THE W. F. COLLEGE BURNED.
At 8 o'clock Wednesday evening the Wesleyan Female College was discovered on fire. The flames had already gained such headway that they could not be checked. All effort was directed towards saving the property. Most of the furniture on the first two floors was saved, but very little on the third. Some few had not time to save anything at all. President Troy's valuable library and all his sermons were lost. The young ladies showed great presence of mind and bore the loss bravely.
Pres. Troy and his excellent family have greatly endeared themselves to our community but never truer fortitude shown than by them by the noble way they met the misfortune. The citizens of the town opened their homes and all were soon comfortably housed.
Pres. Brewer offered the Institute to Pres. Troy to continue the school in, but, under the circumstances, he thought it best to close the session and nearly all the teachers and pupils have gone to their homes.
The origin of the fire is unknown. It is supposed that it originated in a room used for storage purpose and was caused by the rats carrying matches thither. There had been no fire in the building during the entire day. The building was a very handsome brick one and last summer was refurnished throughout. The loss is estimated at $20,000 while the insurance is only $10,000. Pres. Troy is full of energy, and the friends of the school are determined to rebuild. Temporary arrangements will undoubtedly be made so that the school can be re-opened next fall. The time has been too short to formulate any deffinite plans but the friends of the school will do all they can so that the college will be continued.
Pres. Troy and family for the present are domiciled in the house above the hotel formerly occupied by Capt Ehrhart.
ITS HISTORY The building just burned was the second one. The first building was completed in the spring of 1855 and in March of that year the first session opened with Rev. Jos. H. Davis as president. In the fall of 1858, Rev. D. P. Wills assumed the presidency which he held until he resigned in July 1861. Rev. Cornelius B. Riddick was the next president and he held the position until Feb. 1862 when the school was closed on account of war. The school was opened again in the fall '65 by J. D. Coulling who continued until his death in November '66. Rev. Paul Whitehead was then chosen president and held the position until 1873. Rev. W. G. Starr was then president until the building was burn[ed] on the morning of August 6th 1877. Another building was erected and the school was again opened in September 1881 with Mr. E. E. Parham as president, and the position held by him until the summer of 1892, when he was succeeded by Rev. R. P. Troy. "Murfreesboro Index", Murfreesboro, [Hertford County], N.C.
Friday, June 2, 1893
Return to Miscellaneous Menu