Transcribed by Spessard Stone from an article by Mrs. L. E. Bailey, a W. C. T. U. lecturer, in the Jacksonville Metropolis of Saturday, March 7, 1903
My work is now for three weeks or more along the line of the Atlantic Coast Railroad entirely and extends to the extreme end of civilization or settlement of South Florida’s west coast.
From Kissimmee fifty-five miles southwesterly we arrive at the pretty little village of Bartow, which is said to contain 1,200 grown people and 400 children. This I could readily believe when I addressed the public school by the vast number of pupils present and their eight fine lady instructors. The principal of the school, Prof. Givens, also lent his presence and expressed his approval of my address. This place has the finest high school building in the State. The auditorium, where chapel exercises and entertainments are held, is most beautiful in its construction and appointments and very large. Here the pupils, large and small, assembled to listen to my talk, which occupied three-quarters of an hour, and all were respectful and quiet. I am told Bartow has the name of having the best teachers and finest school of the State. If this is saying too much, it probably is equal to the best, at least.
The first night spent here my meeting was a failure on account of storm. The second evening I gave a lecture in the Baptist church, of which Rev. S. G. Mullins is the capable and interesting pastor, and this courteous gentleman presided ably at my meeting.
Bartow has six churches and no saloons. Beautiful broad streets, well paved, and fine residences, with grounds decorated with many flowers and shrubs, lend enchantment to the place. This little city publishes two weekly papers. Miss Lucy Marshall arranged for my coming and gave me all her time and attention. Entertainment was furnished me at the neat, pleasant home of Mr. And Mrs. W. W. Willis.
Homeland was my next place of destination and was reached by a buggy ride through pine forests six miles, accompanied by Miss Marshall. This is simply a farming community and is supported by truck farming and fruit growing, like all other small towns along this route. Here I found Mrs. A. M. Payne, the leading spirit in all good works. She is 72 years old but teaches the district school, keeps house, and does better than the average housekeeper, too, boards the railroad ticket agent, does the temperance work, chiefly, is foremost in church work, and entertained me. She told me that when there was an active union at Bartow she attended the regular meetings, walking there and returning, a total distance of twelve miles. Where is there another woman, even younger, enough interested to make such perseverant efforts? I gave only one lecture here, for the rain followed me, and the second day it was impossible to even open the church. The one lecture I gave was held in the Methodist church. I addressed the school of twenty-eight scholars, one of the most orderly and well behaved body of children I ever met. Mrs. Payne is certainly a model school mistress, as well as a model housekeeper.
At the close of my talk, I organized them into a Loyal Temperance Legion. Mrs. Payne is superintendent of the same, Master Barden Wilson, president; Miss Leila Crumb, vice-president; Miss Eva Wilson, secretary; Master Perry Green Rierson, treasurer. Mr. James Wilson is also a leading worker in reform and church.
At Bowling Green, another little hamlet, I spent Saturday and Sunday. I was entertained one day and night at the Methodist parsonage and gave one lecture Sunday afternoon in that church to a fair-sized house. Again the rain began to descend and thereby prevented another meeting for the night, which had been expected. Rev. F. A. Taylor is the minister here, and I found them excellent friends. Desiring to visit the hospitable home of Mr. And Mrs. Keck, I went home with her and spent the night, and although the rain made music without, we spent a quiet, pleasant evening within. Mr. Keck and his wife are Adventists in faith and in practice, which made it doubly homelike to me, as my native home is Battle Creek, Michigan, and, though I had never met either of them before, I felt greatly at home there, because their friends and acquaintances were mine, also. I enjoy the food prepared by this class of people much more than in the usual home where I stop, and I am under many obligations for kind favors and care of a poor, weary, homesick traveler at the gentle hands of Mrs. Atlanta Keck. On Sunday morning I was surprised to find present at the regular preaching service Mrs. Nina C. Child of Arcadia, thirty-three miles distant, and Mrs. A. S. Clavel of Wauchula, seven miles southwest, had come on the 7 o’clock morning train to be present at my afternoon lecture. Mrs. Child is the worthy State corresponding secretary of the W. C. T. U.
The entire audience, most of them coming in from the country, had brought lunch baskets, as it was too far to go home for dinner and return to the 2 o’clock meeting. A board table, made permanent for like occasions, stands outside under the big pine trees, and all were invited to dine. The intermission was occupied in choir practice and quiet conversation.
I found the people very kind-hearted and left feeling that my visit among those good people was appreciated by them. Mrs. Nina C. Child, being a State officer, presided over my meeting, reading the Scripture lesson, and Mrs. Keck led in prayer.
The village of Wauchula has 500 people, composed mostly of Northerners. Mrs. A. S. Clavel is my present hostess as I write this letter and, with the assistance of Mr. and Mrs. P. W. Corr, is doing all she can to make my stay a success. The weather has kindly not interfered with my results, and I have been permitted to give two lectures in the Baptist church, presided over by Mrs. Corr, and an address to the ladies in the Methodist church, also to address the school, which at present is a private term, taught by Mr. and Mrs. Corr. About fifty children were present and evinced excellent training and teaching also. A large class of young ladies are fitting themselves for teachers and are taking their finishing lessons under these capable instructors. Mrs. Corr is also the editor of the Florida Baptist, a paper published weekly, and contains not only religious items, but a W. C. T. U. State department. Besides being an editor of a weekly sheet and teacher daily employed in school duties, Mrs. Corr does the entire work of housekeeping for a family of eight people.
Wauchula has three churches, Baptist, Methodist, and Advent, has telephone and gas, eight general stores, and two doctors.
The orange trees along this route are everywhere the largest I ever saw and by far the tallest and seem to be in a most excellent condition. The crop is sold and the fruit marketed so they are nearly barren of their golden hue, but are beginning to blossom, and the air is heavily laden with their sweet perfume. I wish my Northern friends, who never saw an orange tree in blossom, could visit this locality now. I think the trees would make a few lovely sprays.
It is a beautiful, warm, sunny day, cloudless and fair, and the moonlit nights are surpassed in brightness and light only by those of Southern California.
MRS. BAILEY’S LECTURE DATES
Ft. Ogden, March 7th and 8th
Punta Gorda, March 9th
Alva, March 11th
Buckingham, March 12th and 13th
Ft. Myers, March 14th and 15th
Lakeland, March 17th and 18th
As "History: A Temperance Union Tour Of Central Florida," an edited version was published in The Herald-Advocate (Wauchula, FL), 8C, July 28, 2005.