Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-08-01
BETHEL ORGANIZES

was begun yesterday when 100 or
more men. women and children, all
residents of Bethel township. met at
Bethel church and affected an organi-
zation that will be known as the
Bethel Improvement association.
Although each section Of the town
ship was not largely represented,
there were enough good citizens pres
ent to indicate the fact that the town
ship Is heartily interested in the new
movement and II remarks and COM
ments made by those present count
for anything, the people will no doubt
do everything they can toward fur
thering the good beginning made yes
terday.
There was a singing under the lead
ership Of Prof. Robert Moss, held in
connection with the meeting, and
this feature of the days programme
took up the greater part of the
morning. A bountiful dinner was
served on the grounds by the ladies',
and about 1.30 o'clock, the audience
assembled in Bethel church to take
up the business of the day.
DR.. Robert Adams, who presided,
opened the meeting With a short
prayer. after which he made a few
Introductory remarks. He said he
first became interested in the move
ment when he read DIR. Dulin's COM
munication on the subject in The En-
quirer some time ago. He hoped that
the idea would be q success. and Of
| - 20 I,a hn NJ oh a
backed by the right kind Of co-opera-
ton. -no
DR.. Adams then introduced DR..
Thos. N. Dulin. the originator Of the
movement who read an interesting
and highly instructive paper on
"Neighborhood Organization" DR..
Dulin's paper Is published In full on
the first page of today's Enquirer.
The Rev. Henry Adams, son of
DR.. Robert Adams, and principal of
the Perry school. near Rome, Ga,
followed DIR. Dulin. He was quite
complimentary to DIR. Dulin and the
work in, connection with the Inn
provement association. Rev. Adams
chose as the subject Of his address,
1.-THE Reorganization of Country
Life" He told of the development
that had been brought about in man
been brought about generally. The
farm had been on the verge Of decay
and interest In farm life seemed to
have waned. ..g.
A change, however, was coming.
Through various scientific discoveries.
the farms had been and are being
developed. BY organization and CO.
operation, great results could be OBJ
tanned which would be Of interest to
those on the farm. Electric lights,
waterworks. gasoline engines, etc.,
did much to relieve the drudgery on
the farm.
The church. he said, had an i'm
portant place In country life besides
that of a mere place Of worship. The
very fact that the first meeting Of
this new movement was held in one
Of the churches of the township, was
evidence that the people looked up
on the house of God as meeting
the good. The schools also were q
center of country life and their place
in the community Is closely akin
to that of the church. He spoke Of
the value Of the government litera-
ture relating to the farm and farm
life. The literature could be obtained
free of charge and was very instruct
i've. .rr
ORGANIZATION for mutual benefit
would make farm life more profitable
and more humanely interesting. And
the benefits of an improvement as
sociation were too numerous to rectte.
The speaker had organized a coun-
try life club, an organization similar
to the proposed Bethel movement
His organization was Of much prac-
tical benefit to his community, and
because he had seen the practicable
ity of the plan, he was sure that the
same results could be obtained In
Bethel. ....... ....t,.
Superintendent Of Education John
E. Carroll was introduced to the as
sembly. Mr.. Carroll said that he was
not a public speaker and while he
endorsed all that had been said. he
would confine his remarks to the
schools Z the township.
The progress and uplift Of y any
neighborhood or township depends
largely upon the efficiency of Its
schools The number Of schools In
a township was not evidence Of the
efficiency and worth Of those schools!
Several townships had a number of
schools that ran only four months
out Of the year, where, II those same
schools were consolidated, they could
have an eight months term and OBJ
tain much better results by the con-.
solidation plan. He thought the
schools In Bethel township should be
relocated and consolidated. h-.
There was some opposition to the
consolidation plan because of location
hut he thought this trouble could be
adjusted. 1t was his ambition to see
good, thriving schools in every section
of the county, and he thought the
time was near at. hand when all the
schools Of the county would be running
eight months out Of the year, and ne
was sure that was plenty long enough
for any child to go to school In one
year He trusted that the organization
would be a success.
Mr.. H. e. Johnson said he was In
favor of the Improvement association,
because If all the people Of the town.
ship went to work for a certain thing
they would he quite likely to get 1t. He
thought all the people should pull to-
gether for the benefit Of the township.
Mr.. H. G. Stanton was very much In
terested in the movement. He said that
some people said that the farmers
wouldn't stick. 1t was true that the
farmers had not stuck in organiza-
tions somewhat similar before; but ne
hoped that all would stick to the, Beth
e.! Improvement association.
After the speakers had been heard.
call for organization was made. DR..
Dulin took the chair and DR.. Robert
Adams submitted a constitution and
by laws to the assembly, which were
adopted after amendment.
The following officers were elected to
serve the Bethel Improvement associa-
tom Dr. Thos. N. Dulin, PRESIDENT
III, r. Johnson, first vice president; r
J. Davis, second vice president; Miss
Bertha Jackson. secretary; ]. L. Cur
renee. treasurer.
The secretary enrolled the following
ladies and gentlemen as members Of
the association: r.
Mesdames E. A. Harper, T. N. Du-
lin. r. M Dilling. H. G. Stanton, r. S.
Riddle Misses Bertha Jackson, Mar
tha Glenn, Emily Dulin. Hester jack
son. Gladys Nichols, Belle Campbell,
ReEecca Flanagan, Webb Stanton,
Blanche Glenn. Maggie Query:
Messrs A. ]. Wallace. H. K. Davis
Robert Adams, B. B. Brandon, ]. r.
Currence, J. l.. Currence, Clair Harper,
Paul C. Harper A. c. Barnett, w. q.
Davis c. II. Glenn, j. M. Miller, ]. B
Ford, R. j. Davis, ]. A N Glenn. Thos.
N. Dulin. Jno. M. Craig. T. F. Bran
don p g Piddle + w Jackson H G.