Ministers Close Churches to Prevent Spread of Flu and Suggest Parents Sent Children to Fields to Pick Cotton, 1918

“Churches Close Against Disease,” from The Commonwealth, Scotland Neck, N.C., Oct. 4, 1918

The ministers of all the churches in Scotland Neck met yesterday afternoon together and determined that it would be a proper preventable measure to close the Sunday schools and churches for the next Sunday or two in accordance with the other regulations against the gathering together of the people so as to avoid an epidemic of the Spanish Influenza, which is devastating the country. They will however reopen the Sunday schools and churches as soon as they feel the danger is passed.

It has further been suggested that the parents of the school children would be benefitting the community and their children by letting their boys and girls go out and pick cotton. There is quite a good compensation from this work which is not only healthy but will keep the active little ones not only healthy but employed in a safe environment.