Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Title |
Letter from Jacob Thomas, Solomon Garber and George Wine Sr. to J. P. Zigler regarding the Spring Creek Normal School, 14 March 1881 |
Catalog Number |
23.2.001 |
Object Name |
Letter |
Donor |
Found in Collection, Probably a Transfer from the President's Office |
Scope & Content |
Letter from Jacob Thomas, Solomon Garber and George Wine Sr. to J. P. Zigler regarding the Spring Creek Normal School, 14 March 1881. The letter includes its original stamped envelope. Bridgewater College historian Francis F. Wayland wrote of the scope and content of the letter: Until near the end of its first annual session, the Spring Creek Normal School (Spring Creek, Va.) had no board of trustees to serve as its ultimate governing body. The basic reason, probably, was the unsympathetic. skeptical attitude of many German Baptist Brethren in the Shenandoah Valley, at the time toward Mr. [Daniel Christian] Flory's educational venture, and toward higher education in general. But because the school survived its first session, some influential members of the church, friends of higher education, decided that the school should have a board of directors, a group of sponsors. This decision was reached soon after German Baptist Brethren leaders of the Beaver Creek- Spring Creek- Bridgewater area learned of an effort being made by German Baptist Brethren leaders of Roanoke County, Virginia, about 100 miles to the southwest, to establish in their section a denominational school similar to the one at Spring Creek, and to induce Daniel C. Flory to become its head. (Bridgewater College The First Hundred Years 1880 - 1980, p. 11) In the letter, the men write Rev. J. P. Zigler to ask his opinion of supporting "a [German Baptist Brethren] school of high grade among us." The board of trustees formed in May 1881. Jacob Thomas was elected President of the Board. The Spring Creek Normal School went on to become Bridgewater College (Bridgewater, Va.) Ink on ruled paper. Thomas may have signed for Garber and Wine. Envelope is addressed to Rev. J. P. Zigler in Broadway, Virginia, Rockingham Co., and is marked "Important" in pencil at the top left. Green three sent stamp with Washington profile. |
Collection |
Alexander Mack Memorial Library Special Collections |