Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1898-04-01
IOWA BOY.

1 u
i At the close Of the war, in 1865. many
Of the slave holders on the Northern
border concluded that Lincoln's eman
cipation proclamation would never gel
itself enforced in the central South
and so many slaves were spairted away
to the moro dense slave sections. Ir
this way slave woman and three OF
four children, belonging to q. Mr.. Car
yer. in Missouri, were hurried away t.
Arkansas. But when it was found thai
the proclamation was fond that the
proclamation was being enforced, Mr.
Carver sent u man to hunt up the VIC
man. But none of them could be
found except boy, 2 or 3 years OF
age, George by name. who was about
dead with the whooping cough and SC
worthless the people of Arkansas were
glad to get rid of him. The boy con-
tinued poor, sickly thing. and hence
was not put to work in any way, but
was allowed to pick up his living in the
servants apartments, where his pres.
ence was barely tolerated.
AS the boy grew he began to develop
! wonderful proclivity toward scien'
tific studies. He studied the wild
plants of the woods until he knew
every one of them, and off in che
bushes, out OF the way of intruders, he
established botanical garden. where
he became so expert in managing flow
ers he acquired the name of plant
doctor" He gathered every bright
looking pebble he could find and would
have piled up in the chimney corner
heaps of precious stones. But these
would be thrown out by the older folks
till George was obliged to find quarters
for his treasures out in the bush.
He soon developed an unusal talent
for song, and the colored people would
come for miles to hear him sing. AS
he grew older, being free, he went
out into the world to do for himself.
AS the years passed he was frequently |
in school, hut he had to fight his way
almost literally if he stayed in the
school at all, But he managed to get
help enough from the schools to aid
him in the study of the various text
books, which he read at home
He found jobs of work here and
there and among other things found
in greenhouses, where he
became a scientific expert among flow
ers. a colored man has poor chance
any where, so George tloated about
without permanent position or employ
nent At length he came up to Win
terset to visit some friends who had
come up from Missouri. Fora while he
was cook in q hotel in Winterset, but
finally he set up u laundry and began
20 make for himself quite good living.
Being quite an artist in colors and pro-
icient in music. he found his way into
many prominent families.
Previous to this time he had become
/ devout Christian. one that believed
n an intimate directing Providence.
80. one day while kneeling in prayer
llone, he there came in impression Us
voicebidding him to obtain an educa-
ion and prepare to work for his people,
tut when he thought of the ways and
means he was discouraged. To 60 to
chool was to forsake the only means
lie had of gaining living. But he
Don found his way to Simpson College,
t Indianola. He arrived here with s.
q his pocket. He hoped to pay his
ray by doing laundry work Tor the
tudents. but being lily prepared for
york and too timid to ask for work.
title work came to his hands. For
hree weeks he lived. so he told us
on corn meal and some
net scraps he bought at the meat mar
et. and as he said to me. sometimes
here was no meal.
But his proficiency in art and general
tudies soon attracted friends among
ssecially Miss Eta Budd, the art
eacher. After year at Simpson there
vas an opening for him to take charge
f the greenhouse under Prof. Budd at
mes and it was thought best for him
0 enter that school at Ames.
Here he remained until he graduated
nth honors. He was then appointed
ssistant botanist and Immediately en-
cred upon postgraduate course. and
n 1896 received the first and only di-
Iona yet given for postgraduate
curse at Ames. Besides. at Ames he
xcelled in all lines. even rising to a
lieutenant commission in the college
He read papers and deliv-
red lectures at horticultural conven-
ions in all parts of the state.
But in the meantime, unknown to