Nichols High School - Log Yearbook (Oxford, NC)

Page 17 text:

The fourth floor was formerly used as a place to store clothing, but af- tir the Duke Building was provifled, then this department mis ttznsfer- red. On the first floor are the case worker's office, the post office, recep- tionist's office, candy corner , chapel, teachers, parlors, reading room, supply room, and childrenls visitors' room. Since the decision was made to convert St. John's College into the Ox- ford Orphanage, there have been nine superintendents: Mr. John H. Mills, Rev. B. F. Dixon, Rev. J. T. Harris, Dr. W. S. Black, Mr. M. Lawrence, Col. W. J. Hicks, Mr. L. Brown, Rev. C. K. Proctor, and Rev. A. D. Leon Gray. For a century this building has played a very vital part in the life of all the students, as Well as staff niernloers. 1855-1955 Page Thirteen ff . ,X l?lf+f- .:2Ja5,g?53fii:g r 'rrr' 'J 2 J, if ,fy llf,QQi,1'f .,Y Yrfz Fair' -1,32-Q f ......-.t:..M- Q J! P- 'L T Q fr I I N, 1 ' '-'fe-1' ' - - H.. 1 ' , ' 4, J 5 1 ee f fa l .. 5 Mer ref-.gi-:pf-g:f-Wf se- J f tee.. - -Y ..- . . -.N c , T . -L -7- 1'

Page 16 text:

the war broke out, this was renewed with an effort to offer it to the States for this purpose, but such was never done, and St. John's College Went the way of the rest, suspended its operations as the war came on. At the close of the War, Mr. John H. Mills, who Was conducting a fel- male school in Oxford, made arrangements to move into the building and had contemplated purchasing the same. He abandoned the idea, and in 1868 the property was sold undera mortgage held by Capt. John Berry and was bought by the Grand Lodge of Masons for the sum of 37,000 An ef- fort was made at the close of the school in 1871 to arrange for re-opening or to lease the property. These failed and a caretaker moved into the build- ing until further disposition could be made. Thus the story of St. John's College closed in a record of failure, but not until the Masons of the State' had placed themselves in the ranks of the pioneers of education in North Carolina. In 1872 there was a tie in the casting of votes to sell the building and Grand Master John Nichols gave the deciding vote against the sale. Thei question, What shall we do with it? , then arose but remained undecided. Mr. John H. Mills, who may be called, the Father of the Orphanage, in- troduced a resolution to convert St. John's College, now called the Main Building, into an orphanage, and in ten minutes the resolution was carried by a unanimous vote and Mr. Mills was placed in charge of the Work. He soon received the most earnest support of the Whole Masonic Fraternity and the Work was so successfully done that the State, contrary to all prece- dents, appropriated 2B5,000 per year to the orphanage as no difference was made between Masonic and non-Masonic orphans. During the first year of the orphanage's existence, eighty-four children were admitted. In the eleven years while Mr. Mills was Superintendent, he built a home for the children but there were many days Wihen the bot- tom of the flour barrel had to be scraped and many times the last stick of wood was put into the little stove to keep the children as comfortable as possible While the cold wind whistled around the building. Would it be possible to find another building similar in size to this Main Building that has served such a useful purpose? There are four stories and each has made a very definite contribution to the life of the orphanage. There was a time when the superintendent lived in a part of the build- ing, for there was no other provision for living quarters, there Was also a, time when a large number of smaller children lived in this building, for there was no other cottage for them. At the present time many of the teach- ers of the John Nichols School reside in this building, as Well as several other lady members of the staff. After the erection of the John Nichols School building, which was first used in 1925, the second and third floors of the Main Building were remodeled, thus, rooms were arranged for mem-- bers of the staff. Page Twelve 0 P TT 23?-1fx.ff.g-2-1?-'1Ei?2?fF-Sli5? .1 ' --i'-f f.:fi::f'i:i'jE4?'iii' '-' - 2 -4Q22'5'-f3:f're?E14T,:'.:.'-E55I ' 3 ,U ... .-- A.-A -- - --'-ev-2+-V' . : Df'-cf 3f:::::,y ,Y W, mi, . , - ,- ,. , i 8 9 9 .... 'F TWQT 'Z'-Qf'??Zj7 545-127 j'?'E'fl,5':L' ,.Q.,. P M ,M ,ff H .,.v ,eqq . ,V - Lf- Q., mi-, 4-:efz, A T,

Page 18 text:

IN APPRECIATION MR. J. E. STRAWBRIDGE Strawbridge Studio Durham, N. C. How much happiness this fine, Masonic friend, Mr. J. E. Straw- bridge, has given the children of the Oxford Orphanage! We are deeply grateful to him for his very generous gift of photography. Through his visits on the campus, every child from the youngest in the Dunn Building through those of the senior class knows and loves him, and from all, we would say Thank you, Mr. Strawbridge, for your kindness and love. May we prove worthy of your friendship. Page Fourteen -T, 2 'Q'--1 Tw: ' If T.5QLQT,l..: ' . - - v - ' Q ,L.E.LeJ?'k , If fi-.Q gif ,TQ ,rf 3 V ag, 241' ili'-71' ' ' ,, f f I ' 1 5 I , ' - .cg H, . -I--N f- . ,...f': 'Mi ,727 W' -V -- Viif,2Q:' I 5 Y fgjf' 'Z?,.f'l.fQgL.- 5,51 2jj fi