EDITOR'S NOTES: Historical news provides context to reports

By David Kennard

   One of the fun parts of my job here at the Robesonian provides the opportunity I have to put together the “Our History” column. You can find it in today’s Robesonian.

But, before I go any further, I must acknowledge the Robeson County Public Library and the staff, who have been very helpful both in providing the Genealogical Room and the knowledge of how to find historical documents there.

Every couple of weeks I visit the library to use the microfilm machine to view past editions of the Robesonian. The library has full microfilm editions of the paper dating back to the early 1900s.

As Robeson County residents, we are blessed to have such a resource that provides a glimpse back in time.

David Kennard

We also have quite a few bound editions of the Robesonian here at the office, although they are not cataloged, or even sorted; rather, our bound editions are in a state of disarray and trying to find anything — even if I know the date I am looking for — is exhausting.

Additionally floodwaters a few years back soaked a good number of the editions, wiping out for good Robesonians from about 2010 to the present.

That’s one reason that the column in today’s Robesonian skips past the “10 Years Ago” time frame.

Other valuable resources are the daily essays published by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, which posts “This Day in North Carolina History.” These short essays provide a wonderful look back at significant events from North Carolina days gone by.

The catch to this resource however, is that I almost always must check in daily to gather a complete view of our state’s history. If I miss a day, it takes some digging to find out what I missed. That’s why when you read my “Our History” compilation it says “This Week…”

For instance, If I miss the date that the specially-designed Fresnel lens of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was lit to mark Diamond Shoals, I may not get to see that information for another year. (Of course the answer is it was lit on Dec. 16, 1870 — but only amateur history buffs like me would know that — or at least know where to find that information.)

Another fun note about the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse: The lighthouse lit in 1870 is counted as the second of three at Cape Hatteras, according to the Cultural Resources Department. Even more trivial info: Today there are seven standing lighthouses — Currituck, Bodie Island, Cape Hatteras, Ocracoke, Cape Lookout, Oak Island and Old Baldy (Bald Head Island).

Finally, my other source of information comes from the “Today In History” column made available to Associated Press members. That source documents key events in U.S. and World history, but like the NC Cultural Resources Department, the AP provides only a glimpse of history, one week at a time. And, if I miss the four- or five-day window to collect the data, it’s gone again until next year.

Missing moments in time is frustrating, especially to journalists who like to provide context to news events here in Robeson County and the rest of the region.

Robesonian readers know that periodically we’ll include short glimpses of history in stories about COVID-19, or the jobless rate, or the price of gasoline, or almost every story on the sports page.

History provides context to the events that take place throughout the year.

Here in another couple of weeks you’re going to start seeing our various “Year-end” reports that recap significant events and issues that we’ve published in The Robesonian during 2022. Each of these annual news reports will include short briefs listed in chronological order as they were reported.

And, while I’m still relatively new to the area, these recaps help me understand what’s important to Robeson County residents. Stay with us as 2022 ends and we begin another year of making history.

David Kennard is the executive editor of The Robesonian. Contact him at dkennard@robesonian.com.

OUR HISTORY: 100 years ago, school board selects site for Indian Normal school

Maggie Devane, of St. Pauls, celebrates her 109th birthday in this picture from Nov. 17, 2016. Devane and her sister Inez Womack, who died away nearly two weeks earlier at the age of 106, were among the oldest residents to live in Robeson County. Maggie Devane died on Sept. 12, 2017 at age 111. ROBESONIAN FILE PHOTO

THIS WEEK IN ROBESON COUNTY HISTORY

100 Years Ago: LUMBERTON — Sites Selected for 3 School Buildings; Location of Long Branch, Thomas Consolidated and Pembroke Indian School Buildings Determined by County Board of Education. The county board of education Friday selected a site about 400 yards north of the Indian Normal school building, on the Pembroake-Red Springs road, for the new Indian grammar school building to be erected at an early date. Bonds have been voted for erecting the building, which will cost around $15,000. Source: Dec. 11, 1922, Robesonian.

50 Years Ago: Dean of Instruction, George Howard, has announced that twelve of the graduates of the 1972 class of the Practical Nursing Education Program al Robeson Technical Institute have passed the North Carolina State Board of Nursing examination which was given in September. By passing this examination, the graduate receives a license which allows her to practice her profession in North Carolina and various other states. Source: Dec. 15, 1972, Robesonian.

Eight Years Ago: ST. PAULS — Maggie Devane wakes up every day around 8 a.m., cooks breakfast and does little, odd jobs around the house if she’s up to it. Not bad for a woman who just turned 109. “I feel like I’ve always felt good,” said Devane, who celebrated her 109th birthday on Nov. 17. “I move a little slower but that’s the only difference.” Source: Dec. 14, 2014, Robesonian. Born in 1905 in nearby Rex, the St. Pauls resident is the daughter of a slave who was also a Civil War veteran, has lived for 91 years at her current home on Martin Luther King Street, and has the memories to match her age — having lived through the Great Depression, both World Wars, the Civil Rights movement, and 19 U.S. presidents, including seeing a black, like her, elected to the White House. EDITOR’S NOTE: Mrs. Devane died at age 111, on Sept. 12, 2017.

One Year Ago: LUMBERTON — “I know he is smiling down from heaven to see this beautiful facility and the revitalization.” Those were the words used Wednesday at the grand opening of the Robeson County Administration Center by Lyl MacLean Clinard, referring to her father, the late Hector MacLean. Source: Dec. 11, 2021 Robesonian.

Source: The Robesonian archives

THIS WEEK IN NORTH CAROLINA HISTORY

MECKLENBURG COUNTY — On Dec. 8, 1840, Sydenham Benoni Alexander, Confederate officer, legislator and agriculturalist, was born in Mecklenburg County. Though Alexander graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1860, the Civil War intervened before he could begin his professional life. He enlisted in the First North Carolina Volunteers in April 1861, saw action and was promoted through the ranks to captain before he joined the staff of General Robert Hoke as an inspector-general.

After the war, Alexander became a successful farmer. He was appointed the master of the Grange in North Carolina in 1877. Two years later he was elected as a Democrat to the state Senate, where he would go on to serve several terms.

As his involvement in state politics deepened, Alexander was fundamental in the formation of the college that would become North Carolina State University. He was appointed commissioner of the state board of agriculture, as well as president of the North Carolina State Fair and the North Carolina Railroad. That same year he became first president of the North Carolina Farmers’ Alliance.

Alexander was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for two successive terms. In 1901, he returned to the North Carolina Senate where he aided in the appropriation of $200,000 for public schools. 

Source: North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

THIS WEEK IN U.S. AND WORLD HISTORY

KITTY HAWK — On Dec. 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright of Dayton, Ohio, conducted the first successful manned powered-airplane flights near Kitty Hawk, using their experimental craft, the Wright Flyer. Source: Associated Press.

WASHINTON, D.C. — On Dec. 18, 2019, the U.S. House impeached President Donald Trump on two charges, sending his case to the Senate for trial; the articles of impeachment accused him of abusing the power of the presidency to investigate rival Joe Biden ahead of the 2020 election and then obstructing Congress’ investigation. (It was the first of two Trump impeachment trials that would end in acquittal by the Senate.)

WASHINTON, D.C. — On Dec. 19, 1998, President Bill Clinton was impeached by the Republican-controlled House for perjury and obstruction of justice. (Clinton was subsequently acquitted by the Senate.) 

Source: The Associated Press

The History Column is compiled by Executive Editor David Kennard. Contact him by email at dkennard@robesonian.com.