Work to Begin on Lower Level of Alumni Memorial Tower at State College, Sept. 21, 1921

Memorial to Heroes of War. . . Tower Being Erected by State College Alumni in Honor of Dead

Raleigh, Sept. 21—Contract was let Monday night at a meeting of the Alumni Memorial Committee of State College for the stone work at the lower part of the Memorial Tower on the campus. Mount Airy granite was chosen as the stone to be used and the contract was awarded to Sargent & Company of Mount Airy, on a bid of $13,900. The entire cost of the tower, clock and chimes will be about $80,000.

The Memorial Tower is the way the State College Alumni Association has chosen to do honor to the men who served, and to the 33 State College men who gave their lives in the World War. The foundation proper has been completed and the cornerstone will be laid October 20 by the Grand Lodge of North Carolina Masons. The tower is located on the summit of the hill immediately east and on the Axis of Pullen Hall. The concrete foundation was finished at the last commencement. Since that time the retaining wall has been put in, making the dimensions of the foundation 48 square feet. For the present the retaining wall has been banked with earth, but later this will be removed to make room for stone steps on all four sides, these steps increasing the dimensions of the complete base to 62 square feet. The tower will be 115 feet high, the design being in the semi-Romanesque style with Gothic treatment of the vertical lines. A four-faced clock with chimes will be connected with the college signaling system, thus carrying out the utilitarian as well as the artistic idea.

Construction for which the contract was awarded Monday night will be continued to a height of 14 feet and thereafter the committee will build as funds are available. About $25,000 has already been subscribed. The exercises of laying the cornerstone will make October 20 a day of unusual interest in the history of the college. The annual football game with Carolina will be held in the afternoon, which will be Thursday of Fair week.

The Alumni Memorial committee is composed of C.L. Mann, chairman; E.B. Owen, secretary-treasurer; C.F. Williams, J.A. Park, W.F. Pate and R.H. Merritt.

From The Charlotte News, Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 21, 1921

David Wells Alderman Returns Home for Burial, Sept. 21, 1921

Plain Pine Box for Long Sleep. . . Millionaire Lumberman Is Buried in Coffin of the Plainest Kind Wilmington, Sept. 21—The funeral of David Wells Olderman, the millionaire lumberman who died at Alcolu, S.C., and who was buried at Harrell’s Store, his home place, on Sunday was one of the most remarkable ever held in this section. Although the deceased is reputed to have left his heirs an estate valued at between two and three million dollars, his remains were buried in a plain pine coffin, which was without paint, enamel or ornamentation.

Before his death Mr. Alderman expressed a desire to be buried in this manner. He wanted to be put away in a coffin of pine wood without ornamentation, and he wanted the box to be made at one of the large mills which he owned in South Carolina. His desires were studiously carried out, even to having a man who had been in the employ of the rich lumberman for more than 30 years make the coffin.

The remains were taken to Harrell’s Store, the place of Mr. Alderman’s birth, from Alcolu on Sunday morning and the funeral was conducted at that place that day by Rev. N.H. Ham, pastor of the Methodist Church in Alcolu, of which the deceased was a member. The services at Harrell’s Store were held in Well’s Chapel and the interment was made in the family burying grounds. The church and grave services were largely attended.

From The Charlotte News, Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 21, 1921. The first sentence of this story spells the deceased’s last name as Olderman, and the first sentence of the second paragraph spelled it as Alderman. I searched for a photo and found one about a museum display with the last name spelled Alderman, so I think that is correct.

Awake and Sin Not, Says Rev. H.G. Harden, Sept. 21, 1921

Awake and Sin Not, Mr. Hardin’s Theme

“Awake to righteousness and sin not,” was the text of a splendid sermon delivered Tuesday night at the meeting in progress at Belmont Park Methodist Church by Rev. H.G. Hardin, pastor of Tryon Street Methodist Church. A large crowd was present despite the rain.

“Reasons why men should refuse to sin are found in the explanation of what sin is, declared Mr. Hardin. He spoke of sin as a transgression, breaking loose from God or rebellion against God.

Sin, in the next place, is an iniquity, departing from the path of right, taking the crooked way, Mr. Hardin said, stating that sin drags a man away from the path of right gradually, until he finally becomes a slave to sin.

Sinning is missing the mark. Mr. Hardin spoke of the tragedy of missing the mark in this life, in which men who fail might have been great successes. He quoted a familiar couplet, slightly changed, saying: “Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: He might have been.”

Speaking of missing the mark in the world to come, Mr. Hardin said that heaven is a place of purity and sin is impure. The man who has sin in his heart cannot enter. Righteousness fits a man for heaven, but sin fits him for a demon, declared Mr. Hardin.

From The Charlotte News, Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 21, 1921

His Name Was Eugene Daniels, Not Ernest Daniels, Remembering Chatham County's Last Lynching Victim 100 Years Later, 2021

Remembering Chatham County's last lynching victim. To read the story, go to chapelboro.com/town-square/a-century-later-chathams-last-lynching-victim-eugene-daniel-to-be-memorialized

Ernest Daniels Lynched by Mob at Pittsboro, Sept. 20, 1921

Negro Lynched by Mob at Pittsboro Early on Sunday. . . Colored Youth Discovered in Home of New Hope Farmer While Husband Is Away. . . Bloodhounds Trail Him to Home Nearby. . . Reported to Have Made Confession to Officers Before Being Lodged in Jail; Mob Secures Keys to Jail from Jailor Taylor and Hang Negro With Auto Tire Chain

Pittsboro, Sept. 18—Ernest Daniels, a negro youth who is alleged to have been found in the home of Walter Stone in New Hope township Friday night, was removed from the Chatham jail this morning about 2 o’clock and hanged to a tree with an auto tire chain on the old Raleigh road, five miles east of this place. Several thousand people visited the scene of the lynching today.

When Gertrude Stone, daughter of Walter Stone, a white farmer, was awakened Friday night, she found a negro leaning over her bed, it is stated, and thinking at first that it was her brother, she called to him. This frightened the negro away. Mr. Stone was away at the time hunting and there was no one in the house except his wife, little son and daughter.

Bloodhounds were secured from Raeford and late Saturday afternoon they took up a trail which led to the home of Daniels. The negro youth is reported to have confessed to have entered the home to the officers who took him into custody. He was brought to Pittsboro and lodged in jail.

The jail was surrounded this morning at 2 o’clock and after two unsuccessful attempts, the keys were secured from Jailer W.H. Taylor, who was overpowered by the crowd of men.

Following the hanging of the negro, the mob fired shots into the body with shotguns and pistols.

Coroner George H. Brooks called an inquest, which adjourned for further investigation after the jury had viewed the body.

Several crimes have been committed in this county recently and this lynching is regarded as the climax of the feeling of anger that has been engendered.

The Dunn Dispatch, Sept. 20, 1921

Henry Monds Injured at Pope Cotton Ginn, Sept. 20, 1921

Henry Monds Suffers Broken Hip at Mill. . . Caught in Machinery Bolt at Pope Plant—Carried to Fayetteville Hospital

Henry Monds, colored, 35 years old, suffered a broken hip and minor injuries at the Pope cotton gin yesterday when he became entangled in a machinery belt and was thrown against a wall. He was immediately carried to a Fayetteville hospital for treatment.

It was at first feared that the man’s injuries would prove fatal. Subsequent examination by Drs. H.C. Turlington and W.E. Coltraine, however, disclosed no really serious injuries. Dr. Turlington stated last night that his patient would soon be ready to return home.

The Dunn Dispatch, Sept. 20, 1921

Howard Wilkins Principal at Snow Hill, Sept. 20, 1921

Howard Wilkins Made Principal at Snow Hill. . . Dunn Colored Boy Becomes Head of Colored Schools in Greene County Capital

Howard Wilkins, son of Herbert Wilkins of Dunn, has been appointed principal of the colored graded schools at Snow Hill, Greene County, and will leave within the next few days to assume the duties of his position.

Howard is a graduate of Shaw University, he completed his studies in the Raleigh college last spring. Since that time he has been employed by the Pullman Company, having served with the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company. He resigned that position a few days ago when favorable action was taken upon his application at Snow Hill. His appointment will afford much pleasure to his numerous white friends who look upon him as one of the most deserving of Dunn’s colored boys.

The Dunn Dispatch, Sept. 20, 1921