ORDER OF THE HOLY CROSS SCHOOL

"...The Rev. Mr. French was appointed Superior....Many divinity students became connected with the order, but none of them abandoned the church.  The chapel having been destroyed by fire, the little band rebuilt it by themselves, locating it in a little grove at the foot of a hill.  Instead of bells a bugle was used to summon them to worship, and to work.  Rev. William West Skyles of Hertford country, had joined the mission in 1844 as a farmer, and was ordained a deacon in Aug. 1847.  He was now called 'Brother William,' while the Rev. Mr. French was addressed as 'Father William.'  All were required to work the farm two hours every day.  But reports of the new order had spread through the diocese, funds had failed to arrive, but the committee on the State of the church at convention held at Wilmington in 1848, favored the mission....At the convention held at Salisbury in May 1849, Bishop Ives gave assurance that 'at this religious house no doctrine will be taught or practice allowed' not in accord with the principles and usages of the church, 'the property of the establishment having been secured to the church for the use of the mission on the specified conditions.'  At a later day the Bishop declared that from the date of the convention at Salisbury the order had been dissolved.  Its regular existence, therefore, scarcely covered two years....In July 1849, Bishop Ives visited Valle Crucis, however, and addressed a pastoral letter to the diocese which was considered a defiance and a partial retraction of the assurances he had given the convention during the previous May.  Consequently, funds for the mission almost entirely ceased, and some of the students sought work elsewhere. (1914. Arthur, John. Western North Carolina, A History..., p.431.)

"Bishop Ives visited Valle Crucis in the summer of 1852 and consecrated Easter chapel above Shull's Mills.  In September 1852, he asked for $1,000 and six months' leave of absence.  He sailed for Europe and on the 22d of December, 1852, he resigned as bishop and declared his 'intention to make his submission to the church of Rome.' He had been Bishop over twenty years....The title of the Valle Crucis property was never in the Episcopal church.  It was sold by Dr. Ives' legal representatives to Robert Miller who worked the mission grounds as a farm. (1914. Arthur, John. Western North Carolina, A History..., p. 432.)

"The Episcopal church has purchased a large part of the original mission property and now maintains a flourishing school for girls there.  The buildings are large, handsome and modern, the orchards and farms are well cultivated and the work accomplished is uplifting and enduring.  The principal credit for this work is dur Right Rev. Junius M. Horner, Bishop of Asheville, who since his consecration in 1900 has been untiring in building up at this favored sport a useful and elevating school for girls. (1914. Arthur, John. Western North Carolina, A History..., p. 432.)