LINCOLN ACADEMY, KING'S MOUNTAIN, N.C.M
By Rev. A.W. Curtis.
Lincoln Academy is beautiful for situation, in the midst of groves of young pine, on a considerable plateau sloping southward, overlooking the valley of a little creek with the grand old mountain towering above them on the farther side. A quiet restful spot removed from the temptations of town life, four miles from the village station; just the place for the great family home school which I found on this occasion, Wednesday night, busy as bees preparing for the great event of the year. The boys had put up a brush arbor in the grove near by, and provided plenty of plank seats beneath.
We had a rousing Christian Endeavor meeting that night, the last of the session. All of the students belong to the Senior or Junior branch, and with the schedule topic, "The Widening of Christ's Kingdom," brought home and made personal, "What can I do to extend Christ's Kingdom during this vacation?" Many very practical talks were given, and many pledges of best endeavor to this end in the home life or where they were expecting to teach through the summer. Strange noises were heard during the night, which the morning light explained by the covered wagons, prairie schooners we would call them at the West, which had come in and camped out near the spring. As the hour approached a perfect string of nondescript vehicles bringing the whole family, and many others on muleback or on foot, came pouring in from near and far, until by 10 A.M. nearly one thousand people had gathered in and around the arbor; some of them coming from thirty to fifty miles overland.
"Old Glory" had been floating from the flagstaff above the central school building all the morning, and now the scholars, neatly dressed, came marching up the hill and crowded the platform to sing their welcome song. Prayer was offered by one of the first graduates, now a minister. Then the principal, and lady general, gave out the orders for the day in such a womanly and winning way as showed her fully mistress of the situation.
"No smoking anywhere on the school-grounds; no changing of seats during any exercise; no selling of liquors or even ice cream, lemonade, or other refreshments—not because these latter were not good in themselves, but because of the temptation to spend money which they could not afford in these hard times, and while complaining that they could not raise money for the schooling of their children, they must not spend their nickels in such ways. Take care of their nickels and they would soon count up to dollars."
Several hucksters and peddlers, who had come with their wares, the principal succeeded in driving off, and in a region where whisky has flowed freely and smoking is almost their vital breath, she that day had an orderly assemblage of nearly a thousand, on uncomfortable seats, quiet and interested for four and a half hours without any intermission!
It was a very carefully prepared program; speeches, essays, recitals, dialogues, and such splendid singing as only these trained voices of colored students can give. It was no easy matter to speak so as to be heard by such a crowd in the open air, but every girl as well as boy succeeded admirably, and all showed most careful training and drill. The themes chosen were very practical and fitted to the occasion.
Tobacco got rough and fearless handling, and liquor-drinking was rebuked in almost every conceivable way and rubbed in repeatedly. The old and the modern ways of teaching were compared and illustrated; indeed, every recitation was evidently selected with reference to its moral effect.
Certainly these huge commencement gatherings are themselves educators for the fathers and mothers and kinsfolk of these young people, whom they are proud to see doing so well. The words of all the songs were thoroughly learned, so they will do service in many another gathering wherever these students may be. It was the writer's privilege to give the commencement address on "Making the best use of life as God's plan for our highest good."
Thursday night we held a parting communion service with the Congregational Church, which is mainly composed of students. The maps shown me and many of their examination papers were exceptionally good. Last winter mumps and measles successively swept through the school, and at one time made the home almost a hospital, but the brave teachers went through all, kept up recitations with the well ones, and nursed the sick and brought them all safely through without the expense of a doctor. Now all were well and evidently thriving on good food, though it is marvel to me how good board can be afforded with tuition, and all expenses covered for $4.50 per month, and yet work be furnished to most of them for one-third of that, bringing the cash outlay to ten cents a day! but they do it, and a happier household I have never seen than those who gather at Lincoln Academy.
A white man with whom I was talking at the station said, "Those lady teachers are doing a great work for this whole region."
So the leaven works.