Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1910-04-27
BETTIs ACADEMY.
Founded by Rev. Alex. Belts
!: in 1881. Now Successfully
Conducted by A. w.
Nicholson.

n Through the fourth of July celebra
Illtions, the colored fair and the work
slthatg is being done for the training
sEof the younger generation of color,
Il ed people, but we were never upon
1.-THE school grounds before Friday
sllast, having accepted an invitation
i to attend the school closing. A. w
icholson is president of the school
4 4 and the board of trustees is'com,
q posed of a dozen representative ne
a Gro men from all parts of the coun.
Ibp among them being Rev. F. A,
e Weaver, Rev. Geo. w. Blocker,
Henry j eferson and L. w. Collins.
4 slEsfEhe school is located about three
u miles west of Miles Mill upon a
aFfractsof land containing 200 acres.
orsion of this land was donated
the late George w. Turner to
d s|sta Rev. Alex. Belts who was the
A celored man TO be ordained as
3sssl mister In this county. He did a
work among his race, his
memory being revered alike by
white and colored. Rev. Belts
founded Mt. Canaan church near
jEthe Academy, the first church
]sestab blsshed in the county for color
3Ecy people. Rev. Wash Olipbant
IIEsa at6eeded the Rev. Bettis as pastor
3::Ind has proven to be an earnest,
fll servant of God. The white
LTsoIll e as well as his parishioners
ets and honor him for his up
life and. for his works sake.
the writer reached the
dgnlS Friday the closing ex-
legeis ses proper had been concluded,
Etbtlt af8sr a welcome by President
l|:s53ssicho Iso1ato the white people pres
Lent lie1t, about 90 in number, from Vau
Ecliise SraniteYille and Aiken, Mr..
James 2ninbs, a leading citizen
Eand business man of Graniteyille,
EaIso prsoyaineEt t9in the South Caro-
Ii ina etElodist difference, who has,
|sMa Il hed closely the work ofthe
o6i, made prac cticaf stal He
se5ladaende led the colored people: for
||ltiieSs ID ord maj ntained at the
a9 wIHss llss9 la9sese. = men,;
||llanas gthaS is p5ssible for
!tien SThe speaker said God
has created every individual for a
purpose, osffll a place, and urged /
his hearers to fill that place to the
best of their ability. Mr.. Quinby
said Rev. Alex. Bettis did agood
work for his race. for both races,
and that A. w. Nicholson is carry
ing it en- along right lines.
Rev. Mr.. c.. A., Norton, pastor of
the Methodist church at Granite
vile, followed Mr.. Quinby with
very effective address more prop
erly sermon-upon Thought. f"
AS a man thinketh in his heart so
is hess" said the wise man of old.
He said education never changed
the soul of a man. If man is bene-
fitted and his life changed, his heart
must be reached. Marvel not that
l said unto thee, ye must be born
again. Mr.. Norton said one may
equip the mental man and still have
a black heart. This splendid dis
course was timely and effective.
Gen. M. c. Butler and Col. James
T. Bacon, both of hallowed memory,
.were.at Belts Academy two years
ago Gen. Butler delivered an ad-
dress and, Col. Bacon wrote up the
occasion in detail. During the ex-
erclses Friday both of them were
referred to.
After the other speakers had
finished, President Nicholson made
some hurried remarks, giving his
people and pupils timely, safe, wise
counsel. And let us say here that
the instruction that he is giving the
children placed in his charge is
along right lines. There may be
some who are prejudiced against
this school but the prejudice ex-
lists largely because of ignorance of
what is actually being done. What
we saw and heard Friday was in
deed revelation to us. Nicholson,
in presenting diplomas to the half
dozen or more who had completed
the prescribed course, urged them
to go home and do something. Be
a help to your community, and not
a burden. Do whatever your hands
find to do. Do not let anybody do
anything better than you do 1T.
When you hoe do your work we'll
When you plow, plow the straight
est, best furrow that you can. Be
true to yourselves, your God and
the laws of your country" This is
good, wholesome, sound instruction.
Nicholson urged his people to
make the world better. Said he:
Live honest lives and treat all men
squarely. Always leave a farm bet
ter than you found it. When you
leave a farm or man, leave so you