Chapter XXIV
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Montgomery, one of the largest and most progressive towns in Fayette, is located near the western border of the county on the main line of the Chesapeake and Ohio railway. It is built upon a floodplain of the Kanawha river with lofty mountains rising abruptly on either side, making its scenery very picturesque.
The land around Montgomery was originally owned by Levi Morris, having been taken up by him in 1770. He came from Alexandria, Virginia, on a mule and brought with him the shop-made nails with which the first house was built near the present site of Montgomery.
Mr. Henry Montgomery, the grandfather of Messrs. S. H., J. C., and J. W. Montgomery, came to this county about the same time with General Andrew Lewis in his campaign against the Indians.
Any retrospection of the city of Montgomery is not complete without mention of the Montgomery family, from whom the city takes its name, and of such constructive influence as may have been contributed by them to the city's growth.
The founder of this family, James C. Montgomery, was born January 1st, 1813. He was the oldest son of Major Henry Montgomery, who was granted lands in the Kanawha valley following the point Pleasant expedition. His mother before her marriage was Nancy Keeny, a great-niece of Colonel Andred Lewis, founder of Lewisburg, and who fought the decisive battle of Point Pleasant.
James C. Montgomery by heritage was a pioneer, by occupation, a farmer. A man poor in worldly goods, whose chief assets were a strong mind, foresight and good judgment. A man who held the confidence and esteem of the community in which he lived.
He was twice married. His foresight and good judgment were evidenced by the type of women he chose for his wives. The wife in his young manhood was Amanda Brannon, only child of Major
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Lawrence H. Brannon, whose wife was Cynthia Morris, daughter of Levi Morris, the first permanent white settler in the county, and grandmother of William Morris, the first permanent white settler in the Kanawha valley, and whose will is the first of record in the county of Kanawha, being probated in 1793. Levi Morris owned the lands from Upper Creek near Handley to Armstrong creek, his home site being at the mouth of Morris creek upon the knoll now known as "the old Riggs place." His brother Benjamin in 1824 built and occupied the old brick residence on what is now the Willis farm, also owning an immense surrounding acreage. In the year 1837 in the partition deed between the heirs-at-law of Levi Morris an acreage was set aside to Amanda Brannon, his granddaughter, which with adjoining acreage acquired by purchase from other heirs of Levi Morris, comprise the present site of the city of Montgomery. The only dwelling upon this site at that time was a house built of walnut logs by Benjamin, son of Levi Morris, and said to have been built in 1774.
Amanda Brannon was sent away to school by her parents and was educated according to the standards of women of her day. A valued beaded bag being in the possession of her family, and so far as is now known being all that is in existence of her personal school-day creations. She came to her husband with two faithful servants, Clara and Milton, and with feminine finery that was unusual for the pioneer woman of her day, and settled down to a life as a farmer's wife in a farm-house built near the log house which was used for servants' quarters. These buildings were near what is now the property of Mrs. T. J. Davis, commanding a view of a fertile farm and what has always been a beautiful valley.
To James and Amanda Montgomery were born six children, Cynthia, Lawrence B., Henry S., James W., John C., and Samuel E., the latter being eleven moths of age when, on July 3, 1851, the mother passed into the great beyond.
The second wife of James C. Montgomery, Bridget Rice Huse, daughter of Seth Huse and Dora Heath Huse was of northern
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parentage. Dora Heath being a native of Connecticut and Seth Huse of New Hampshire, settling first at Locust Lane near Ansted about one hundred years ago, afterwards at Fayetteville. Seth Huse by occupation was a farmer and millwright, an honest, upright, respected citizen. His wife's brother, Harlow Heath, Ph. D., owning and conducting a school for boys in the city of Baltimore, the daughter was sent to college in the same city. This young woman, with rare tact and charming personality, won the love and respect of her step-children, which she held until the day of her death, and until the day of their deaths, for they too, have passed into the Great Beyond, and they spoke of her with the love and reverence that good sons cherish for a good mother.
To the second union were born eight children, Annie F., Seth H., Harlow H., Mary E., Thomas L., Charles A., and Fred H., of whom three survive.
That James Montgomery held the confidence and esteem of the community in which he lived is evidenced by the three terms in which he represented the counties of Raleigh and Fayette in the state legislature, particularly during the stormy days prior to 1861. When the crisis came he cast his vote against secession and for loyalty to the mother state. That his vote was with the minority and its results have now passed into history. He gave his two eldest sons to the lost cause, Lawrence Brannon Montgomery dying from typhoid fever contracted in the army and Henry S., who enlisted at the age of seventeen and served to the close of the war, the hardships and privations of army life and imprisonment so undermining his health that death resulted in early manhood.
Of the Brannon-Montgomery children, John C., who died in 1918, and J. W., in 1920, are well known to the people of Montgomery, their sister and brothers having preceded them to the grave so many years ago that they are personally known to but a few, aside from the older members of their family.
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JOHN C. PUBLIC SERVANT
John C. Montgomery, throughout the active days of his life served the public in various capacities; as president of the board of education of Kanawha district, in the state legislature, 1878, and
for fourteen terms as mayor of Montgomery. Instrumental in bringing about the incorporation of the town, at which time the name was changed from Coal Valley to that of Montgomery, and serving as its first mayor.
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One has only to recall the lawlessness and disorder of mining towns which have developed independently of company control, not only in Fayette county, West Virginia, but in all industrial districts, to understand the conditions which existed during the early days of our city, the pioneer mining town of the Kanawha valley.
Mr. Montgomery, generous to a fault, but absolutely fearless, ruled with an iron hand, giving every man that which was his just due but allowing no worthy appeal to go unheeded, commanding both love and respect and a wholesome fear. He served his city during a most critical transition period, bringing order out of chaos and building the foundation for our present-day lawabiding citizenship.
J. W. Montgomery, through faith in the future of his home town, indomitable courage and unceasing toil, contributed more toward the material upbuilding of the city than it will probably be the lot of any other person to ever do. Over a period of years during which real estate was stagnant and money an almost unknown asset in this community, he built numberless dwellings, pioneered in business ventures with a vision of the city's future not shared by his associates, carrying financial burden and enduring physical toil that few of his contemporaries would have dared assume. His success in the financial world was an earned success.
There are few, if any, of the earlier churches in the city which Mr. Montgomery and his brothers failed to assist. He made the largest individual subscription toward the erection of the first white Protestant church, the Calvary Episcopal, serving on its first Vestry, and assisted in building and furnishing the last white Protestant church that has been erected, the M. E. South.
Of the Huse-Montgomery children who have passed away in recent years are Mrs. Mary E. Davin and C. A. Montgomery, mentioned because they are well known to many of the people in Montgomery. Mr. Montgomery was a man of retiring nature, whose life was one of devotion to his family and faithfulness to his church. Mrs. Davin, like her sister, Mrs. Annie F. Champe, who survived her, was indeed a daughter of Israel in whom there was no guile. Exemplary women of Godly lives and with an influence
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beyond the family circle, permeating the community in which they spent their lives. Together will they "be numbered with Thy saints in glory everlasting."
S. H. Montgomery, pioneer merchant, coal operator and banker, needs no introduction to Montgomery's people. Merchant since 1879, actively engaged in the production of coal through the Montgomery Coal Company which he owned and operated, 1897 to 1918. The Montgomery National Bank, organized in 1901, with Mr. Montgomery
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as president, which office with the exception of a period of six years, he has continuously held. The growth of this splendid institution from the date of its organization to the present, ranking as one of the largest banks in Fayette county, and second to none in conservative banking and safety to its depositors, is in no small measure due to the sound judgment and conservatism of Mr. Montgomery.
The site at the northeast corner of Fourth avenue and Ferry street which had been owned and occupied by Mr. Montgomery since 1886, was recently purchased by the Montgomery National Bank and here a handsome edifice has been erected as the new home of this ever-growing institution, a fitting monument to the man and to the integrity as well as to the institution which it represents.
Fred H. Montgomery is the youngest of the James Montgomery children, and one of the three surviving. With Mr. S. H. Montgomery and Mrs. Annie F. Champe he represents the last of the immediate family of James Montgomery. From his earliest youth he has been identified with the religious and educational movements for the city, county and state in which he lives. Through periods of depression the burdens have fallen heavily upon his shoulders, and in the same measure that his older brothers have carried the financial burdens of the community, Mr. F. H. Montgomery has carried the burden of reform. With our present-day school advantages and enlightened ministry it is difficult to vision the condition under which Mr. Montgomery labored, in a mining town with its floating population, and that he stood so firmly and aggressively aided most materially in giving an impetus to religious and educational work which has put the city bearing his name in the foremost rank along these lines. With his older brother, Mr. S. H. Montgomery, he has been a faithful and constant supporter and communicant of the Presbyterian church, serving with his brother as Elder over a period of many years. This church has claimed the allegiance of the majority of the Montgomery family, a just tribute to the influence of a gentle mother whose family for generations upheld the tenets of Presbyterianism.
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Mrs. Mary E. Montgomery, widow of Henry S., Mrs. Margaret J. Montgomery, widow of John C., Mrs. Elizabeth Montgomery, widow of Thomas L., Mrs. Noonie Montgomery, widow of Chas. A., survive their husbands, these women with Mrs. F. H. Montgomery, the only surviving wife, represent the type of women that the sons of James C. Montgomery chose for their wives, shining examples of the highest types of womanhood. Women who have ever stood for religious and moral principals and who have been worthy successors of the mothers before them.
To the World War the Montgomery family contributed its quota, as it has done in the past to war between the states, to the Indian wars and to the Revolution. The sons of Chas. A. Montgomery, Sergeant Carl H. Montgomery, of the 313th Ambulance company, under fire in Argonne Forest, Verdun, and St. Mihiel, Lieutenant Hale L. Montgomery, 38th Infantry, 96th Division, in Camp Wadsworth, Lieutenant T. L. Davin, son of Mrs. Mary E. Davin, in Camp Dix. Grandsons Henry S. Montgomery, Jesse D. Montgomery in the Navy and Lieutenant Carl M. Montgomery, 312th Field Artillery, for two years in France.
To this list is properly added the name of the only son of John C. Montgomery, Dr. Lawrence C. Montgomery, who died on October 26, 1918, during the scourge of influenza then sweeping the country and in which he fought and gave his life in the line of duty.
During the years of the Civil War the family of James C. Montgomery lived in Giles county, Virginia. Upon their return to the Kanawha valley the farm was found stripped of all improvements and the farm-house burned. The family settled in the house built of walnut logs nearly a century before and which had been used in later years for servant's quarters.
About 1866 Mr. Montgomery permitted the first public school house in the community to be built upon his farm, a log structure which was afterwards weather-boarded and for many years later owned and improved by I. E. Lyons and occupied by him until it was destroyed by fire several years ago.
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EARLY DEVELOPMENT
The proposed construction of the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad and its subsequent development, the acreage purchased in 1872 by the Cannelton Coal Company for the purpose of coal shipments, this acreage coving grounds from the Kanawha river to the C. and O. right-of-way, a strip 366 feet in width, its west line intersecting Fifth avenue at what is now the rear property line of the Roman Catholic church, the location of the Coal Valley Coal Company's mine on the Montgomery property, houses built here and there for the accommodation of employees, marked the close of the first century of the white man's occupancy of what is now the city of Montgomery. It also marked the transition period of a fertile valley farm to that of a pioneer mining town. James C. Montgomery lived to see his farm lands no longer uninterruptedly given over to the tilling of the soil, he lived to see an embryo mining town developing; and as he had cast his lot where opportunity seemed brightest, so others came in, attracted by prospective jobs in the mines and on the railroad, because of better opportunities than the more settled countries offered. On October 16th, 1877, James C. Montgomery passed away.
The year 1879 found the town platted into lots and blocks by the Montgomery heirs, it found two colored churches constructed, the sites having been given by the Montgomery heirs. It found the Roman Catholic church at its present location, the site being given by Henry S. Montgomery. It found the Calvary Episcopal, the Baptist, the Presbyterian church locations as at present occupied, each site being given by the Montgomery heirs. The building and occupancy of the first hotel in Montgomery by J. C. Montgomery followed, in the same block and not far from the Central hotel of today. That the town continued to grow uninterruptedly through the following years with the ever changing population characteristics of a mining center, was due to the faith and efforts of J. W. Montgomery, a faith that time has justified. The selection of Montgomery as a location for a state school and the generosity of the Montgomery heirs in their gift of the original site of about two
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acres of ground in the year 1895 at a choice spot in the city, marked a second transition period in its history.
The history of Montgomery dates back to about 1860, when boats began to come here from Cincinnati and other points along the Ohio river. The town was then known as as Montgomery's landing and was the distributing point for merchants in Wyoming, Mercer, Raleigh, McDowell, Nicholas and Fayette counties. These merchants came several times each year and hauled goods for their stores. It was also a shipping point for tobacco, hides, wool and other farm products.
In 1871 the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad was built and the station at this place was known as Cannelton. Cannelton had been for a number of years the name of the post office on the north side of the river, and continued to be the name of the station on the Chesapeake and Ohio until 1890, when the town was incorporated and the name changed to Montgomery.
In 18776 the Coal Valley Coal Company began operating a coal mine here and they laid off the town and changed the name from Montgomery's Landing to Coal Valley. A Post office was also opened at this time, known as Coal Valley. Thus from 1876 to 1890 the place had two names, Coal Valley post office and Cannelton station. When the town was incorporated, as mentioned above, the name of the post office was also changed to Montgomery.
Since the opening of the post office the following men have been post masters in turn: S. H. Montgomery, W. M. Dent. M. J. Simms, Ernest Montgomery, Mrs. M. V. B. Montgomery, Charles Edwards, L. S. Montgomery, M. E. Davin and Sewell Champe, who is post master at the present time. It is a second class office and has comfortable quarters in a brick building on Third avenue.
The town was incorporated in 1890, and since that time the following men have been mayor: Mr. J. C. Montgomery, Mr. T. P. Davies, Mr. James Dunbar, Mr. B. S. Hasting, Mr. T. J. Davis, Mr. B. C. Hooper and Mr. P. H. Kelly.
The changing of James Montgomery's farm into the present city of Montgomery is a matter which occurred within the memory of a considerable number of persons now living in the city, and the be-
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ginning of its growth to that of a much greater number, for it has been but a very few years since all of Montgomery west of Ferry street on the north side of the Chesapeake and Ohio railway was a corn field, and on the south side of the railway, a swamp.
At the time of the Civil War, Montgomery's Ferry, as Montgomery was then known, was a point at which a considerable portion of the merchandise for points in Fayette county was unloaded from the Ohio and Kanawha river packets. The Kanawha river began to shoal at the upper end of the present town, and only on stages of high water could the smaller boats go a little further up the river, and the larger steamers never attempted it. The old Montgomery house, the occupied by James Montgomery, a heavy log construction, bound together with wooden pins in the main, and a few nails hand made in Alexandria, Virginia, and brought on horse back over the mountains; the old Carrick house at Carrick's Branch, a small general store operated by Mr. Montgomery and his sons, were all of the houses on the south side of the river. The Cannelton Coal Company's mines opened in 1859, and operated solely for the purpose of mining cannel coal from which "coal oil" was obtained, with a few houses for its employees and a small store constituted the settlement on the north side of the river. On the south side of the river there was nothing until the Buster farm at Mount Carbon was reached, and on the north side nothing until the Stockton and Pady Huddleston farms in the vicinity of Boomer were reached. A stage line was the speediest means of communication between Lewisburg and Charleston, and "Daddy" Nihoof of Boomer, and John Perkins, who for many years conducted a store in Montgomery, were star drivers on this line. Both of these men have died in comparatively recent years.
With the coming of the Chesapeake and Ohio railway in the early 70's the stage line ceased to exist, the splendid turnpikes were permitted to go down until they became almost impassable, and the railway began the battle with the river steamers for freight and passengers, so successfully that the river packets which formerly plied between Charleston and Montgomery morning and evening, and weekly boats from Cincinnati and Pittsburgh have long since
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disappeared from these waters, and with the exception of coal tows no steamer is now ever seen above Lock Two. The "Lizzie Bay," the "Chancellor," the "Handy," the "Mountaineer," The "Speedwell," the Green line, the Calvert line, are names which were once important in Montgomery affairs, but which mean nothing now.
Montgomery's history as a town begins with the coming of the Chesapeake and Ohio railway. For many years it was a division point in that system maintaining its yards, roundhouse and other terminal equipment here, but on account of the space the division point was moved two miles west of Montgomery to Handley, and the wide bottom at that point was utilized for the spreading of storage and yard tracks which would have been impossible here. Montgomery however, remains a railroad town, and will always be so. Hundreds of the railway employees have their homes here, and the short distance of the yards from the town in no way interferes with their work. Work coaches carry the men to and from their work at the shifting hours, and the arrangement is an excellent one for Montgomery as it permits the utilization of the limited level ground for building purposes, and at the same time permits us to hold a close identity with the railway and its people.
Shortly after the coming of the Chesapeake and Ohio railway the Cannelton Coal and Coke Company built immense elevators on the river at a point about where the F. E. Smart residence now stands, with a spur-track running from it and tapping the main line on the site of the present city building. The coal cars from the mine were run on board floats, ferried across the river by steam power, run up an incline, and dumped into bins and from there dumped into coal cars as needed. This process was continued until the Kanawha and Michigan railway extended it lines from Charleston to Gauley, permitting railway loading on the north side of the river, and another important river operation in local affairs passed into history.
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OTHER MINING INTEREST DEVELOP
The success of the Cannelton Coal Company drew other coal mining interests into this vicinity and within the limits of Montgomery the old Coal Valley Mining Company, and the Straughan mines operated for a number of years, followed later by the opening of the only mine now operated within the corporation limits - known by various names but at present the Eagle Coal Company. The Crescent mines are still in operation by the Hutchison, interests, the mines at Mount Carbon and all along Armstrong Creek to Powelton, the various operations on Morris creek, and at Union and Chesapeake, the Kanawha & Hocking, the Columbia Iron and Steel Company, the Boomer, and the other north side operations followed in about the order named, all centering on Montgomery and contributing to its growth. Many of these old operations are no longer working; others are still operating, and there is no reason to believe that for many years to come the coal mining operations which made Montgomery will not contribute as a factor to its continued growth.
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MONTGOMERY BEGINS TO GROW
With the beginning of the coal operations, Montgomery, then known as Cannelton from the larger town on the north side of the river began to grow. Here and there a new store building began to make its appearance, the various mines gathered about their operations and the small houses of their employees, and their own store buildings, and the nucleus of the town was formed. Of necessity it was a straggling town. The men were chiefly employed at the W. R. Johnson Crescent mines had their little portion of the town in the east end. The old Coal Valley people were on the hillside about where the Fayette Bottling and Ice Company, and the Fayette Wholesale Grocery now are, while "Straughantown" straggled off on the south side of the railway toward Morris Creek to meet the people of the union operation. The railway people clustered around and behind the railway depot and telegraph office and back up the hill. The "Old Hotel" stood across the railway from the present freight depot and close to the present street line, but being destroyed by fire it was rebuilt in about the middle of the present block occupied by many of Montgomery's best retail stores. This hotel was a three-story frame affair and ran for many years under various managements, but always owned by either John C., Thos. L., or J. W. Montgomery until it was destroyed by fire. Incidentally, Frank Dutton, who once managed this hotel is now in charge of the famous Harvey chain of restaurants and train dining service in the west. After the fire J. W. Montgomery built a fifty-room hotel - "The Montgomery," which was operated for a number of years by A. R. Agner, and which is now being converted into apartments for the students of the New River State school until the dormitory buildings planned by the state can be completed. Shortly afterward the Central hotel was built by C. P. Dent, and the last hotel, the "Hollywood," or the Faymont, as it is now known, was built by the late J. W. Montgomery. The recent remodeling of the Faymont and Central provides two commodious modern hotels in Montgomery which meet every demand from the standpoint of hostelry provisions.
Having seen something of the early railway, mining, and hotel affairs, of Montgomery, we now turn to the other forms of Montgomery's growth.
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PERMANENCE TAKES HOLD
Until 1886 there were very few houses in Montgomery. A number of small dwellings had been built in the upper end of town and a row opposite the old Custer home. J. W. Montgomery's dwelling and a store building occupied the business section of the present Fourth avenue. A small store and a saloon, in the far west end. A few houses on the hill side and the old Tuggle store with the depot and telegraph office, about constituted the town. In 1882 the late William F. Champe built his residence where his widow now resides, and from the present site of the Central hotel to the miner's home there was no other house on Front street, and the entire portion of the town in that section was planted in corn. The buildings in those days were practically all one story and constructed with the idea of getting under cover quickly rather than with the idea of permanence, which is typical of all mining camps. In course of time a number of larger wooden buildings were erected. The Old Bottling House, the famous "Old Opera House," which had enough timber in it to have built a small town, the odd Fellow's hall, and later the new Odd Fellow's hall, Myers' store building, the old skating rink built by T. P. Davies, and others.
The first brick building in Montgomery, with the exception of the residence of the late Mrs. William Rigg, was built by William F. Champe in 1897, at the corner of Third avenue and Ferry street, and from that time Montgomery began to build more substantially. A few frame buildings were erected afterward but the tendency was toward more substantial building, and of late years the building has been of a type which would be an addition to any town. The Knights of Pythias Hall, the Odd Fellows' Hall, Mrs. J. C. Montgomery's block, the Henderson, Simms, Dent, Love, Holstein, Masonic and city properties are all excellent types of modern buildings, while the Merchants' National Bank, and the Montgomery National Bank are splendid examples of stone construction.
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FINE RESIDENCES
The residences of Luther S. Montgomery, Frank Smart, Mrs. M. J. Montgomery, Mayor B. C. Hooper, O. K. Robinson, F. H. Ollom, and scores of others are beautiful examples of the home builders' art, while the churches in kindly emulation are contributing their expressions of the best in sacred structures. In the newly opened section of Montgomery, on the south side of the railway, every house built has been of the better class and this portion promises to be the beautiful part of the city.
The Coal Valley Hospital recently completed has a three-story brick and stone structure of considerable size and is now preparing for the erection of a wing on either side of the present building. The first building was erected with the idea of making it a central unit for future building, and the heavy patronage of this institution has made necessary the erection of new buildings much sooner than had been originally planned. Montgomery is justly proud of this splendid institution which means so much to the inhabitants of this section. Rated by the national association as a class A institution, local people have found that its staff of physicians and surgeons represent the highest type of the profession, and with labor-
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atories equipped to handle any character of research work, Coal Valley Hospital is rapidly winning for itself an enviable name in its field. The hospital recently acquired a beautiful brick residence building near its plant where it maintains a nurses' home for the benefit of the graduate nurses and those taking the nurses' course, which adds very materially to the comfort and pleasure of the employees and students.
Montgomery was incorporated under the name of Montgomery April 1, 1891. Previous to this the town was known as Cannelton, and as Coal Valley. At the time of its incorporation, the railway station was still Cannelton, the post office used the name of Coal Valley, and the town as newly incorporated was Montgomery. Brakemen on the passenger trains called all three names to eliminate mistake. For some years the need of local government had been felt, as district officers could not successfully handle the condition as they existed, and the good people of Montgomery voted for incorporation for the purpose of having better government, and the rough element voted for it for the pleasure of knocking the stuffing out of the new government. The late J. C. Montgomery was the first mayor and held that office for many years until party politics were injected into the local situation and the late Senator T. P. Davies was elected on the republican ticket. E. E. Bragg, at present a justice of the peace of this district, was the first marshal, and the new mayor and marshal were about the busiest people in West Virginia for the first few years of the new corporation's existence.
The work performed by them and their successors was a tremendous one, disorder had to be curbed, sewers had to be laid, sidewalks built, sanitary measures put into effect, and the thousand and one things which are necessary in setting up a new order of things. By degrees wooden sidewalks appeared in town, later to be replaced by concrete, sewers were laid and gradually extended, a volunteer fire department, which grew into a horse drawn equipment, and within the past three years was motorized. The wooden jail in the course of time gave place to a new brick one on Fourth avenue, and which in turn was replaced by the present city building which
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hoses a modernly equipped jail, and fire department, the offices of the mayor, recorder, and city sergeant, and a commodious auditorium for the use of the public. Ten or twelve years ago the property owners on a part of Third avenue, Ferry street, Lee street and Fourth avenue by voluntary agreement paved the streets in front of their property with brick, and today all parts of the city within the corporation lines are fully paved with asphalt, and the old days of knee deep mud have passed into history. With excellent electric light, water, and gas systems Montgomery presents every facility for comfort and convenience found in any city. The old ferry has been replaced by an iron suspension bridge across the Kanawha which connects the north and south sides with increased convenience.
By a recent legislative enactment the corporation limits of the city of Montgomery were extended so as to include Union Town mines, thus bringing the population of Montgomery up to five thousand.
For many years the entire banking of Montgomery was done with the Charleston banks, but in 1899 a Mr. E. W. McCormick organized the Montgomery Banking and Trust Company, a state bank which continued business about two years and was wrecked through the efforts of the promoter, who was its cashier and directing force, to float a street railway between Montgomery, Mount Carbon and Handley with bank funds. Shortly after its failure S. H. Montgomery and other business men organized the Montgomery National Bank, and some years later S. P. Campbell and others organized the Merchants National Bank. Both of these institutions are flourishing, carefully managed and excellent institutions. The Merchants national has its home in a beautiful stone building on Third avenue, and the Montgomery National Bank is housed in a new stone building on Third avenue, said to be the finest exclusive banking building in West Virginia. These two banks have on deposit about three million dollars, and have been of tremendous assistance in the upholding of Montgomery.
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MONTGOMERY'S NEW DEPOT
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Company has just completed one of the finest, most up-to-date and commodious brick depots in this part of the state, costing $40,000. It has large well equipped waiting rooms to take care of the vast numbers of people who come into Montgomery from various sections of the county and state. Appropriation has also been made by the Chesapeake and Ohio for a new freight depot and when this is completed Montgomery will be central freight distributing point for all adjacent territory.
Montgomery has always been essentially a retail town, but of late years a disposition to enter the wholesale field has resulted in the establishment of several wholesale houses in our midst. The Fayette Wholesale Grocery Company which occupies a large three-story brick building on the south side of the C. & O. railway and which has built up a splendid trade in Fayette, Nicholas, Greenbrier, Kanawha and Boone counties, and which is rapidly coming to the front in its own particular field. The Fayette Bottling and Ice Company, wholesale dealers and manufacturers of ice, ice cream, soft drinks and kindred products is another of the largest enterprises of its kind, and extends its activities into five counties in this section of the state. The Montgomery Confectionary and Tobacco Company, and the Drop Shipment Candy Company as their names imply are wholesale dealers in candy and tobacco, and enjoy excellent business in their line. The Tabit Ice Cream Company are wholesale dealers and manufacturers of ice cream, and the Montgomery Beverage Company are wholesalers of soft drinks. The Holz Ice Company are wholesale dealers in ice and conduct a cold storage business, and Joe Tabit and Brothers are wholesale dealers in fruits and produce. All of these concerns, with the exception of the Fayette Bottling and Ice Company have begun business here in the last five years and are making excellent progress.
In the retail line of Montgomery has always had an energetic and up-to-date body of merchants. Men who go regularly to the eastern markets and who are skillful buyers and wise choosers in their
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particular lines. No better display windows can be seen in any city than afforded by Montgomery, and no more up-to-date lines are carried anywhere than here. Montgomery merchants have always been able to carry and sell the most seasonable and effective modes in women's wear, and the highest standard lines of men's wear are found in the various stores. Every high class line of shoes can be found in their stores and every nationally advertised product is upon their shelves. Visitors to Montgomery from the larger cities are surprised to find the grade and quality of merchandise which can be bought in these stores, and their comments are gratifying to the wide awake, hustling men who compose the Montgomery retail merchants.
Montgomery has been very fortunate in having always had a well developed religious spirit in a considerable portion of her people. In the early days when Montgomery was generally considered a rather rough proposition as a whole, God fearing men and women met for the service of God in such places as were available, and as conditions permitted began the erection of houses of worship of their own denominations. The city has fine representative churches of six of the great denominations, among which at this time no strife or envy exists, but who are working together for the common good.
The writer is not clear as to the age of the respective churches, but gives them in order of his impression as to their organization here. If there is an error in this it is unintentional, and the important fact is that they are here, the time at which the came into being unimportant.
The Baptist Church is perhaps the oldest of Montgomery's churches, and from its organization here in 1882 has always had a large congregation and membership, and has always been a strong factor in the upholding of Montgomery. They are housed in a splendid modern church building on Fifth avenue on the site of their old church building. The new building has been but recently completed and embodies all of the newer ideas in church construction. Its present pastor is Rev. W. T. Burks, a worthy successor of the many godly men who preceded him in its pulpit. The
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next church in point of age is either the Catholic or the Episcopal church. The Catholic church is located at the corner of Fifth avenue and Lee streets, and is one of the landmarks in Montgomery. It has a large congregation, and has always had splendid priests in charge of its denominational work here, who as clergymen and as citizens enjoyed the esteem and confidence of the people of Montgomery. The present priest, Rev. Father O'Reiley, has been in Montgomery but a short time, but is already recognized as a strong addition to the religious workers of the city.
The Episcopal church is located on Fourth avenue, and is now the oldest church building in the city. Its long service for the cause it represents in Montgomery has been and is fully recognized. The interior of the church is unusually dignified, and suggests to the worshiper a peculiar sanctity and quietness which many strangers have noted and felt. Within its walls before the erection of the other churches several denominations were welcomed and in its Sunday school many children of other denominations have received their first religious instructions. The clergymen of this church have made a lasting impression upon the people of this town.
The Presbyterian church, the "Old Brick Church," is also located on Fourth avenue and has a large congregation of splendid people. This church at the present time is undergoing extensive additions and changes, and upon their completion will rank in point of equipment with any of the other churches of the city. Its pastor, Rev. C. W. Reed, is also a newcomer to Montgomery, having come to Montgomery recently from the Warm Springs church in Virginia, but who has already endeared himself not only to his immediate congregation, but to the entire town, and with his little family is advancing the work in this great field which lies about us with constancy and zeal.
The Christian church occupies a new and commodious church building at the corner of Sixth avenue and Ferry street. The Christian church has a strong and growing congregation, and some of the best loved men of Montgomery are members of this congregation.
The Methodist church on Lee street, is the youngest church in point of organization in Montgomery, but carries out Methodist
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tradition in having just about as earnest and active a body of church people as could be found anywhere. But commodious as it is, it is getting too small for the congregation and this church is planning the erection of a new church in the near future which will fully meet their needs. Rev. C. A. Powers is now pastor of this church.
The colored residents of Montgomery have two churches, the Methodist and Baptist, both on the hill on the south side of the turnpike and located close to each other, both of which enjoy a good attendance and among their people are doing good work. The colored Baptists are erecting a modern brick edifice on the hill overlooking the city.
Montgomery has always had the fraternal spirit strongly developed. The open hand has always been a mark of the mountaineer, and it is nowhere more evident than here. In time of trouble or misfortune the appeal of the needy has always been heard, and whether the need was local or foreign, the response has always been ready and cheerful. The oldest organization, the Masonic fraternity, was chartered in 1879, and has had a constant growth now numbering about 500 in its membership. They occupy their own
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building on Fourth avenue, but have recently purchased a new lot and erected a new home at a cost of $75,000, which is one of the finest pieces of lodge property here. The Odd Fellows, the next oldest organization, have just completed a new and beautiful building on Ferry street on the site of their old building which was destroyed by fire last March a year ago. In their hall meets the Order of Red Men, another powerful organization locally, and the American Mechanics which also has a large membership. The Knights of Pythias have a large membership, and occupy their own three-story building on a lot given to them by T. L. Montgomery and located on Third avenue. The Eagle have recently completed a splendid brick building on Fourth avenue which is a credit to the town and their order. The Loyal Order of Moose which in point of membership eclipses any other order in town, also meets in the Eagles' hall, but is planning the erection of a modern building of its own. Each of these orders with the exception of the Eagles have an associate feminine order; the Eastern Star, the Rebekah Degree, the Degree of Pocahontas, the Pythian Sisters, all with good memberships and growing steadily.
The Rotary Club of Montgomery, the youngest of this character of organization, was organized with O. K. Robinson as first president, and has a splendid membership of good men who believe in the motto of the club and who practice its precepts. The local club has been very active in local affairs since its organization, and takes especial pride in passing the good work along to other towns in this vicinity. Charles Reed was president in 1924 and L. B. O'Neal is now president. It also has a feminine branch, the Rotaryanns, which joins with them in spreading the gospel of good fellowship and progress. Montgomery also has hopes of having a branch of the Kiwanis Club, a similar organization, and if this is organized the two clubs will go a long way in keeping Montgomery in motion. In this connection, the Woman's Club of Montgomery must be considered, for this organization has for years been active in welfare and community work here. The rest room which they have maintained for a number of years has been a blessing to numbers of shoppers and visitors to Montgomery and is a well known local institution. This club also conducts a valuable series of instructive meets in which literary subjects, music and art are presented in
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carefully arranged programs, which merit the interest they receive. This club will shortly erect a fine building for club meetings and social functions.
The Chamber of Commerce is another organization which for many years has worked in the interest of Montgomery. All of the local business men are members and through it a splendidly effective means of getting the combined ideas of the local business men is reached. This organization has been of infinite good, and has always stood ready to work for anything which would advance the local interest and local affairs of Montgomery. O. K. Robinson is now president and S. O. Norton secretary.
From a business standpoint Montgomery could not be better located than it is. The natural center of the local coal fields, the trade of the miners and others living on Smithers creek, Lower Loup creek, Armstrong creek, Paint creek, and Cabin creek, naturally come to Montgomery for their supplies, and a large number of people on the north side of the river from Cedar Grove to Gauley Bridge, find Montgomery a convenient trading point. By a recent act of the West Virginia legislature, acts of 1925, the bridge across the river between Montgomery and Cannelton is to be purchased by the people of Kanawha district and to be made a free bridge. This will give the people of Falls district and the public generally a great opportunity to get into and out of Montgomery. The schedules of the Chesapeake and Ohio railway, the Kanawha and Michigan railway, and the Virginian railway are very favorable to this place for business arrangements, and on one of the three railroads a person can get in or out of Montgomery at almost any hour. With the ever increasing hard surfacing of the roads in this vicinity, the automobile is coming into the trade conditions heavily, and so far as the automobile is concerned the greatest question confronting local authorities is parking space and traffic regulations. Any night, and especially Saturday nights, hundreds of cars are parked in Montgomery, some of them so far out that they are really outside the corporation lines, but their owners are all in Montgomery for business or purposes of pleasure.
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THE MONTGOMERY NEWS
One of the most important factors in the development of a city is a newspaper. Montgomery has been particularly fortunate in this respect, and it is to the efforts of Editor Luther S. Montgomery and his "Montgomery News" that much credit must be given for the present grand civic attainments of this city.
The Montgomery News was established in 1897 by Mr. Montgomery, who was at that time the youngest editor in the state. It has a wide circulation over Fayette and Kanawha counties. It is a standard six-column quarto, newsy, well edited and has always stood for the best in the development of its city, being a strong advocate of civic improvements.
The plant of the "News" from which it is printed is the best in the county and its editor has spared neither pains nor money in equipping his plant with modern equipment, not only for the publication of his paper, but for commercial job printing.
The News is recognized as a valuable advertising medium and its advertising columns are crowded with messages of local interest. The Christmas editions of the News have on more than one occasion been widely commented on in a favorable manner by the press of the state, not only for the appearance of the paper, but for its size, being the largest editions of any paper in the state.
The city that can boast of such an influential factor in its civic and commercial development is indeed fortunate and the Montgomery News and the city of Montgomery are destined to keep pace with progress in the coming years.
A new up-to-date town hall has been built, which is in keeping with the progressive spirit of the town.
The town maintains a police force of six men and a well organized volunteer fire department. Dr. Lawrence Montgomery organized a fire department of fourteen well trained men and the usual equipment, such as reels, hose ladders, chemical engines, etc. They now have a modern, in every respect, and well equipped fire department.
Among other public improvements may be mentioned the good water supply and sewage system, the recently paved streets and
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concrete sidewalks, the electric light system and last, but not least, the natural gas supply. The Montgomery Gas Company, with wells in Montgomery proper and in Kanawha county, began to supply gas to the town several years ago and the town now enjoys a good supply of gas, which is used extensively for lighting, heating and cooking in Montgomery homes, as well as fuel for machinery. This gas is a great boon for Montgomery.
The history of any community us not complete without some mention of its public schools. It has been well said "The public school is the nursery of our nation's greatness." It is certain that the first consideration of a worthy citizen in founding a home is the opportunity of giving his children a good education. In this age of severe competition and rapid advancement along all lines an education is necessary. It awakens the mind to lofty ideals, it arouses worthy ambition, it strengthens the faculties by the habit of study and prepares the individual to better cope with the problems of life.
Immediately after the war a public school was opened in a small one-story building near the lower end of the town at the mouth of Morris creek. The school was located here to accommodate the children living on Morris creek who had to come a long distance to school. Mr. Thomas Farley was one of the first teachers in this school, and here it was that some of the older residents of Montgomery made their early preparation for life's work, and they recall with a great deal of pleasure some of their early associations in this primitive school. As the years passed on the needs of the town grew and about 1876 a more modern school building was erected in the center of town, near the corner of Ferry street and Fifth avenue. This was a two-story building, but was still inadequate and part of the school had to be taught in a private home.
Mention should also be made of the Catholic school and the Episcopal school which offered the very best educational advantages, before public schools were prepared to do that work.
It would be interesting to the friends of education had we room for the task, to trace the growth and development of this school
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from a poorly organized and equipped institution to a well graded and well regulated system, matriculating with the state preparatory school located in the town. The first big step in this direction was made in 1893 when an eight-room building was erected and six teachers were employed, with Mr. E. C. Bennett as principal. This building was erected at a cost of about $3000.00 on a lot purchased from the Cannelton Coal Company. It was well equipped with Waterbury system of heating and ventilating and had a seating capacity of about three hundred. It also had a nice library of six hundred volumes for use of the school and town.
Among those who have been principal since the school has been at its present site are Mr. C. E. Bennett, Miss Jennie Hutcheson, Mr. B. H. White, Mrs. M. E. Huddleston, Wm. Beaty, Mr. J. R. Ramsey and Mr. O. K. Robinson.
Mr. Robinson took charge of the school in 1909 and has made many improvements. The school is now well graded and the course of study is in accordance with the West Virginia school manual.
In the way of schools Montgomery has not only outstripped it neighbors, but has outstripped every other thing in the town. Montgomery is blest with good schools, equipped far ahead of any other town of its size or twice its size in the state. Less than ten years ago there was, so far as the county schools were concerned, a deplorable inadequacy of school facilities. Today one of the finest district schools in West Virginia is in Montgomery. Its large and spacious school building represents the last word in school architecture, and its course is second to none in the state. This building and equipment cost something over $168,000. On the hill opposite it is the newly completed Simmons high school for the colored people, an imposing building costing, equipped, a little over $100,000, while in the west end the Kanawha county authorities have just completed a school building costing about $60,000. Nearly 1,200 school children are enrolled in the grades and the high schools of Montgomery. The New River State school has this year a total enrollment of a little over 700 students, of whom 500 are resident students and the other two hundred take extension work. The state has added to the present building in every way possible, and is now building a three story auditorium and gymnasium, and a large administration building is to be added as soon as possible upon the land recently
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purchased by the state. Montgomery is rapidly taking on the air and appearance of a school town, and the citizens take a pardonable pride in these institutions.
In the year 1919, the board of education of Kanawha district began the construction of the Kanawha District high school building located in the city of Montgomery. This building is constructed of brick, tile, and Indiana limestone and is modern in every detail. It contains 21 classrooms, a gymnasium, four toilet, four shower baths, and auditorium, a teachers' rest room, superintendent's office, principal's office, library, and a modern heating and ventilating system which thermostatically controlled.
Provision is made in this building not only for the high school pupils of Kanawha district but also for the elementary school of Montgomery, and consequently more than 600 boys and girls are being trained in one of the most modern and well equipped school buildings in the state.
Special instruction is given in music, drawing and physical education, yet thoroughness in the common branches is not neglected. A special drive is being made upon the essentials in reading, English, arithmetic, and spelling. There exists very close co-operation between the homes and the school, and parents are advised in detail
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as to the progress of their children. During the second month of school 120 visits to the home were made by the grade teachers and with one exception, the co-operation of the parents was assured.
The superintendent and the teachers are using every means to secure regular attendance and because of the interest and co-operation on the part of the teachers and patrons it is seldom necessary to appeal to the truant officer. At the end of the second month forty-five per cent of all the pupils enrolled were listed on the honor roll as having been neither absent or tardy during the month.
Montgomery should be commended for its public spirited and progressive citizens. The teachers appreciate the co-operation and loyal support which they receive from their patrons.
As a first class standard school Montgomery ranks among the highest in the state. When the school was visited by Mr. J. S. Bonar, the representative from the state department, it scored ninety-eight per cent. Not having one acre of ground, it is impossible to score more than ninety-eight per cent, which means that Montgomery school is perfect.
A great deal of stress is placed on the janitor service and care of property of the Montgomery schools by the superintendent, principals, teacher, pupils, and janitors themselves. The building, furniture and equipment are kept in perfect condition, being practically free from markings and clean and sanitary in every detail.
The board of education is transporting daily to Montgomery this year 150 pupils from other towns in Kanawha district thus giving them the advantage of a high school education and enabling them to live at home.
In the past several years large sums of money have been raised by the teachers, pupils, and patrons of the graded and high school for the purpose of libraries, pictures, and various school activities. Last school year all departments of the school raised $804.54 for the purposes mentioned. Three hundred and twenty-five dollars and sixty-two cents have been raised already this year through the same channels.
As a large number of pupils ride the trains to attend the district high school, the school authorities have established the hot lunch for their benefit and for the benefit of any other pupils who desire to take advantage of it. This lunch is planned, prepared, and
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Served in cafeteria style. It is done under the direction of the head of the domestic science department of the high school. A well balanced lunch may be obtained at the actual cost of the materials. On average about seventy pupils and teachers take lunch at the high school building daily.
Another forward step in our schools is the sale of pasteurized milk at a low figure. Over 100 bottles of milk is sold daily to the graded school pupils. An effort is being made through the health department to reach those whop are underweight from malnutrition. The milk is obtained from a dairy in which there are fourteen purebred and six grade Holstein cows. According to a certificate furnished by the United States Department of Agriculture this is an accredited tuberculosis-free herd. The handling of the milk is done in an absolutely sanitary manner. It comes in one-half pint bottles. By means of a punch an opening is made in the cap and a straw inserted.
A public health nurse who is especially trained for school health work has been employed. Her duties are: Inspection of sanitary conditions of the schools, buildings and grounds; inspection of children for contagious diseases, class room health talks, and weighing of pupils monthly. She also helps the doctors and dentists with examinations of all pupils for the purpose of detecting early symptoms of contagious diseases and remedial defects in vision, hearing, teeth, tonsils, adenoids, lungs, heart, and malnutrition. Health records are kept for each child and reports of defects sent home with recommendations that parents take their children to their private physician, dentist, or specialist for examination or treatment.
The doctors and dentists are willing to give their services for the examinations of all the pupils of the Montgomery public schools. Already a large number of children have been benefited by this work. Mrs. Paul W. Workman, who for the past two years was public health nurse for the city of Bluefield, has charge of this work.
The board of education is composed of enthusiastic school men with vision for the better things of life. They are conservative in the handling of the school's finances, yet progressive in their views. B. E. Claypool of Montgomery is president of the board, M. F.
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Forgery of Kingston, and J. E. Kincaid if Ingram Branch are members. O. K. Robinson of Montgomery is superintendent and W. D. Morrison of Montgomery is secretary.
The board of education of Kanawha district began to break the soil on the mountain side for the erection of the new Simmons school building on the fall of 1922. Work went forward until cold weather, then in early spring work was resumed.
The board of education selected the best materials for its erection. The building was constructed of brick, stone and cement.
The building stands majestically, towering over the city of Montgomery in a very commanding position. One may view from Handley on the west to Oakland on the east from the front of the building. This location gives the building a very picturesque setting. The dark brown building with the stone trimming and the windows trimmed in white makes a wonderful showing against nature's background.
The building contains ten class rooms, including the manual training and domestic science rooms in the basement. Besides this, in the basement are two laboratories, a large store room and the boiler rooms. On the first floor the elementary school is housed. Then there is the spacious gym-auditorium combination with a large stage and two dressing rooms. The auditorium is located between the first and second floors. The top floor houses the high school. Here is the laboratory fully equipped for chemistry and physics, and the sewing room with the most modern equipment, and also the high school library.
The equipment and furniture is of the very best. The individual seats in each room are very modern in every particular. The chemistry and physics tables are complete. The manual training department is equipped with tables for a class of sixteen. Also the domestic science department. The auditorium has 300 durable chairs suitable for all occasions.
The new building has added wonderfully to the spirit of the school and especially the enrollment. The enrollment is over two hundred pupils. This building not only cares for the school at Montgomery, the junior and senior high of Kanawha dis-
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trict, but also the high school pupils of Falls district and Cabin Creek district are benefited by the high school. This is a wonderful opportunity for the boys and girls from the nearby towns to get their training.
One of the special features of the school life is the organization of the student council through which the students are given an opportunity to function as real citizens by having a part under direction, in the life of the school. Each room of the elementary school has purchased two pictures and the junior high has a picture for each room. The elementary school is buying books for itself equal to the number required to standardize. Special chapel song books are also being purchased, along with this a piano. Another feature of interest is the hot lunches that will be served to the pupils throughout the year which adds life and vigor to the pupils, especially the out of town pupils.
The teaching staff selected for the year is very competent. The teachers of the high school have done advanced work beyond their Bachelor's Degree and bid fair to make the school a first class standard school. The elementary teachers are hard workers and very pleasing in manner. It is expected to make both schools first class standard this year.
On complimentary thing that the board of education has done and is doing is the transportation of more than 45 pupils to Montgomery daily by rail and bus.
The students and teachers of Simmons school have assumed debts to the amount of $929.50 in the purchase of a piano, books for library, song books and football equipment.
Some thirty years ago, the people of this section of the state saw the need for a good strong secondary school in this field. They began agitation for a state supported school for high school work to be established in the southern part of the state. Senator T. P. Davies and John McNabb championed this movement and by Herculean efforts got the school established at Montgomery in 1895 and it was consequently called Montgomery Preparatory School and designated a branch of the state university.
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The first building was not completed until the middle of the winter of 1895 so very little was done that year. At the beginning of the following year, Mr. Josiah Keeley was placed in charge of the school, where he remained for ten years. It was fortunate for the school that such a strong man was placed at its head in its formative years. Mr. Keeley set a vary high standard of work and the school has held to these standards ever since. Mr. Keeley was a tireless worker and besides building the school from the standpoint of high standards and efficiency, he did much toward developing the school plant and campus. Many of the beautiful trees now growing on campus were planted by his own hand. The school under his guidance grew in number and influence until practically every county in southern West Virginia had students on her roll.
Mr. Conley of Clarksburg followed Mr. Keeley as principal of the school but remained only one year, being replaced by Supt. L. W. Burns of Pocahontas county. After a very successful career of three years Mr. Burns resigned to become superintendent of the Grafton schools. Mr. A. S. Thorne then directed the affairs of the school for the next seven years.
About this time high schools began to spring up over the state almost as by magic and it required no prophet to see that a state secondary school would not be needed very much longer. Acting on this idea, Mr. Thorne and the State Board of Education began to cast about to find some real need of the state that the school could fill, so the Legislature was asked to change the name to that of the West Virginia Trades School and to appropriate money to make the necessary change in the school plant to teach properly certain trades, such as mining, wood-working, painting, stenography, bookkeeping, etc. Somehow students could not be secured for these courses in sufficient numbers to guarantee the continuance of these courses in the curriculum, hence they were dropped and the regular high school work continued.
In September, 1920, Mr. Thorne resigned and was succeeded by Supt. C. H. Martin of the Mt. Hope schools. Mr. Martin at once saw that the school to live and serve the state most efficiently, must offer more than a high school course and without delay set about to get the State Board of Education to make it a junior college. To do this it was necessary to secure the passage of a bill in the Leg-
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islature to change the name and authorize the board to make such change in the curriculum. This was done and the name was changed to that of the New River State School, - its present name, - by act of the legislature in March, 1921.
When Mr. Martin took charge of the school, interest was at a low ebb and only 60 students presented themselves for work on the first day of school in September, 1920, but before the year was over quite a few others had come in. The enrollment reached 235 by the end of the term. The following year showed a nice increase in attendance, the enrollment reached 345. The third year, 1922-1923, was a record breaker in attendance for 1040 were enrolled in all departments for both winter and summer terms. About half of this large number were college students.
The authorities in charge of the school have been taxed to the limit of their ingenuity to provide for the rapidly increasing number who want to attend this school. The entire basement of the building has been excavated and fitted up for living and instructional purposes. The heretofore unused space in the large attic has been converted into dormitory rooms and music and art rooms. The large auditorium has been divided into class rooms, in fact everything has been done to make room for the teaching and housing of students. This building now contains 58 dormitory rooms, 20 class rooms, library, offices, laboratories, etc. The old Montgomery hotel building has been leased by the State Board of Control and has been thoroughly renovated and repaired for a boys' dormitory. It contains 33 rooms and accommodates about 60 boys, besides those who have charge of the boys and the building.
The State Board of Control, the State Board of Education, the Legislature, and the citizens of this section of the state have all vied with one another to see who could be of most help to the school. They have all backed up the work of Mr. Martin and his able corps of teachers in their every endeavor. Such phenomenal growth and progress as this school has made could not have taken place except through the highest type of team work of all concerned. The student body has been loyal, enthusiastic, and alert to every interest of the school.
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This school now has a well trained faculty of 21 teachers and offers the first to years work of the regular A. B. course, also two-year pre-law and a two-year pre-med course. Thorough courses in voice, piano and violin are given by highly trained musicians. The school maintains a strong commercial department. Her graduates are eagerly sought after by the business concerns of the state. This school aims to offer to the boys and girls of this section of West Virginia the very best opportunities to train themselves for life's work or to enter other institutions of higher learning in order to complete degree courses. No doubt sometime in the near future the board of education will extend its courses to the full four years college work and authorize the school to confer degrees - the bachelor degrees at least.
Large appropriations have been made and the school has entered upon an extensive building program. A very modern physical education building has been recently completed. In this, New River State has one of the best physical education buildings in the state. It cost approximately $125,000.00 exclusive of apparatus and equipment. This building is of brick and steel construction and is practically fire-proof. It contains a commodious gymnasium, an auditorium, stages and dressing rooms, instructional rooms, showers, toilets, etc. It is heated with steam heat and equipped in the most modern manner. Architects are now at work designing an administration building which will take care of the offices, library, classrooms, laboratories, and such other rooms as are necessary for a real college. New River State expects to take her place alongside of the best schools and colleges in the state or adjoining states.
In September of 1925, the State Board of Control began a Mechanical Hall on the western extremity of the land recently purchased for this college. This building is three stories above the basement. It is 160 feet long by 50 feet deep, containing seven shops and laboratories, six offices, four wash and toilet rooms, six storage rooms, heater room, coal room, transformer and meter rooms, halls, etc. The building is of steel and brick construction with brick finish.
All halls and corridors are steel and concrete with terraza surfacing. In this building is planned to have the shops for auto repairing, plumbing, forgeing, molding, cabinet and carpentry, sheet
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metal work, electrical engineering, wood finishing, mechanical drawing and printing.
Many short semi-technical courses are now being planned in the various trades and lines of work prevalent in this section of the state. The courses will be open to any boy eighteen years of age or above whether he is a high school graduate or not. The co-operative plan will be followed if the business interests of the Kanawha valley will co-operate with the school and we have every reason to believe that they will be very glad to co-operate in every way in this sort of work as it will give them a supply of semi-technically trained men for the positions that do not require highly trained employees. This will be the first attempt on the part of the state to furnish this sort of training to the young men. This work will follow the requirements of the Smith-Hughs and will be supported in part by federal funds.
An Athletic field has been provided for near the campus. It contains about three acres of ground. Bleachers run along almost the entire length of the field on one side and has space for parking automobiles on the other, giving seating room for many hundred spectators. All forms of athletics have been encouraged and some good teams have already been developed in football and basketball.
Situated as this school is in a new, yet one of the most densely populated, regions of the state, we believe that it has a very bright future before it. Southern West Virginia has one of the largest and best coal fields in the world. Its development has just begun. In a few years it is predicted by good authorities that the Kanawha valley will be one continuous city from St. Albans to Kanawha Falls. This hills are underlaid with many veins of fine coal which the world wants - must have. This means only one thing - it will bring here many thousands of people to mine and prepare this coal for market. This in turn brings in many other forms of business. All these people will have to be trained and educated if this Republic maintains itself. This school must leave nothing undone to prepare itself to meet its obligations and demands that will be made on it by the people of this region. It must serve the state in the highest and most efficient manner. It must not shirk, it must not be content with present attainments, but must go on and on ever
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broadening its usefulness and deepening its influence. This school is constantly extending its field of activity, and today is the third school in point of enrollment in the state, only the University and Marshall College have a larger enrollment than New River State.
In fact, the institution is not only a place where knowledge through books may be obtained, but it is also a home where good morals prevail. The aim is not only to teach science and art, but to inculcate a love for the beautiful and good, to develop men and women; men, loyal to their country, to God, and to right: Women, pure minded and unselfish, a lovelier type of the best gift of the Creator.
The foregoing text was taken directly, verbatim, from The History Of Fayette County, West Virginia as it was originally written. This book was written by J. T. Peters and H. B. Carden. It was published in 1926 by the Fayette County Historical Society, Inc., Fayetteville, West Virginia, and printed by Jarrett Printing Company, Charleston, West Virginia. All rights reserved.
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