656 Chronicles of the Cape Fear Rwer

sermons entitles him to fame. He married a daughter of Judge
Wright, and was the father of Adam Empie, Esq.

Other teachers at the “Old Academy” were Rev. Mr. Lath-
rop, Captain Mitchell, who had been a sea captain, Messrs.
Hartshorn, Lowry, Joy, Wilkes, and Burke.

A review of the educational facilities of Wilmington prior to
the war of 1861 would be incomplete without reference to the
admirable private school for boys conducted by Mr. Levin
Meginney, a contemporary of Mr. G. W. Jewett, whose insti-
tute has been mentioned elsewhere in the Chronicles. These
two school principals were widely divergent in their profes-
sional characteristics, but they worked in harmony, and Mr.
Meginney extended to us (of the Jewett school) the courtesy of
the use of his larger auditorium for our weekly declamations.

Mr. Meginney was a Marylander, who came to Wilmington
during the forties. Buying the building that had been used for
the Odd Fellows’ School, he opened an institute that became the
largest in Wilmington at the time. He was recognized as one
of the foremost educators of his day, and his strong moral in-
fluence was a blessing to the community, the far-reaching effects
of which are still felt in the men of character and purpose who,
as youths, were trained in his school. Although unable, be-
cause of injury to one arm, to shoulder a musket, he did what
he could, as a devoted Southerner, for the cause of the Con-
federacy during the War between the States, giving largely of
his means, and in particular helping to fit out one of the first
gunboats. Though giving his enthusiastic love and loyalty un-
reservedly to the Southern cause, both during the war and in
the trying days following it, Mr. Meginney was just and
generous to the teachers who came to Wilmington from other
sections. He was the first to weleome Miss Amy Bradley, a
Northern lady, who came after the war to open the Hemenway
School. There are many yet living who remember his gracious,
old-time courtesy to all, and the sweet and beneficent influence
of his fine character. Some of the most prominent men in Wil-
mington were his pupils and remember him with gratitude and
affection.

Shortly before the war, among other schools at Wilmington
was Radcliffe’s Military Academy; and for girls there were
the high school kept by Rev. Mr. Backus and the fine school
of the Misses Burr and James. After the war, the latter was
reopened ; and the wife of Gen. Robert Ransom had a finishing

Peace Restored 657

school, while General Colston for years kept a fine military
academy.

Another excellent school was that of Miss Kate Kennedy and
Miss Annie Hart, which was established shortly after the four
years’ war. It was thoroughly equipped with prominent and
efficient instructors, notably Professors Mumford, Bunker,
Meade, Graham, Baudry, Tallichet, Tamborrella, Joseph
Denck, and Miss Mordecai. After Miss Kennedy’s marriage to
Dr. A. J. DeRosset, in 1877, the school passed under new
management. It is now conducted by Miss Hart and Miss
Brown, ably assisted by Miss Hobday, of Virginia. Mrs. A. M.
Waddell and Mrs. Devereux Lippitt were for a time instruct-
ors in music and in painting. The reputation of this school in
Wilmington is unexcelled.

One of the most useful teachers connected with private edu-
cation in Wilmington was Mrs. Laura P. Rothwell, whose
record as a teacher here extended over sixty-seven years. Her
devoted Christian life was reflected in many homes blessed by
her careful training and by her beautiful life of faithful serv-
ice. Mrs. Rothwell died in 1899, at the age of eighty-three.

Pustic EpucatTion In WILMINGTON.

In every community there are builders of character, and the
building is based on the gold, silver, and precious stones of love
and sacrifice. That great apostle of education, Lord Brougham,
has said: “It is with unspeakable delight that I contemplate
the rich gifts that have been bestowed, the honest zeal displayed,
by private persons for the benefit of their fellow-creatures.
How many persons do I myself know to whom it is only neces-
sary to say there are men without employment, children unedu-
cated, sufferers in prison, victims of disease, wretches pining in
want, and straightway they will abandon all other pursuits, as
if they themselves had not large families to provide for, and
toil for days and for nights, stolen from their most necessary
avocations, to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and shed upon
the children of the poor that inestimable blessing of education,
which gave themselves the wish and the power to relieve their
fellow-men.”

Of Mr. James H. Chadbourn, sr., one of our citizens who
presented his body a living sacrifice for others, it may be said

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