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Archiver > CATAWBA-WEST > 2000-01 > 0947871363


From: <>
Subject: Re: Bethel Lutheran Church, Iron Station, NC.
Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2000 11:36:03 -0600


Good morning Pat,

I've just realized that you're writing your book one e-mail at a time....good strategy. The awesome listowner at Scotch-Irish-L is doing the same thing. Bless you both for your generous sharing. None of my closer kin were able to pass on any stories about their life in North Carolina.....except for one.

My great grandmother Alice Bell Douthitt Keever told mother that when she was a little girl during the Civil War she and her younger brother Sam were occasionally hidden in a hole along with the family silver to protect them from the Yankees.

I read some where recently that German schools only went through the 8th grade as a standard procedure....perhaps that was the standard for all education back then.

It is my further understanding that the gap between a 'normal' school education and a 'classical' education was quite large....the classical curricula (which was required for any college/university study) involved fluency in Greek and Latin. Binet (of Stanford-Binet standardized testing fame) is almost single handedly responsible for there being as much parity in schooling as there is today...and indeed for the concept that all people should receive a similar ( or standard) education.

Thanks again for sharing with us......Malinda Jones

Pat Caswell Cloninger wrote:

> 14 January 2000
>
> Possible information about Bethel Lutheran Congregation in Iron Station, North Carolina.
> James Allen Arndt was licensed to preach in 1895 and was ordained by the Tennessee Synod in 1898.
> According to the History of the Lutheran Church in North Carolina he was Pastor of St. Lukes (Ore Bank) 1898-1899. Now we know he is a Pastor in the area of Iron Station, NC.
>
>
> CERTIFICATE OF BAPTISM
>
> This Certifies that,
>
> On the 12th day of November, A.D. 1899
>
> Holy Baptism
>
> was administered by me in the name of the
>
> Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,
>
> to Margaret Addie Catholine Plonk,
>
> born at the home of her parents
>
> on the 21st day of May, 1899
>
> of Mr. Caswell Plonk
>
> and Mary B. Plonk his wife
>
> Sponsors or Witnesses,
>
> Bethel Congregation
>
> J. Allen Arndt, Pastor
>
> From the first time I saw this certificate I wondered why the Pastor of Bethel in Gaston County came ot the home of Jacob Caswell Plonk and baptized his daughter. My Mother had told me that they attended Philadelphia Lutheran Church but never mentioned that Church was held at her school house, the Stroupe School House. She also told me about attending school at the Stroupe School House through the eighth reader which was all that was available without going away to school. She walked about two miles to school and two miles back home at the end of the day.
>
> The Stroupe School House was located a little over one mile south of Iron Station, on the west side of the railroad.
>
> Of course it has been about one hundred years since the Iron Forges were in operation, but still everyone should know that the closest point on the Railroad to load Iron production on the train was at IRON STATION. The products were hauled to the rail line and loaded on rail cars. The beginning and end of Iron Station. It seems it is trying to die a slow death, but it is still there and has a rather long mail route. The population is increasing with the bedroom of Charlotte expanding in all directions. Homes are springing up like weeds and grass in the garden in the spring time.
>
> Expect to have a great day -- and you will.
>
> Pat C. Cloninger
>
> Newton, NC.
>
>
>
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