September 22, 1904… The Democratic campaign in Woodford will be opened Monday, County Court Day, when Sen. J.C.S. Blackburn will speak at the Courthouse.
The history of the hemp industry has shown some remarkable variations. The tendency has always been to supplant it with some poorer substitute, either of another hemp variety than Kentucky hemp or another type of crop. Kentucky hemp is capable of a variety of uses, and it easily beats out jute from India. In 1880, the Deerings began making twine out of sisal and Manila fiber causing a decline in Kentucky hemp. By 1885, the production was down from 45,000 to 10,000 tons where it remains today and continues to be impacted by the price of sisal.
In addition to sisal and Manila, great quantities of Russian and Italian sisal are now used in America impacting hemp prices. Even so, there is still a strong demand for the costlier Kentucky hemp. In the face of these vicissitudes, the inherent excellence of Kentucky hemp is used extensively in the manufacture of carpet years, flax manufacturing and the U.S. Navy by itself is using 250 tons yearly at Charlestown, Mass., for making twines, ropes and cables.
Clarence Nave has accepted a position at Hopkins, Mitchell & Co.
It looks curious to see the rare Appalachian pawpaw fruit appearing on local fruit stands priced at 10 cents a dozen while next to them are bananas for 5 cents a dozen. Pawpaws, it is claimed, from those from the Hills, are delicious and abundant. A Louisville longshoreman was heard to say, “Pike County and Letcher County are great old pawpaw grounds. Years and years, several of us boys would go to the river and get a big load of the finest fruits you’d ever seen. We’d bring em down to town sell em for $1.50 a bushel.”
The first frost of the season was seen Thursday, Sept. 15. The tobacco suffered no injury.
Mrs. C.W. Nutter and Master Willie Nutter left on Thursday for the K.M.I. school at Lyndon.
John Lewis Thomas has gone to Millersburg Military Institute.
Miss Kittie McMullen has gone to Lexington to enter Sayre Institute.
G.L. Cooper fell from a barn last week and was seriously injured.
William Dixon and family have returned to Midway after living in Lexington for some time.
The residence of Mrs. Mary Collins on Turner Street was sold at auction last Saturday and purchased by Richard Godson for $1,400.
Ervell Glass succeeds John Brown at the Clipper office. The latter resigned to engage in carpentering.
At St. Louis for the World’s Fair are: Mr. and Mrs. George Wise, Misses Ellen and Ethel Witherspoon, Mr. and Mrs. W.B .Cogar with daughter Miss Mayme, Mrs. Bettie Allen, Ike Wingate and the Rev. J.F. Watson.
September 18, 1924… The only school in Kentucky founded and maintained solely for the purpose of training teen age orphan girls, unable otherwise to get an education that will make them self-supporting, is the Kentucky Female Orphan School in Midway. The school is small, accommodating but with 140 students but having to turn away about 150 for lack of room and endowment. The beginning was made about 75 years ago with sixteen girls in the student body. Dr. Lewis Pinkerton first caught the vision and the practical wisdom of James Ware Parrish. By charter the directing board is composed of members of the Christian Church. But when it comes to the student body, the school is as broad as humanity. While most of the pupils are members of the Christian Church, students of all faiths and of no faith at all are welcome. About 4,000 young women have been students at the school.
No school develops higher character. Labor is honored. The girls learn to cook, to sew and to keep house. They play joyously then study profoundly. A diploma mans work and efficiency. Mrs. Ella Mountjoy, the principal, has held this position for more than 20 years and has associated with her splendid women as members of the faculty.
The school was opened on October 5, 1849 and on the first Sunday in Oct., the Christian people of Kentucky are invited to participate in the 75th anniversary services to be held in many of the churches of the state. A million dollar program has been launched this year to double the equipment of the institution and to increase the endowment fund to $1 million. The new academic building I now being erected and will be ready for the Commencement program in May of 1925.
Misses Lillie Parrish and Jeanette Lehman returned to school at Baldwin University in Staunton, Va, where they will attend school.