Wayne County, NC - Heritage Series Reprinted with permission of the Mount Olive Tribune and cannot be reproduced without permission. Transcribed by Barbara Kawamoto. Old James Sprunt Institute, Kenansville "Our Heritage" By Claude Moore Grove Academy in Kenansville was established by an Act of the North Carolina Legislature in 1785 and operated almost continually until after 1910 as a private school. The Kenansville Seminary was founded in 1856 and was taught by R. W. Millard and Nathan B. Webster. Kenansville and Duplin County had fine private schools before the coming of the public schools. James Sprunt Institute was established in the town of Kenansville for girls in 1897 and was sponsored and operated by the Wilmington Presbytery. It was incorporated by an Act of the Legislature in 1901, and the first Board of Trustees was made up of the following men: The Reverend Peter McIntire, pastor of the Faison Presbyterian Church and later the First Presbyterian Church of Goldsboro; Henry Farrior, Sr., of Warsaw; Dr. J. W. Blount of Kenansville; B. F. Hall of Hallsville; William L. Hill of Warsaw; Oscar Pearsall; S. O. Middleton; Thomas B. Peirce of Warsaw; and S. B. Newton. James Sprunt was named for the highly venerated and beloved, the Reverend James M. Sprunt (1818-1884), a Presbyterian minister, who was a native of Perthshire, Scotland, and a graduate of the University of Edinburgh. He came to Kanansville and served for fifteen years as Principal of Grove Academy, and from 1851 to 1884, he was pastor of Grove Presbyterian Church, and for many years pastor of the Faison Presbyterian Church. He was truly a scholar and Christian gentlemen. James Sprunt Institute was a preparatory school and its course of study included four years of Mathematics including Algebra and Geometry, four years of History, Physiology and Hygiene, Botany, four years of Latin, and modern Languages. There was a four-year course in piano and violin and voice was also taught. The average enrollment was around one hundred students. The 1906 catalog shows that the cost per year for a student was one hundred and twenty dollars, which included room, board, laundry, tuition and medical fees. Attendance at daily religious services was required of all students and faculty. All students were required to attend one of the Sunday Schools in the village. The school had an excellent library, and an active Literary Society. The catalog further states "every effort is made to give the Institute the character of a Christian home; to establish cordial relations between teachers and pupil; and to cultivate those graces of character which mark refined women." The Reverend William M. Shaw, a graduate of Davidson, and pastor of Grove Church, was for many years principal of James Sprunt. Miss Daisy Marable, the daughter of the Reverend B. F. Marable, D. D. of Mount Olive, was Lady Principal for many years. Other teachers were: Miss Mary Faison DeVane, Miss Elizabeth Hicks, Miss Cowan (Piano), Miss Loftin, Miss Brown, Miss Barden, Miss Wright, Miss Margaret Peirce, Miss Farrior, Miss Sue House of Thelma, N.C. was one of the music teachers and she is still living at a very advanced age. Since James Sprunt really operated from about 1897 to 1923, there are many alumni still living. The Commencements were attended by young people from far and near. Gov. Charles B. Aycock, was one time commencement speaker and in 1906, the Commencement sermon was preached by the Rev. C. G. Vardell, the President of Flora MacDonald. In 1921, the Commencement sermon was preached by the Rev. George Matthis, the much beloved Presbyterian Minister from Clinton. In 1918, the name of James Sprunt Institute was changed to Grove Institute and I am inclined to believe that 1923 was the last year in which the school operated. The old building was torn down many years ago, but the Principal’s house, which was an antebellum Pearsall home, is still standing, and efforts are being made to preserve this old building. The New James Sprunt Technical Institute was created in 1960 and now known as James Sprunt Technical College was named for the Old James Sprunt Institute. ============================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. The electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Barbara Kawamoto ==============================================================