10th Graders Ruth Alford, Furman Bridgers Write Essays About Colonel Fred A. Olds, May 1919

From The Daily Times, Wilson, N.C., May 3, 1919. Colonel Olds is still encouraging people to learn about North Carolina history; his statue is on the steps of the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh. The photo is from https://www.ncmuseumofhistory.org/plan-your-visit/family-fun

High School Notes

The Personality of Colonel Fred A. Olds

By Ruth Alford, Grade 10

The personality of Colonel Olds appeals to both old and young. To the young folks he seems to be one of them. To the older folks he is the very respected and learned preserver of our own State.

Colonel Olds appeals to the young people with this folk tales of the State—He tells the tales of the Indians, the animals, and the insects. He knows how to appeal to their sense of humor and their sense of pathos.

He holds the interest of the older people by is wonderful knowledge of the actual facts of our State history; and also by the folk tales. Even the grown people are interested in the folk tales of our own state when they are told by such a man as Colonel Olds. He seems to know so much and be so interested in our State. And he seems to convey this feeling to his audience.

Colonel Olds has also the power of holding the individual attention of his audience. One feels that one must listen to every word, because each word carries a weight of meeting; and each word is uttered with a depth of feeling.

An Interesting Chapel Period

By Furman Bridgers, Grade 10

Our chapel period Friday morning was particularly interesting because of a visit of Colonel Fred A. Olds. He is noted all over the State for his interest in the olden times or the Ante-Bellum days in North Carolina. He has done more than any other man in the State to preserve our history. He is an enthusiastic collector of Civil War souvenirs and of Indian and Revolution army souvenirs. His entire collection is on exhibition in the Hall of History at Raleigh. A visit to this building will doubly repay the visitor.

He made us a most interesting talk or rather talks, because he was encored four times, and as he likes to talk, he recognized the encore three times. His talks were made up of stories about the times before the war and of the Cherokee reservation. He vividly described for us an incident which happened in Edenton in February 1865. He told of his stories in such a way that the audience could see exactly what happened. The story was about the Cherokee boy was particularly interesting because it gave us an idea of the bravery of the Cherokees.

Colonel Olds is noted for his long distance walking as well as for his story telling. He impersonated a whip-o-will so realistically that everyone thought that there was a bird in the room. Colonel Olds deserves a great deal of credit for his work in preserving our history, and I hope that North Carolina will never forget his work.