Library of Congress Subject Headings, 21st edition, 1998

Languages Used:

• English

LC Subject Headings:

• African American children -- Institutional care -- North Carolina.
  
• Colored Orphan Asylum (Oxford, N.C.)
  
• Orphanages -- North Carolina -- Oxford.
  
• Orphans -- Institutional care -- North Carolina.
  

Revision History:

• 2001-11-09,
  Celine Noel and Wanda Gunther
  revised TEIHeader and created catalog record for the electronic edition.
  
  
• 2001-03-23,
  Natalia Smith, project manager,
  finished TEI-conformant encoding and final proofing.
  
  
• 2001-01-31,
  Melissa Graham
  finished TEI/SGML encoding
  
  
• 2001-01-11,
  Tammy Evans
  finished transcribing the text.
  
  

ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
COLORED ORPHAN ASYLUM
LOCATED AT
OXFORD, NORTH CAROLINA
FROM
December 1, 1909, to December 1, 1910

1911 MASONIC ORPHANAGE PRINT
OXFORD, N. C.

Board of Directors

• H. P. CHEATHAM, Superintendent . . . . . Oxford
• REV. A. SHEPARD, Chairman of Board . . . . . Durham
• REV. M. C. RANSOM, Secretary to Board . . . . . Oxford
• REV. ISAAC ALSTON . . . . . Warrenton
• REV. J. W. LEVY . . . . . Kittrell
• REV. G. C. SHAW . . . . . Oxford
• MR. I. C. JEFFREYS . . . . . Rolesville
• MR. M. F. THORNTON . . . . . Warrenton
• PROF. H. E. LONG . . . . . Franklinton
• DR. A. M. MOORE . . . . . Durham
• MR. G. D. GRIFFIN . . . . . Hertford

On Part of the State

• MR. R. W. LASSITER, President First National Bank . . . . . Oxford
• PROF. LUTHER BUCHANAN . . . . . Oxford
• MR. M. L. COLEY . . . . . Northside

Auditing Board

• MR. T. C. HARRIS, of First National Bank . . . . . Oxford
• MR. C. S. EASTON, of Bank of Granville . . . . . Oxford

Treasurer

• MR. HENRY G. COOPER, Vice-President Bank of Granville . . . . . Oxford

Report of Superintendent.

To the Board of Directors of the Colored Orphan Asylum, Oxford, North Carolina.

        Although this has been a tight and restringent year financially with us, the kind hand of Providence has mysteriously provided for every material necessity, to the extent that the children have not gone wanting for food and raiment nor has there been any lag in any of the departments of industry of the institution but all are in good condition and have made satisfactory progress.

        

	Boys	Girls	Total
Number of children in the institution Dec. 1, 1910	66	99	165
Number admitted during the year	20	16	36
Whole number in charge Dec. 1, 1910	86	115	201

        Our energies have been doubled this year and kept to a high tention with two important outdoor objects before us, both of which we feel have been satisfactorily accomplished, notwithstanding the fact this has not been a very favorable year for outdoor work, especially for our class of laborers. In order to maintain and keep intact the farm so necessary for the support of the children and stock of the institution and to make and furnish the material to carry on the building now in progress, a class of industry consisting in the operation of a sawmill and brickyard, we were compelled to divide the Asylum boys into two forces, a force for the farm and a force for the mills; by so doing and with the assistance of first-class outside help, we have not only made and furnished all the brick, lumber and material necessary for the building planned for this year, with a narrow marginal exception, but the farming force has made a splendid crop of wheats, oats, clover, corn, potatoes, turnips, cabbage, field peas, and peanuts as well as nearly all kinds of vegetables, and a large number of stacks of forage. We feel for the expense, anxiety. labor, and time spent on the farm this year,

we have been amply and abundantly repaid. This is about, what we gathered as a result: 130 bushels of wheat, 50 stacks of forage, 76 barrels of corn, 100 bushels of peas, 800 bushels of sweet potatoes, 200 bushels of white potatoes, and a yield of truck and garden crop. We have also several acres in turnips which are good. One of the most profitable departments of the farm was the cabbage field, which lasted from the latter part of April until the last part of August. This is due to the fact that the field, at the time of planting, was divided into three divisions and set with early, medium and late plants. Our truck farm here has settled once for all the long debated question among the farmers in this section as to whether this soil and climate will produce successfully early and late vegetables. Like the cabbage our peanut yield is large and wonderful. But our work in chief, as laid out this year, has been along the lines of building and general improvements of the Home.

        During the winter and early spring, at a time when the weather was such that we could not operate our machinery at the brickyard and sawmill to an advantage, we rearranged the horse stables, cow and hog lots by moving the stables on the north side of the Antioch Public Road, behind and in line with the large granary, the cow and hog lots behind the stables, thus putting them at a safe sanitary distance from the inmates and still more convenient to the work and the feed departments. Between these two buildings, convenient to the horse, cow and hog lots, we have just dug a nice well of water for the stock and the safety of the said two buildings in case of fire. Ere long the spring opened up and we were allowed to commence work along the line of our chief object in view, and while there has been many hindrances in our efforts to build the much needed combination dormitory for the girls and the Infant Department of the Home, we feel sure that soon now the long talked of dream will be a fact realized, and that these two departments will be happily located in their new brick quarters. It may be well to state here that the principal, labor used in the construction of this building, from the clay

pit to the brick mill and on to the mason's trowel, as well as from the stump in the lumber fields to the saw mill and from there to the carpenters' bench on the building, was furnished by the grit and muscle of the orphan boys of this institution. Not only conspicuous in the manufacturing of this large quantity of material of brick and lumber you see here by their own machinery and by their own manipulation, but they dug and hauled a thousand loads of sand, and with glee and song they scaled the heights of yonder walls and with great satisfaction supplied daily the workman with sand, lime mortar and cement, as well as furnished the carpenters with hammer, nails and lumber from morning until night.

        Our intention has been all along to push the building along as far as possible by outside donors before calling on the State for the $5,000.00 appropriation, which our good Governor Kitchin, Judge Graham Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the other members of the last legislature had so kindly given us. This we did until the second story had more than been reached. Upon arriving at this point, application was made, according to law, for the appropriation, whereupon a committee of Messrs. Frank K. Thompson, of Raleigh, and G. K. Hundley, of Oxford, both architects and builders, were appointed to ascertain if the Act granting said appropriation had been complied with on our part--that is that the institution should raise $5,000 00, a similar amount--before the appropriation was available, and it was found that we had raised both in cash and building material over $7,000.00. Hence the appropriation, in the nick of time, was received and the work has been steadily pushed to the front. Too much praise and honor cannot be given to our State for this substantial aid which secures comfort and succor to this class of the humble and needy in her bounds.

        The Act granting this appropriation provides for the appointment, by the Governor, of a special committee, together with the Superintendent of the Asylum, to represent the State in the construction of the said building now in progress and the Governor was kind enough to appoint the

following gentlemen and friends to the institution, viz: Messrs. Judge Graham, R. W. Lassiter, V. T. Cheatham, Lawyer Devin, and J. Webb, Mr. Henry G. Cooper, of the Bank of Granville, treasurer[.]

        The health of the home has been good the entire year until the fall set in. Then it seemed that four or five of the small children who all along, in fact from the day they entered the institution, appeared feeble and puny, commenced to develop the diseases we had so much feared in them from the beginning: tuburculosis and hookworm, four of whom died of the same disease. The deceased children were Evelyn Warren, Commodore Warren, Pattie Lee and Rebecca Lee.

        We feel very grateful to the State Board of Health for the axamination of a large number of the children here, for hookworm, free of charge to the home. This investigation showed that only fourteen out of one hundred and twenty-five of the children examined had hookworm, although some were otherwise diseased. We find that the children who enter the home with sufficient age and size to be thrown daily with the outdoor workers and thereby get the advantage of pure air and exercise, though puny and weak, soon grow strong, robust, muscular, and fat, thus overcoming some of the hereditary diseases brought here in their system. Of course the young and smaller sizes cannot have this advantage. Along these lines we feel that the institution will accomplish great results in the future.

        One of the strong tokens and indications that we are to have continued success in our effort to build up and maintain the home is the kindly sympathy and approval of our neighbors both in the country and in the city of Oxford on the part of both races. There is not a business man or firm in the city of Oxford who has ever denied us a favor when it was in his power to grant it. One of the most pleasing and encouraging things I have ever seen here was to behold during the month of last August the big Christian-hearted friends of this community, Messrs. Robert Glover, Sam Morton, Sidney Taylor, John A. Kittrell, Jas. E. Howell,

Andrew Howell, Davie McGhee, Jas. A. Howell, J. Thomas Tyler, H. Howard and others in line with their one and two-horse wagons hauling brick from our brick-yard to the new building without any charge whatever, and without their most timely and valuable help just at that time we could not have so successfully managed our farm, as this, was in the heart of the busy farming season of the year.

        Beyond any doubt, there never was a time in the history of our people when this or a similar institution was more in demand and more appreciated by all the people than now. This has been a year of general appeal from all quarters of our state, telling, in crying tones, the suffering and urging the reception and protection of the off-cast in the different parts of our commonwealth, but circumstances over which we had no control caused us, against our desire and tender feelings for needy and suffering humanity, especially of the young and tender age, to refuse the acceptance of hundreds of applications since last December.

        We feel encouraged to press on, however. From the interest our state is gradually manifesting in this class of our people, we believe it to be only a time of short duration when the legislators of North Carolina will see the importance of helping in our effort to properly equip this institution and thus to save and make men and women of this unfortunate element of our race, who, if not cared for, will not only ruin themselves, but cannot help bringing odium and discredit on the state as well.

        There is a blessed trait in the white man's character which brings about a responsive chord in the amelioration of the condition of all orphans. He is in every way very tender and sympathetic towards the orphans and unfortunates of his own race, and will under any and all circumstances seek their comforts and advantages. This kind of Christianity is like a river whose humanitarian flow has no bounds. Hence that same soul-stirring sympathy for orphans of his own race is touched by the condition of these or any orphan children, and will sooner or later spur the white race

to more definite and specific action in the interest of the orphan cause of our people in North Carolina.

        We are greatly indebted to every railroad company in North Carolina for their reduced rates for our "Singing Class," and for the patience and sympathy shown the hundreds of our little orphans as they traveled the roads to and from their homes to this institution, for every conductor in the state with whom they have traveled has shown them the greatest care and protection. This tender yet strong chord of human kindness for our needy children here seems to have interwoven itself in the hearts of quite a number of friends this year, as is evidenced by the many valuable gifts sent into the Home from all sections of the state. These presents consist of nice barrels and boxes and nice clothing and a number of most beautiful bed quilts, which have helped us so much in the clothing and furnishing good beds for the children. These gifts are prized so highly, and we are sincerely grateful to the donors. These words do not begin to express the real appreciation of the children.

        It is indeed refreshing and encouraging also to refer to some of the liberal Christian-hearted friends who have so nobly given of their means to support the institution this year. For instance, a friend whom we had the good fortune of meeting in her own home in Springfield, Mass., in the spring of this year, gave

Towards the erection of the new building	$ 1,050 00
Mr. B. N. Duke	100 00
Mrs. M. C. Ransom for The Woman's Home and Foreign Mission Union of North Carolina	100 00
The Grand Lodge of Masons of North Carolina (this amount has been added since report to State)	406 18
Grand Master R. B. McRary, from Masonic Lodges	34 10
North Carolina Mutual and Provident Association of Durham	33 02
Rev. G. Smith	5 00
Mrs. N. E. Reid for Sisters Society of Murfreesboro, N. C.	2 50
Rev. J. C. Lyons, from Cedar Grove Union	5 00
Rev. R. H. Wyche, from Vance County Sunday School Convention	3 00
Rev. D. D. Jones, Tally Ho	1 60
Rev. W. T. H. Woodard	3 50

Miss Sallie N. Joyner, collected from friends	$ 75 00
Rev. G. C. Shaw, from Presbytery	7 00
Miss G. C. Hood, from Eastern Star of North Carolina	20 00
Mrs. L. Arrington, from Sisters' Union, Rich Square, N. C.	2 00
Rev. J. W. Levy, from Masonic Lodges	10 00
Rev. W. M. Thompson, from rally, Jackson, N. C.	13 50
Rev. J. M. Blacknall, from rally, Garysburg, N. C.	9 00
Mr. Richard Ivey, from rally, Margarettsville, N.C.	36 00
Mr. Turner Dowing, from Sisters' Union, Cofield, N. C.	3 00
Mr. W. A. Eason; from rally, Woodland, N. C.	8 13
Mrs. Willie G. Ricks, from Sisters' Union, Severn, N. C.	2 00
Rev. B. B. Hill, Reidsville, N.C.	2 00
Mrs. M. L. Wood, from W. M. S., Carthage, N. C.	5 00
Rev. J. A. Peace, from the Cedar Grove Union	3 00
Rev. J. A. Savage, from Churches	10 47
Rev. Cartright, from Baptist State Convention	10 00
Mr. R. W. Joyner	3 00
Collected by Mrs. S. A. Howard	6 05
Mr. J. T. Pullen, for Children's Cristmas	5 00
Hon. D. Y. Cooper, for Children's Thanksgiving	10 00
Collected by Miss Ida McGee from Churches and Friends	75 00
Collected by Mrs, M. C. Ransom from Friends	35 46
Mr. N. L. Keen, from Church, Essex, N. C.	2 00
Mr. P. M. Dewitt, Bridgewater, Pa.	10 00
Mrs. Mallie Askew, from Home Mission Sisters	2 45
Rev. M. W. Brown, from New Hope Association	10 00
Rev. I. C. Jeffreys, from Lodge No. 9	2 50
Rev. I. C, Jeffreys, from Wake County Association	10 00
Prof. P. W. Moore	2 00
Mrs. M. C. Ransom, Woman's Home and Foreign State Convention, 1910	50 00
Men's Baptist Educational and Missionary Convention of North Carolina	45 00
Rev. T. S. Evans, from Old Eastern Star Association	10 00
Rev. R. A. Wyche, from Baptist Association	5 00
Rev. J. T. Peace, New Bethel Baptist Home Mission Sisters	5 00
Mrs. L. A. Basterfield, from Home Mission Sisters, Manson, N. C.	3 72
State Sunday School Convention, Raleigh, N. C.	25 00
North Carolina State Convention, Henderson, N. C.	10 00
Wake Association	25 00
Shiloh Association	15 00
Reedy Creek Association	5 00
Neuse River Association	10 00
Warren County Sunday School Convention	5 00

Branch Chapel	$ 3 07
Miss Daisy B. Edwards, from friends and churches	25 00
Sandy Branch Church	3 50
Antioch Baptist Church, Virginia	3 00
Pine Grove Baptist Church, Jackson, N. C.	7 00
First Baptist Church, Severn, N. C., Grand Rally	22 40
Mr. C. V. Vick, Margarettsville, N. C.	1 00
Mr. John Bottoms	1 00
Garris&Brothers	2 00
Mr. John G. Stancel	2 00
Mr. J. V. Rogers	1 00
Dr. M. Bolden	1 00
E. Baughs	1 00
J. J. Pervis	1 00
J. H. Parker	1 00
Rev. C. W. Scarbrough	1 00
Mrs. D. J. Branch	1 00
Melvin Branch	1 00
Edward T. Martin	1 50
W. H. Joyner, Garysburg, N. C.	1 00
Hon. C. W. Mitchell	5 00
Judge B. B. Winborn	5 00
Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, Manson, N. C.	5 00
Presbyterian Church and A. M. E. Zion Church, Carthage, N. C.	20 50
Greensboro Church	5 00
First Baptist Church, Castalia, N. C.	5 00
Mt. Olive Baptist Church	5 00
From rally at Islong Baptist Church	17 35
Rev. J. W. Levy, from Churches	6 70
Rev. Isaac Alston, from Church	5 00
Dr. A. M. Moore	4 20
Andrew Howell	2 00
James A. Howell	1 00
Proceeds from concert given by Mrs. Henrietta Kittrell	13 00
Concert at Orphanage	15 65
W. W. White	3 00
B. W. Rogers	3 00
Miss Carrie C. Thornton, Warrenton	36 00
M. F. Thornton, Warrenton	2 00

        Although the themes of maintenance and building are important and urgent issues to which we are compelled to give a great deal of our time and energy, nevertheless the Departments of Education and Industrial Training are not at all neglected, but to the contrary all the painstaking and

stress possible are placed upon the schoolroom and industrial training of the children, as our schoolrooms, shops, farm and mills will show.

        Our helpers employed are very efficient and industrious. Mrs. Susan A. Howard, of Franklinton, N. C., is matron at the boys' building, and she deserves great credit for her faithful and untiring management of that department.

        Sudie May House and Mary A. Shade, of the Home, are the kind, patient and competent matons of the Infants' Department, who succeed the faithful, efficient and much missed Mrs. Anna Perry, resigned.

        The Girls' Department is presided over by Misses Henderson and West. We have an enthusiastic and progressive school in charge of Miss Margaret A. Henderson, of Cambridge, Mass., assisted by Miss Olivia West, of Littleton, N. C. The night school, which is taught by Miss Ida B. McGee, of Oxford, N. C., is a very important feature of the school, as it reaches that class of the large boys who have to labor in the several departments of industry during the day. It is wonderful and encouraging to see how anxious these boys are to learn.

        The shops are under the management of Mr. Lawrence Young, of Oxford, who is in every way competent and faithful.

        The farm is managed chiefly by Mr. Henry Kittrell, of Oxford, assisted by Mr. Simeon Watson. Both are faithful and prompt to every duty.

THE BRICK YARD, SAW MILL, AND NEW BUILDING.

        We were fortunate to secure the most valuable services of Mr. J. S. Dixon, of Durham, as manager of the brick yard, assisted by Mr. George Watkins, who is a first-class brick cutter. The orphan boys, too, have been faithful. Every brick used in the building now in erection was made and furnished by our mill, as well as some furnished to our neighbors. The plans and specifications of the new combination dormitory were drawn by Mr. Frank K. Thompson, of Raleigh, who has made several most timely visits here

since the work was commenced, giving to the workmen willingly and cheerfully the benefit of his great skill and experience in the carrying out of his plans.

        Mr. C. G. Ridley, of Oxford, is entirely responsible the brick work. He is a skilled and faithful workman, energetic and painstaking.

        Mr. G. K. Hundley has from time to time rendered us great assistance in the construction of the building, especially in the interpretation of the plans.

        The carpenters' work is mainly in the hands of Mr. Jack Hicks, of Oxford, who is known to be one of the quickest, most reliable and skilled carpenters in the county and city.

        The sawmill has proven to be a very important addition to the industries of the institution, not only because it came in at the nick of time to cut the lumber for the new building, thereby paying for itself twice or more times, but the training it gives the boys makes it valuable to the institution. Mr. Hundley planted the mill with such exactness and accuracy that it is indeed a charming piece of machinery in action, and has not given us five minutes trouble since planted. Mr. Lawrence Young, the foreman of the shops, is our sawyer, although Mr. Hundley saws whenever he can be here. We have promised to saw some during winter for our neighbors, at times when our work will beidle. The work in these several departments has gone on smoothly and harmoniously without the least jar or friction.

        On the 28th of last July was Anniversary Day of the institution, and it was indeed a great occasion, more people perhaps than ever before seen on the grounds of the Home at any one time. The demeanor of the thousands was perfect. The annual address was delivered by Archdeacon Avant of New Bern, N. C., who made a most powerful and instructive speech, which will be long remembered by the people of this section. Dr. A. Shepard, Prof. Griffin, of High Point, and others also made interesting speeches.

        

CONDENSED STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS FROM DECEMBER 1, 1909, TO DECEMBER 1, 1910.

State Appropriation	$ 5,000 00
Singing Class	1,103 70
Shops	35 15
Anniversary Day Collection	31 11
Rent from Grounds	45 00
Churches, Sunday Schools, Masonic Lodges, Unions, Conventions, Associations, Insurance Companies, Individuals, and Agents, for new building	$2,542.91
Farm and Garden Products and Dairy	225 65
Hire for children	50 10
Sale of brick	20 00
Sale of lumber	11 15
Damage paid by insurance company for fire at the girls' building	175 00
Total		$6,696 86

        

DISBURSEMENTS FROM DECEMBER 1, 1909, TO DECEMBER 1, 1910.

Salaries and wages	$ 3,145 00
Clothing and bedding	985 15
Subsistence	2,860 80
Wood and oil	450 16
Repairs to buildings, stables and sheds	175 00
New stoves	105 82
Repairs to pumps and digging well	95 00
Office expenses, express, freight, etc	648 35
Total		$8,465 28

        Too much praise and thanks cannot be given to Messrs. W. C. Gerty&Co., Young's Island, S. C., for their kindness. They furnished, free to the Asylum, the thousands of cabbage plants used by the orphanage at all stages of the season and have done so for the last three years. We count these good people among our best supporters, quickened with the proper spirit of giving and sincere friends to the orphan cause. They are entitled to success in their great business.

        We desire to especially emphasize the blessing which came to the Home through the most timely and much needed gift of a large box of nice Bibles and hymn books by Mrs. A. B. Hunter, of St. Augustine College, Raleigh, N. C.

        In our struggle to maintain and build up the institution and to educate the children as far as in our power it lies, we have been greatly encouraged by Mr. V. N. Bond, of Littleton, who pays the salary of one of our teachers for the entire school year. Besides, he has made the institution a present of a four-horse power engine with which to saw wood and to cut feed for the stock, and we are indeed thankful.

        The Home is greatly indebted to Rev. S. G. Newsome for his faithful management of the Singing Class and for his untiring efforts to raise money and other necessaries of life for the institution while on the field.

        We are blessed to have the friendly co-operation of such untiring and competent business men as Messrs. T. C. Harris and C. S. Easton to audit, adjust and settle the accounts of the institution.

        The institution can congratulate itself upon having for its medical adviser Dr. G. A. Coggeshall, who with his great experience and ability watches closely and diligently the approach of every symptom of disease in the Home.

        Our order of religious exercises is as follows:--

• Chapel exercises every morning.
• Sunday School at 11 o'clock every Sunday morning.
• Prayer meeting every Sunday and Wednesday evening.

        A standing invitation is extended to the ministers of the different churches to preach to the Home any hour on the Sabbath convenient to them.

Report of Board of Directors.

        We, the Board of Directors of the Oxford Orphan Asylum, having heard, read and examined the report of the Superintendent, Hon. H. P. Cheatham, wish to say to the public and friends of the Asylum that we are highly pleased with the same. The report covers every department and phase of the work, giving us just the information we wanted. In looking over the buildings and children we find every

reason to be encouraged. The work was never in a more prosperous condition. The large brick building in erection will soon be completed. Mr. Cheatham, by his untiring and indomitable energy, raised almost single-handed the money required by the state ($5,000) before the state would give its $5,000.

        We agree with Prof. Buchanan, the white member of the Board appointed by the state, when he says that "the report is one of the best that has ever been made by any superintendent of any institution." What we saw on the grounds verified every word of the report.

        We commend, therefore, the Superintendent, Hon. H. P. Cheatham, and his faithful wife and colaborers to the kind and generous people of the state, as in every way worthy of interest and support.

A. SHEPARD, D. D., Chairman,
I. ALSTON,
M. F. THORNTON,
H. E. LONG,
J. W. LEVY,
A. M. MOORE,
I. C. JEFFREYS,
H. P. CHEATHAM,
M. C. RANSOM,
G. D. GRIFFIN,
G. C. SHAW,
On the part of the State: R. W. LASSITER,
LUTHER BUCHANAN,
M. L. COLEY,
Board of Directors.