Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1917-03-28
T,AMAssEE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL
Letters that Explain Something Of
What Workers Propose to Do.


Ihe following letter recently sent
TO the trustees of Tamassee School
District Is self-eXplanatory:
Geo. e. Rankin, Trustee, Tamassee
school District-My Dear Mr.. Ran
KIN: AS the tract OF 40 acres of
land given by Mrs. Hayne Jones, G.
a. Harrison and Mr.. Whitmire to the
south Carolina Daughters Of the
merlcan Revolution for an indus
trtal school lies partly in your school
district, wish to tell you of the
plans formulated at the meeting of
lhe -. A. Il. school board and at their
conference with the County Board of
Education held in Walhalla March =
We are embarking on this enter
prise with vision. We see in the
luture a campus Of many buildings
and thronged with students; we see
vineyard, all orchard, and a vcge-
table garden, each little expert
ment station in itself. Our desire is
an industrial school which shall, be
TO South Carolina what the Berry
school is to Georgia, and Berea to
Kentucky. Yet each Of these plants
had an humble beginning, and we
wish to build surely even though it
means slowly.
In order that we may be assured
OF steady income we are raising an
endowment fund, the income from
which will be used for school sun
port. OF the first 1000, which is
to be given by 100 founders ;riyirg q
500 each, we have over two thirds
pledged. This will be followed by a
second $4,000 and campaign for
dormttories. The condition of these
pledges Is that they may be paid in
iour yearly installments, so that it
will be four years before we have it
all collected ana invested and the
!nii income is available.
Yet we realize that 1t =, .mpera
tive to make beginning II once be-
cause one OF the condition. Of the Of
fer is that school be in session by
November. 1917, and because inter
est and aid will come more quickly
to a school which is real, even
though small, than to a larger one on
paper: Our plan for the present,
therefore, is as follows:
We will deed to the trustees of
Tamassee School District-or of sew
eral districts should they desire to
nnite-'-enoug gh land for the erection
OF a school building. This school
viii be, for the time being at least,
a part OF the county and State sys-
tenn of public schools, managed by
It's own trustees. Adjacent to this
we Will erect, from funds on hand,
cottage and put a lady in charge of
it. This will be a social center for
the community, a convenient place
FOR the teachers to board. and here
the beginning OF the domestic sci
ence work will be given. The EN-
tension Department has promised 10
put cheese factory here as soon as
we are ready, the only condition be-
ing that there are SO COWS near
enough to furnish milk for the
cheese making. This is part Of the
government effort to encourage
dairying and grazing in the up-coun-
Try. These have been very success
inl in North Carolina. These three
buildings can be ready by fall and
Will form the nucleus Of the school
plant.
The County Board Of Education
heartily approves this plrn and will
give the maximum financial support
toward the building and the conduct
OF this school. County Superintend-
ent Smith will write you in detail
just what they have promised.
We purpose during the first year,
at suitable times, to begin the plant
lHS. VI lIull lIecS, FlneS ana perry
bushes. We will have the co-opera-
tion of the demonstration agents as
well as of the Extension Department
Of Clemson College.
So far we have asked al only In
this State, but the D. A. r. is a ma
tional organization Of 100000 wo-
men and is actively concerned in in
dustrial education. Our expectation
OF help from all of the other States
is not visionary, for they are now
giving many thousand dollars each
year to schools Of this kind in Geor-
Gia, North Carolina. Kentucky and
tennessee
We hope this outline has made
clear our purpose in the near future
and that more distant. and that it
meets with your approval. viii you
not consult with the other trustees
and send lis word Of your desire to
cooperate with us as suggested?
Cordially yours,
(Mrs. F.H.H Grace Ward Calhoun,
State Regent S. G.. ID. A. r., Chair
man Industrial School Board.
Clemson College, S. G..