Mooresville's Annual Picnic Raises $800 for Barium Springs Orphanage, 1914

“Barium Springs Orphanage Received $800 From Annual Mooresville Picnic” from the Aug. 6, 1914, issue of the High Point Review. Barium Springs Home For Children, formerly the Presbyterian Orphans' Home, opened in 1891. Here's an old post card showing the orphanage when it was the Presbyterian home. For current information on the home, see this article from the Mooresville Tribune: http://www.mooresvilletribune.com/news/barium-springs-home-announces-merger/article_5f52d50e-a4a4-11e3-984a-0017a43b2370.html

Mooresville—The town with the close of the eventful program adds another to its goodly list of entertainments in the interest of the Barium Springs Orphanage. Long since the annual picnic became a fixed and established order for the July calendar and the occasion is one that the average man, woman and child in this immediate section and the wide outlying circles of territory counts as his or her own enjoyment, and they would as little think of foregoing the pleasure of being present to see, to hear, to renew friendships, to swap jokes, to hand on gossip and pass the compliments of the season as they would of not sitting down to dinner after a morning of toil and labor in the store, in the field or in the mill. It is a great day, one of large import and worth t the people as such and one in which the number assembled is about equal to the capacity of the grove and the grounds open for their reception.

This day was ideal. The recent rain had put a “quietus” on the dust, but cooled the air and filled with hope and enthusiasm the great crowd of farmers who were beginning to feel that nothing but disaster was before them in the presence of drought-stricken crops. The features of the day were in the main  those not unfamiliar to any who attend such gatherings. The crowd was large and well worth survey.

The children from the home about 50 in number, with their teachers and chaperones all under the leadership of Rev. W.T. Walker, superintendent, came in for a full share of observation and as the guests of the town and the picnic they had no occasion to complain that anything was left undone for their entertainment and comfort. The concert by the chorus of singers was an event of commanding interest. It was in two divisions, the first installment being by the little girls, all inmates of the Annie Louise Cottage, the second by the larger girls.