The Museum in Sale
I
Many interesling old relies of l>.v-gone days
are liouseil uilliiu ils walls. Tlie majority
have considerable historical significance
attached to them.
By MARY CALLLM WILEY
IN the heart of old Salem in a quaint
tiled -covered building, known for
years a- the Old Hoys' School, i-
housed one of the most distinctive col¬
lections of museum pieces in the COim-
try.
With the meticulous care for which
the Moravians are noted, not only have
the daily happenings of their colo¬
nial settlements in Wachovia (now
Forsyth County) been preserved in
writing: but priceless old maps, orig¬
inal sketches of early houses, speci¬
men' of glass and pottery, cooking
utensils — copper, brass, and iron —
and lovely old pieces of furniture
have been handed down through the
years. They are assembled now in the
quaint throe-storied Moravian school-
house and it - annex, constructed along
the lines of the original old building
and in perfect harmony with it. The
collection enables one to reconstruct
the past and giving reins to the imagi¬
nation to visualize the busy frugal life
of the pioneer builders of bustling
Winston-Salem.
An Ancient Spinet
In the Wachovia Museum we find
the spinet upon which the little girl
Sfor (Jcorge Washington when
ted the brethren in 1791. Warm
human interest is attached to the inci¬
dent when wo are reminded that the
distinguished listener, looking down
upon the linger» spread on the key¬
board, earnestly remarked, “Kittle
girl, let me conjure that wart off vour
hand."
Another memento of George Well¬
ington's visit to Salem is the great
goblet with K. Marshall cut in the
heavy gla»s and the dainty wine cup
from which Washington is said to have
drunk when he dined with Frederick
Marshall, the leading citizen of tho
community.
A worn little shaving set, used by
Matthew Stach, the first missionary
to Greenland, brings to mind the re¬
markable missionary record of
the Moravian Church.
Among the numerous pots and ket¬
tles, a certain little iron pot recalls
the days when Lord Cornwallis and
his Red Coats encamped on Salem
boundaries; the story goes that when
a thieving Red Coat, smelling the
savoury dinner cooking in tho pot,
snatched the vessel from the fire, the
indignant owner chased him back to
camp, and appealing personally to
Cornwallis, got back the pot al¬
though not its savoury contents.
The small box-like fire engine, with
its long handle manipulated by band,
and its stout leather buckets— the first
fire engine brought to the State» south
of Pennsylvania — reminds one of tho
outstanding fire record of Old Salem,
due to the fire regulations the Breth¬
ren carried out from the very begin¬
ning af their town. Ladders wore kept
in readiness on the outer walls of
certain houses; the use of fire-dogs
was urged in the private homes; and
at regular intervals all fire places were
inspected by men appointed for tho
job.
Thorough, systematic chimney
sweeping was carried on in the pioneer
village, the office of chimney sweeper
Iming one of dignity and responsi¬
bility.
The records quaintly tell of one
“brother" who made trial with chim¬
ney sweeping, but could not manage
it because he was too fat.
To the night watchman ns to the
chimney sweeper credit should be
given for the excellent fire record of
Old Salem; from bedtime to dawn,
the watchman walked up and down
the dark village streets and lanes,
sounding out on his musical conch
shell the passing hours.
Printing Press
The tall printing press in ils place
of honor in Wachovia Museum could
tell many a tale of its valiant service,
first in Hillsboro, where under the
command of Cornwallis it turned out
many n broadside against the Sons of
Liberty, as the early Patriots wore
called; and after 1S27 in Salem,
where for sixty years and more, it
enabled John Christian Bluui to sup¬
ply the countryside with Ilium's
Almanac and send out the news of the
week, if not the day, through The
Weekly meaner — the first newspaper
published in this section of North
Carolina — The Farmers' He porter and
llepotitory, and The Peoples' Press —
the last-named periodical famous be¬
cause of the part the poet. John Henry
Boner, bad in filling it* columns.
The interesting old stove, six feet
high and covered with tiles, the
earthen pots and pans, the clay pipes,
the handsome sign which Gottfried
Auet hung up over his Salem potter’s
simp in 1772 — these relies all testify
to the big business the Moravian set¬
tlers carried on in the making and
selling of pottery.
Gottfried Aust's sign is in per¬
fect condition and is considered by
collectors of rare pottery as one of the
( Continued on page twenty-two)