Piedmont High School - Summit Yearbook (Lawndale, NC)

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Lawndai,!;, North Carolina 9 Situated on the top of a majestic hill sloping in every direction, thus giving perfect natural drainage; command¬ ing a magnificent view of hills, vales, grassy, undulating plains, and of the Blue Ridge in the distance; shaded by a forest of stately oaks ; enlivened by the music of rippling water; with excellent drinking water and air free from the taint of malaria, nature has made this an ideal spot for an educational institution of a high order. But what has man done towards perfecting it? He has given us daily communication with all the world by telephone and telegraph, a railroad within a mile of the school, electric lights, water-works, dormitories adequately furnished, large recitation rooms fitted with patent desks of the most approved pattern, and last, but not least, by his efforts as instruments in God’s hands we are unpolluted by bar-rooms, gambling dens and other moral dangers of town and city life, which too often blight the lives of boys from Christian homes and blast the hopes of their dearest friends. We are nearly one-half mile from Lawn¬ dale ; thus we have the advantage of the village with the perfect quiet of rural life so necessary to sustained men¬ tal effort. Sunday Schools and Churches Two flourishing Sunday Schools are within easy reach of us. The Baptists have regular appointments for preaching at New Bethel and Lawndale. The Methodists hold regular services at the latter place. The Presby¬ terians also hold services at Lawndale, but at irreguiai intervals. These churches are only a good walk from the school. All students are required to attend at least one of these churches. Students are required to attend daily roll-call which consists of singing, reading the Scriptures, and of prayer. At these services occasional short talks will be made by the Principal and others, for

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8 Piedmont High School presented the needs of the School to the audience, and asked for five thousand dollars to pay off the exisitng in¬ debtedness, to paint the buildings and to install water¬ works. A wave of enthusiasm, such as is seldom seen when the people are asked for money, passed over the audience. Wealthy men, boys and girls working their way through school, women and children, all caught the spirit of the hour. More than six thousand dollars was raised. The thanks of the school are due to the friends of the institution whose loyalty and liberality have made is possible for us to take another step forward in the march of progress. Piedmont is not dead. Piedmont is no longer in its infancy. PIEDMONT IS NOT AN EXPERI¬ MENT. From small beginnings, through toil and sac¬ rifice, it has ripened in efficiency till it is now generally recognized as one of the strongest preparatory schools in the State. It has eighteen years of steady growth be¬ hind it, a large patronage and many friends in the pres¬ ent, and glorious possibilities for the future. Our water cannot be surpassed. At a distance of about a quarter of a mile from the school buildings is a fine, large spring of pure, sparkling water, affording more than twelve gallons per minute. This water is piped to us by means of an electric pump. A tank of fifteen thousand gallons capacity, standing on a steel tower more than fifty feet high, gives us the best means of fighting fire. With this and with electric lights, with no danger of exploding lamps nor deadly fumes of gas in our dor¬ mitories, with buildings of only two stories in front, we feel that we have less to fear from fire than ever before. At a distance of not more than four hundred yards from the school are springs of health-giving sulphur- lithia and chalybeate water.

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IO Piedmont High School the purpose of encouraging the students and inciting them to higher ideals and nobler efforts. A well organized Young Men’s Christian Association is well attended. Two prayer meetings are held each week by the students, one by the girls and the other by the boys. These services are voluntary, and while no one is forced to go, they are largely attended and a spirit of devotion is shown that is pleasant to witness. Cant is discouraged; but it has been the constant effort of the management of Piedmont High School to inculcate a spirit of reverence for God and veneration for holy things. The school is distinctly Christian, but it is not denomina¬ tional. English The object sought in this department is to give the student a thorough acquaintance with the language and with the best models of the literature, that he may know how to understand and use the one and appreciate and interpret the other. The subject will be studied in three courses. To enter Course I the student should be ac¬ quainted with the elementary forms of the language and have such knowledge of syntax and sentence structure as can be acquired from Hyde’s Book I or its equivalent. All students are required to complete and pass a satisfac¬ tory examination on the work of each course or its equivalent before entering upon that of the course next above. Students making a grade of less than 70 on the work of the Pall Term will not be continued in the class during the Spring Term, but may take the class next below. Course 1.—Grammar reviewed. Elementary Compo¬ sition :—Scott and Denney. Classics for study on class or for parallel reading:—Bunyan: Pilgrim’s Progress; Irving: Sketch Book; Longfellow: Courtship of Miles