The herald and news. (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, June 15, 1906, Page TWO, Image 2
RET. J. . SLIGNIS
ELOQUENT ADDRESS
FOR THIRTY YEARS PRESI
DENT BOARD TRUSTES.
Ful Text of His Ad*em at Cole'
bration on Monda.-Pays
Deserved Tribute to Dr.
J. P. Smeltser.
The following is the address of
Rev. J. A. Sligh in full. He has
been- president of the board .for
thirty years, and forty-one years
pastor of 6t. Paul's church, this
couinty, which has probably sent
more students to Newberry college
than any other one church:
"Mr. Chairman, Gov. Heyward and
the representatives of the various
colleges of the State, and ladies and
gentlemen:
It is a fact well known to you all,
but nevertheless, should be repeat
ed here with emphasis, that this is a
proud day for Newberry college. This
institution has passed through some
dark. and depressing days, but this
is not one of them. Light and sun
shine, joy and gladness break in up
on us from every side today. This
doubtless is the brightest and hap
piest day the college has ever exper
ienced. We are glad indeed on this
the 50th year of our existence as a
college, to be hailed by such a hearty
welcome, and such brotherly and
soul-stirring greetings from you gen
tlemen, in your representative capac
ity. This welcome and these greetings
spoken by a few, but voiced and
made unanimous by this vast audi
ence and thousands of others not
present, come to us; it is true when
our sun has risen high in the heavens,
when every cloud seems to have pass
ed away-when the battle has been
fought and gloriously won, but never
theless they make that sun shine but
the brighter on this glorious day,
and render our joy and happiness
more full and complete, and thus dis
persing more effectively any and
every cloud that might threaten to
obscure our future prospects and
this welcome and these greetings and
the .happy scents that now meet our
eyes, increase a hundred fold our
joy over the great achievements
we have made in the past.
That which enhances the triumphs
and victories of a soldier and
makes his heart leap and
burn with joy and gratitude is the
rememberance of the hardship and
privations endured by him and the
fierce and terrible conflicts and bat
ties fought and won by the gallant
Army of which he was a part. And
me thinks, my friends, if you will ex
cuse me, that feelings akin to this
are possessed by the soldier of the
cross of Christ, as he eands on the
everlasting hills of heaveay felieity
and - looks hack and remembers the
conflicts and tribulations throngh
which he passed to reach the eternal
city, where lie has washed his robes
and made them white in the blood
of the Lamb. A similar feeling comes
to the friends of Newberry college
today, and especially to those who
so well remember the trials and tri
bulations through which this institu
tion has passed. For 50 years we
have been meeting difficulty after
difficulty, we have watched and
prayed and labored for the success
and growth of the college, and now
on this bright and propitious day
you must not blame us if the cup of
our joy should run over.
"Gentlemey, we from our hearts
can say to you that we are very
glad to have you with us today, and
that your presence and the kind and
cheering words spoken by you are
not only encouraging to us, but that
they bring us all nearer together in
that glorious work: the education of
the people, all the people-both male
and female-of the State of South
Carolina; whether that education
tends to the beautifying and adorn
ment of our homes, or to the cultiva
t.ion of our fields, to the. gospel or
to the law, to the body or to the soul,
to the well-being of man on earth,
or to htis well-being in the great
hereafter. We all, as I understand
It, aim at the betterment and uplift
ing of onr fellow man.
"Newberry college' has a history
extending over 50 years. It is 'well
to celebrate this day and look back
over this half century. During these
years we have had to climb hills and
', scale mountAins of difficulties. Let
me for the sake of history and to
keep the record correct, briefly give
~' an onitlne of the most important
fa4tar and events connected with this
lstory, for in' the short space of time
ahtotted to me it is impossible to do
~,~ore than this.
"To' do anything like justice to the
'~ nbj4ectI must go back 25 years
prinr to laying the cornerstone of
~he college. As early as the year
I$8 the bangelical Lutheran synad
of South Carolina realised that if
she was to succeed in her mission as
a church that she would h4vp to edu
cate her own sons w W ew of'x
tending her borders
sing on several ooe
enip
rso d' A
ye 0 d
And 4J t. n r
der at Leington op I
was in the year ot 88, QQ " i
proved to be a fine sio n it*.qy
and was liberally supporte and pat.
ronized by-the -church. The distin
guished Dr. Bachman was the lead
ing 4pirit in this movement.
''Many succestful and useful
preachers of the gospel were .seni
forth from this school to edify and
feed hungry souls. They not onl3
kept the churches togeth6r, but add.
ed strength and influence to thost
already established and organizec
and built many more.
"The names of Wm. Barley, Mar
gart, Stingley, the two Bernheims, G
D. and C. F.; the two Hawkins
Elijah and Jacob; D. A. Dreher, T
S. Boinest, J. Austin and many oth
ers will live as long as the church ol
Reformation lives. But not only did
this school send forth an educated
ministry, but educated and qualified
many laymen to take position by the
side of others in the various profes
sions and the business world.
"From the very fact that thie
school did such excellent work led
the church to the thought of found.
ing a college. The agitation of which
began in 1855, and Newberry college
was chartered by the State legisla
ture in 1856. Among the localities
bidding for the location of the col
lego was the town of Newberry and
the prize was awarded to it on ac
count of the liberal bid and the great
interest manifested in this matter by
the citizens of the town and county.
Newberry has always been loyal to
the college and as the years go by
that loyalty increases and grows.
"In the fall of 1858 the prepara
tory Oepartment was opened to stud
ents, and then followed, during the
next year, the opening of the college
proper. The names of 175 students
were enrolled. In 1860 and in the
early part of 1861, the prospects of
the college were promising to a sur
prising degree. But it was during
this year that the tocsin of war was
sounded throughout the lenght and
breadth of the 9tate, and many of
the students laid down their books and
donned the uniform of a Confederate
soldier and went to the tent-fieldE
and stood and fought the battleE
of their Soubtland amid the roar of
cannon and musketry. The war last
ed four long weary years, years of suf
fering, selfdenial and even death
itself, and many, many of the college
boys went. down to\ a soldier's grave
And those who, in the providence of
GIod, were spared to return to their
homes, found nothing on their return
but homes devastated, fortunes de
mnolished and the entire countr inil
a state of want and ruin. But dur
ing the (dar-k (lays of the war and
dunring 'the years that follo\ved-thie
Reconstruction period-up to the
year 1876, the exercises of the col
lege wvere never suspended only foi
a short time Our doors were kept
ajar for such young boys as could at
tend.
''This noteworthy fact is to be ac
counted for by the faithful and self
denying efforts of one man, more
than to anything else.
''Here perhaps we have presented
to us the most inspiring and lovely
picture of loyalty -and true devotion
to duty that ever has and perhaps
wvill ever again be brought out in any
inistitution of learn. A man in
middle life had been put over the
college as its president in 1861; the
beginning of the Civil war and the
days and years of trouble. He dear
ly loved his work and it was his high
est ambition and thought to see thai
the college succeeded; that young
men should be educated for the Chris
tian minisitry and qualified to fill
the various walks of life and carry
to those among whom their lots
should be cast a spirit and example
that would be up-lifting and r:egen
erating in its influences.
''A salary for teaching at such a
time was scarcely to be expected,
This good and noble man and his
family occupied a residence that be.
longed to the college. There with
his family leaning upon him as thelh
supporter and the church crippled in
all her operations fondly looking up
to him as the head of her Institution
of learning. He determined by the
help of God to be true and loyal to
both, and that if he could prevent It
neither should suffer.
''Under these most trying condi
tions and circumstances he kept the
college open and alnmost unaided by
the church he sthpported his family.
He put both brain and hand, t.,ork
-he taught the youth of the church
and preached the gospe I of Christ
wherever he went. With hi' own
hands he baked bread-the staf of
life-aqO iold it to the citiens of
this t h. This uaan - Otor year
in rep'ng to a letter , m Dr. .
W. H , says .don the dt.
fieulti had to ceo with: "It
was th.dd@t. se f y life.
How I lived and kept my family and
the college is now a mystery. Yet
all the time not a hair of my head
was hurt; nor did I want for any
thing -necessary- to life and, omfort.
I .ennot write the sketch .myself
you ask for. It -would taste stiongly
of egotism, which I cannot - endure
in public print. Hence I do not wish
you to publish the bare dates and
events as I have written them to you.
The facts and events you may of
course use, but as not coming from
my pen.'
"This man would not write of
himself and his work, but thank God
there are those who are left that will
do this for him.
"The presidency of the college of
this man, Dr. J. P. Smeltzer, for it is
him of whom I speak, extended
through the trying years of the war
and the Reconstruction period of the
South-the most trying time of all
the times that this beautiful South
land of ours was ever called upon to
endure. No wonder that institutions
of learning lagged and were brought
near to death. Every other good
cause lagged; the wonder is that any
survived'amid such ruins and devas
tation, want and hunger.
"From 1801 to 1877, a period of 16
years, Dr. Smeltzer was at the head
of the institution. Think of those
years,- four of which were spent in
bloody strife and 12 of which were
during the Reconstruction period.
Who could have done any better
than Dr. Smeltzer and his noble lit
tle band of self-denying professors?
Yea, who could or would have
done as well? Salaries unpaid, build
ing in ruins, property nearly all lost,
the friends. of the college stripped
of their all, the church poor and un
able to lift these heavy burdens from
her institution. And many of the
young men who should have been
students in the army, or hard ot work
to redeem the ruined fortunes of
their fathers.
"In 1860 the treasurer of the col
lege made a report in which he esti
mated the assets of the college and
its indebtedness as follows:
Supposed amount of bonds for
scholarships .. .. .. .. .. $50,000
Value of professor's house 2,700
Cash on hand .......... 3,070
Value of college building .. 20,000
Amounting to.. ........$75,770
Supposed indebtness on build
ing.. .. .. .... ....... ..$ 4,500
Dues of rsalaries .. .. .....2,500
Amounting to .. .........$7,000
Leaving for college...-... ..$68,770
''In 1868, when the college was
moved to WaIhalla, the only proper
ty it possessed was a college bell, the
remnant of the library and a few
black boards and benches. What a
loss and what a glowving outlook for
o college I But notwithstanding all
this, during thell years of its stay at
WValhalla, seven classes were gradu
ated with 22 yong men. We give
names of only a few of these:
Rahn, Stoudamire, Efird, Cromer,
the two Wingards, Hughs Holloway
and others of prominence. Dr.
Cramer, one of the number, in after
years became the president of his
alma mater and served in that eit
pacity with marked distinction and
great usefilness. During all these
years of uncertainty and discourage.
ment the people of the town of eNw
berry, ever faithful anl loyal, never
lost their first love and at the first
opportunity and rising above the ef
fects of the war, went to work to
ahoy the college returned to them.
This was done in 1877, the year after
Hampton was elected governor of
the State. New light was beginning
to shine all around, driving away the
clouds that had for som any years
darkened the skies of the South.
New thought, no* inspirations, had
entered the breast of a downdtrod.
den, but gallant and brave people.
''The result has ben that Newberry
college instead of having on'e build
ing and that in ruins, has two large
college buildings, one other not so
large, .but ladsome and valuable, a
gymnasiums about complete, three
professor's houses, a technical de
partment well equip'ed and manned,
and will have In thae .very, near future
a large and, aplenidid building for
this departmient. -Ini all, including
the lands and library, a property well
worth upwards of $100,000. The in
stitution has a1 o a considerable en
dowment .fund wtith the hope and al
most assurance that 7o,000 -will be
added to the same In not a very di
tant day-also, a sutfielent
complete professors, happy r
tented, with salaries paid
.-nW with a few students'.4.
anee'aq a P* ss but
enrolIm tte la e t het"A
to ev th lassg
l g ese s0 yea4 of her 4.
istence, the present, the fiftth'
is greater in results, in imi6VnA
and in any and every respeet 4OM
any other single year. The)O 100
for the future.is 6imply. glorius.
"It has ben about 20 years since
the college *as moved from Walhalla
to its present location, Dr. Geo. -W. a
Holland of blessed memory, was Its
president for about 18 of those yeaM, t
Dr. Cromer for eight years and Dr.
Scherer has entered upon his third
year. r
"All of these gentlemen deserv6 P
great credit and the well done of the y
church for the wise, prudent and a
skillful managment of the institu- F
tion. Dr. Holland was a professor d
in the college for three years before
his election to its presidency and was
one of those who made many sacri
fices in money and otherwise to'keep
the college open during the hard
times of the Reconstruction of the
State. His knowledge of the wants
and condition of the college admir
ably fitted him for the position he
so gracefully and acceptable felled.
Under his administratoin the college
took on new life and the grand and
good work accomplished by him was
regarded by all as an achievement
that scarcely no man but him could
have brought out of such ruin and
desolation-the results of which are
greater a ndmore for-reaching than
the most ardent friend of the college
could have hoped for or expected at
the time his ideas and plans were in
augurated. Dr. Holland was a true
and noble man-one of nature's
models.
"Dr. Cromer was also a profqssor
in the college before his election to
its presidency, and on this account
with the tact and skill with which
nature has endowed him, was well
fitted in every respect, and the very
man to carry forward the great and
good work begun by Dr. Holland
How well he succeeded in doing this
is well known to every friend of the
college and if he should die soon or
never accomplish anything more in
life his work so well and faithfully
performed for Newberry college will
live and live on and on long after we
who speak of it today shall haVe
passed to the great beyond.
"Dr. Scherer has proven himself a
worthy and fit successor fo Drs. Hol
land and Cromer. In the brief per
iod of his administration he has t
shown himself to be a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed of -his
labor. Quick, tallented, energetic,
intelligent and industrious, he goes y
forth to over'come-to conquer. He ~
could without embarrassment ap- (
proneh a king crowned and robed g
and seated on his throne aind impress (
that king favorably wvith his own in
dividuality and of the important
work being done by Newberry col
lege, and if he did not succeed in ob- ~
taining the king's crown as 'a gift E
to the college, he certainly would suc
ceed in putting that,king in a posi6
tion never to speak a word against
the institution.
' 'But, my friends, I have omited
one thing from this address that
should find a place in it. In army
parlance, I am a friend and admirer
of the subofficers, and high privates
-the men who stand behind the guns
and- do the shooting-who stand and
guard and watch for the enemy
who'drill the men and inspire them
with courage.
that- Drs. Stork, 8meltaer, Holland,
'Cromer and Scherer standing alone
could have never reacher the great
leights to which''they have ascend
ed and accQmplished the grand work
justly attributed to them without
loyal and trained band of professo s
to back them up. Newberry college
has been signally blesed with good
and wvorthy men to fill its professor
ships-men loyal and faithful-ready
to spend and be spent in the good
cause they chose to espouse.
''Please listen to me while I run
over their names-and -God: forbl -
that a church loving her institutions
of learning,~ and grateful for their
achievernents should ever leave their
names fromn the tQll of those who so
nobly assisted In briging suecess to
th~ same--Whittle, GIArlington, Pifer,
Strk ehreekhe, EItehelbrger, I
S11ab, B3owerp/ Dlerriek, X'owell, Set.
sle*,Cannon, Attington, Klokligh-.
jt. If a'y nans.e has been left off
4f thie honorable roll, it is .not in
trtional, 'Some of thest deserve
s3ieqal credit, but this is not the
place nor the time to make discrimn -
insting' distinctions.,
4Now a few words more and I am
20thi(
Making T US
Ad W
3est p
3est
3est Mea
3est Grits - 'S
Don't pay any more, don't be swit<
long, save money and buy from us.
Our immense stock of apring goods
,es and faaOy goods and staples, our I
ig novelties in millinery. , Come and,
ight thing in prices, style, quality, &
ly cannot beat us, we don't make a
ou up on balance, people getting
ad looking out, more for No. i. Cor
'orty years experience counts sometl
on't you forget it,
PROSPER11
Spe4
,or the P'exi
VVE OF
50 Ba
::OF
Straighl
kT $4.Og PE
STATEl\
)f the condition of the Exchange
he close of business May 4th,
RESOURCES.
-oans and discounts. . . $127,779.52
lverdrafts . . . . .. .-. 3.800.93
'urniture and Fixtures .3,863.15
ue from Banks & bankers 10,881.48
urrency .. .. .. ....4,217 00
ilver, Nickles and pennies 1,748.34
hecks and cash Items . . 6,031.85
\ .$166,822.27
Before me came M. L. Spearman i a
eing duly sworn says that the above stater
dge and belief.
Sworn to and subscribed before me this1
Correct attest:
J. D. Davenport,
Edw. R. Hlpp,. . Directors.
Geo. B. Cromr)
'WeMeg1
Best. Stoves o
AND BES1
Werts &
Mc0aughrir
~h wne ,use #e wthot oe
We ontanlypreach PUJ
Wealways practice PURI'
PURITY counts, and coun
* Ask your doctor.
MAYES~ DRi.
3AF
AND Barrels of that
LOUR Just Reclived
at
Every bbl.
Oguaranteed.
shel.
ick.
hed off by argument, come right
irriving etjbr#Cing al thoipoyel.
drs ioseley in the tt thiWct.
see us, wq are prt6p'ed to do the
, for'an all 'rodi bill you sim
cut price on onib'thing and burn
educated ad opening their eyes
e and see us aqd.p convinced.
iing, we will treat you right and
yo So C.
Ten Buys
FER
' Flour
R BAR HEL.
ge Co.
I*, U. o.
lENT.
Bank of Newberry, S. C., at
1906.
LIABILITIES.
Capital stock paid in . . . $50,000.00
Undivided profits less ex
penses and taxes pad. 4,605.89
Due to banks and bakers 608.51
Individual deposits subject
~ito rchecks . . . . 71,441.87
Bills payable ---.. ...30,000.00
-$156,822.27
hier of The Exchange Bank, who
lent is correct to the best of his knowl
M. L. Spearroan, Cashier.
;he 12th day of May, 1906.
W. B. Wallace,
N. P. for 8. C.
HE
nd Furniture
' PRICES
-o
Sample..
i's' Block,
copt n the5 purest g do
I'Y when preparing n ed1 --
te for much1' mdcins 4
10 STOR