The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-05-03

Defamation and Recitation ~ rep
resantafiyes Of the Jefferson and the
Columbian Literary Societies.
May 18th. Il a. m-Annual address
By DR.. =. +. Dixon, state Auditor.
$50 2. m.-EXercises by the grad
uatinS class. Presenting diplomas.
medals and prizes. Reading of honor
roll.
Reunion Of Old Students in Assem-
bly, Room OF burlington Graded
Thursday, Nay 18Th, Il a m
Addresses Of welcome by Miss F9ossie
Abel and Nr. A. NJ. Noble.
Responses by Miss Myrtle Harper.
of Wilson, and Mir. d. J. Thurston, OF
Clayton.
Address by Mr.. E. J. Barnes, Of
Wilson.
Evening Exercises. $40 O'clock.
Short addresses b. Mr.. r. r. Bar
bour, OF Benson, and Mr.. Henderson
Cole. Of Wilmington.
Reading by Miss Matte Hudson, OF
S~rnithheld.
Address by Mr.. Z. B. Grantham, Of
Rocky Mount.
Reunion of old Home Corners in the
Opera House.
Friday. May 20, II a. M, prayer by
Rev. j. II. shore, of Greenville.
LAbd! CSS *; tIcOlit. III part bt
the town by Mayor ame \. Wei
Ions; on par Of county by Hon. L.
W. Pou.
Responses by Prof. X. A. Merritt.
Of Greensboro, and Rev. Whitley
~Langston, Of Waycross, Ga.
Address by Rev. a. J. Mckelway,
DID. of Atlanta, Ga. Subject: Some
Changes in North Carolina in Twenty
Years.
Sm:thfsead.
Smithseld VAS q village when the
white man first tracked her, finding
On the present town spot a con1nu-
nifty Of the primitive Red Men. who
had found here on the banks OF the
beautiful stream that forever sings to
the nonoads spread there deer-skin
tents ana abided here. Their success
SOrs in possession Of the pleasant land
have found the spot and region no
less delightful, and as others contin-
ued to come, bringing b White mans
community spirit and civilization there
has sprung from the forests as lovely
a town as North Caroline. boasts and
| people as enterprising and hospitabIe
as there are patriots III the world.
Smithfeld is at the head OF naviga-
ton On the very banks OF Neuse river,
browning a high bluff at tue base
Of which John Smith, for whom the
~ I" a IL AooiA' Ia
springs OF swee: and lirnpid water.
He cur a charter for the town
from he General Assembly in 1777,
among pa first purchasers OF town
lots being Richard CasUell, G gov
ernor Of the Commonwealth, Abne:
Nash and other prominent ncn OF
the State.
Early the town became the center
of activities in q large section Of coun-
try, and in May, 117A, the General
Assembly met here, ana during the
Resolution the Committee Of Safety
convened here to consider matters Of
grave import TO the young North
State. Almost directly after the In
corporation OF the town the county
court held It's sessions here, though it
was in 1877 that the county pur-
chased the present court square and
planned for the erection OF the court
house and jail thereon.
Smithfela and Johnston county
were ambitious TO ave both the
state Capital and Tho STATE University
located III Snith1iel1. but falling IT
was neaIly a century before the town
and Woccs ana farms in this inlmedi-
ale vicinity raised their ears at the
whistle Of the ~locOnltive. the luSty LAD
that sounds h music Of the buslc
call Of complete Development Ite
shriek-sweet melody TO The CONNER
cial-wise-was epochal aIld started
SnithfieId OH i new era
In ~deccnnium SInitlield has grown
like q young giant, performing attract
i've feats in enterprise and yielding
w~ondrous fruit to the seeds Of de-
velopmental capital. It has q bank as
strong as any in the State and in a
town its size, large and eXcel}ently
appointed stores, beautiful residences,
/ two cotton mills giving employment 10
200 people, and numerous smaller en-
terprises, all contributing TO the up
ward growth of the town. There are
! five churches with large congregations.
fer Smithfield folk hold fast to he
! faith OF their fathers. h tobacco
market here is second in reputation
to none IN the State, enjoying the ful
confidence Of the planters and their
hearty support. There are three SPLEEN
! did Warehouses which sell between
three and four million pounds Of leaf
annually. The American Tobacco
Company mas located here one Of the
largest DYize houses in Eastern Caro-