The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1910-01-27
BY c. W. HUNT

Sometimes man gets an idea in
his head and talks and thinks about
it until he thinks the whole world
ought to see it it as he does This
may be the want of appreciation for
the meritOrious, but il he is not a
fool, the trouble more often comes
from the want of time for the people
to think. The public has been busy
with other matters, the enthusiast
has had time to burn, and given the
same chance to think a great change
OF sentiment would take place in the
general public's way of thinking and
doing.
The writer hopes he is not out of
the safe bounds when he says that
for long time he has seen the need
of helping bad and poorly raised,
and unfortunate, and (sometimes)
depraved young people to better
things. Such sentiment has crept
into what has emanated from this
pen occasionally; and this line of
thought, this feeling for the boys
was given new impetus not long
ago, when on invitation of the chair
man of the board of trustees, Mr..
James ?. Cook, the writer took q
trip to the Stonewall jackson Train
ing and Industrial School (RefOrna-
tory near Concord, into which a
number of tender hearted men and
women OF the State have put suffi-
Gent sum OF money to enable big
bodied, big hearted, big minded man
like Walter Thompson to make be-
ginning and fully demonstrate that
almost every boy that is bad can be
made a man if given a chance The
demonstration being only stronger
on account of the shortness of the time
and the small things at hand to work
with. saw fifty boys of varying ages,
every one of whom were on honor
and doing we'll in all lines, working
largely on the military idea. | with
many others was delighted with
what we saw. If you, kind reader,
who ever you may be, doubt the ad-
visibility of the State going into
partnership with good men and wo-
| men in the business of saving boys,
| or If you are Interested in helping
| the helpless who are exposed to all
| that is bad, and would like to know
| some more, Just throw down the
| work for a day and go up to Con-
| cord and drive out to the Stonewall
jackson school. Your eyes will do
the rest. You will need no teacher.
1t was fitting, of course, that the
| Jackson Training School should be
located in easy reach Of the man who
made it possible, (Mr. j. Z. Cook
but aside from that the location is
not bad. 1t is "all to the good" On
| the main line of the Southern Rail
way, where the observing passengers
can sect it, yet too far away for the
| noise Of the train to detract. Along
the elevation upon which is located
the school runs line of projecting
rocks, huge boulders cropping out
for miles, and especially prominent
at the highest point, the site Of the
school. The rock is of a peculiar
formation, looking more like broken
concrete, when broken up, than lime
stone, making fine ballast and road
builder, and if possessing strength
sufficient will be valuable in building
the foundations OF the other houses
that are to go up in the years along
the ridge. Aside from the usefulness
OF these stones there is something
suggestive about these giant rocks
cropping out at q place where the
sole work is to make stronger the
character Of those who come or are
sent hither for help.
The place was surveyed, and the
location of all the cottages made be.
fore the two that now show so well
were built. So while these two and
the industrial building are the only
ones OF "A dozen or more to come, yet
they are in their proper place and
parts OF the system. From this
elevation one can look to the West
and to the Northwest away to tie
Iredell line and beyond, up the valley
OF the Rocks river for miles, the view
being uuobstructed, and from this
open country will always come a
breeze laden with lifegiving substance
Looking out upon this scene one ha'
only to lower the line of vision to SEE
TIE ldHuscdpe Oh tue SCHOOL , lhTii
Standing in front OF the buildings
one sees little Of the farm lands which
lie under the hill to the back Of the
buildings; but there is an abundance
of nice level land which can be made
one of the prettiest and most pro
ductive farms in the State, as well al
the most valuable asset OF the Stone
wall Jackson school. 1t only wants
a farmer of intelligence in the art o
farming, to make it beauty to be
hold. Already there is herd of cat
tie there TO make milk and butter
for the boys, to utilize the by-pro-
ducts OF the place and make fertility
for the soil, now needing SO much o.
such and other humus to make il
bring forth. With the love ! have
for such work / can see in this farm
more than any other agency car
bring to the school. All boys cannot
farm, hence the need Of the printing
office, the woodshop, machine shop