Tryon, N.C.,
May, 1913.¹

His Excellency:
Governor of North Carolina,

Dear Sir:

As Mayor of the Town of Tryon, I am in some what of a quandary how to proceed in the following instance.

We have in our town two rather bright orphan boys inclined to be law breakers and in fact rather tough characters. I dislike very much to use extreme measures, locking them up in the calaboose and working them on the streets for this I feel would do them no good, in fact, would have a tendency toward the opposite direction.

Now the question arises is there in North Carolina a reform school for boys and if so, how can I proceed to have them placed there?

I am quite aware of the fact that you are extremely busy and have hesitated about imposing upon you but these boys are North Carolina boys and should be properly taken care of and I feel assured that you are interested in their welfare.

Any suggestions that you can offer will be greatly appreciated by,

Yours very truly,

E. E. Missildine
Mayor.

Referred to J. P. Cooks
Concord, N.C.,

1. Though marked as "answered," John P. Kerr's response was not found among the papers of Locke Craig.