two whole days.
A local humorist explained the presence
Of q great number OF ladies' at the con
vention BY saying because they can find
husbands here"
Good humor, good taste. and progress
siveness pervade the city. Not only was
the Pee Dee convention held November
S and 8. but ct the same time there was
a show OF chrysanthemums. all locally
grown; and corn-growing contest
among boys was brought TO an end and
the prizes awarded by Commissioner OF
Agriculture f. J. Watson in co-opera-