Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1913-02-13
PROF. ALEX. r. BANKS

VIII TedO WlCn interest the fol-
lowing extracts from an article
written by Broadus Mitchell, of
Columbia, and printed in recent
issue of Southern School News:
Born and reared in Chester
county, South Carolina, in the
Rocky Creek section, known ior
its sturdy Scotch-Irish stock.
lovers of religious freedom and
education, Professor Banks was
prepared for college in the noted
Oak Grove and Rossville male
acapemies, where he was under
the instruction of such famous
teachers as Robert and Matthew
Elder, w. B. Watts, Captain
Thompson and John H. Buch-
anan. These were thorough drill
masters, and he was well pre-
pared to enter Davidson College
in 1867, from which he was
graduated in 1871, at the age of
twenty, with the A. B. degree.
Teaching school near the college,
he took his A. M. two years later.
His intention was to study
medicine, but owing to difficulties
In the days of reconstruction.
especially the necessity of re-
moving to Alabama to escape
Indictment resulting from his
Ku kluX activities, he abandoned
his original idea in 1875, and
addressed his energies to the
teaching profession, in which
work he had become intensely
interested. He conducted sue
cessively the Archibald Institute
at Pleasant Ridge, Alabama; and
the Catawba Male Academy at
Fort Mill, South Carolina, which
he organized and where for
thirteen years he sent twenty
five boys annually to college.
The student body of the latter
grew unit, it numbered several
hundreds States from Virginia
to Texas being represented. 1890
saw his removal to Rock Hill to
superintend the system of graded
schools in that place. He re-
mained in this position five years,
when he was called to the head
of the Presbyterian high school
of Bethel Presbytery at Rock
Hill. Many of his former stu
dents followed him to Yorkville,
where he organized the Banks
high school. A city superintend-
ency claimed him again in Lam
caster, where he worked six
years, until his wife's health
induced him to take charge of
the Hyatt Park high school of
Eau Claire, Richland county,
which, since his coming four
years ago. has grown from rs to
400 students.
Professor Banks was for Ia
years a member of the State
board of education, serving under
Governors Evans, Ellerbe, Nc
Sweeney, Hayward and Ansel,
until in his fourth term he vo!un-
tarily gave up the office. He was
lieutenant colonel on Governor
Simpsons staff. For some years
he was secretary and treasurer
of the State Teachers Associa-
ton. His alma mater he has
served long and nobly, having
been a trustee and member of
the executive committee for 40
years. His father had been
chairman of the board of trus-
tees, and to this position Pro-
fessor Banks succeeded him
when very young man. On
numerous occasions he has de-
llvered addresses at Davidson,
notably at the semi-centennial
ceremonies. = . He has been
Immediately instrumental in in
ducing 1.5O0 young men to enter
college, most of these from the
Carolinas, but from over the
whole South as we'll. Coaching
studants for the United States
Military and Naval Academies
has been his special pet occupa-
ton. Some of the most eminent
OF his former students may be
mentioned here in the persons
Of Professor l. S. K. Arson,
head of the English department
in Princeton University; William
Mack, LII. D., of New York.
head OF the largest law publish
ing house in America, and presi-
dent of the Law College in the
city of New York; James D.
Nesbit, one of the most promi-
nent physicians in the country:
Professor j. l.. Douglas, of
Davidson College; Rev. Ed. Mack