The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-05-03
IN MEMORIAM.
JOSEPH EDGAR WAY.
Born Dec. II, 1885.
Died April 26, 1902.

from our ranks our devoted friend and
co-laborer in the sacred cause of edu-
cation. Joseph Edgar Way, we. the
public school teachers of Savannah,
hereby place on record this brief. in
adequate, but most heartfelt tribute to
the memory of our departed friend.
AS man, to him might we'll be ap-
piled the words of the great poet: His
life was gentle; and the elements
so mixed in him, that Nature
might stand up and say to all the
world, This was a mani"
AS citizen he was faithful to his
/ city. his state, and his country; a
model of patriotism we'll worthy of
emulation.
As the head of a family, in the no.
/ bic character of husband and father,
he eXemplitied the virtues of domestic
/ society-the basis of all society-in its
loftiest form. and we'll may his chill
| dren, and his children's children rise
up and call him blessed.
AS soldier he fought with all the
ardent enthusiasm of his young man
| hood in that cause which to all true
| Southern hearts, will be forever,
| though lost, still just.
AS a Christian he was a devoted,
| consistent and edifying member of the
| denomination in which he was rear
ed, and in whose communion he died.
Sincerely devoted to his particular
creed, yet was he broad and tolerant
to those who differed from him in re-
ligious belief.
AS a teacher-ah, as teacher his
memory is dear, above all things to
us, his fellow teachers
How noble the record, how inspir-
ing the rich. but simple annals of his
educational life.
Entering the public schools of Sa-
vannah, Oct. Is. 1867, he was success
sively principal of Armory Hall Gram
mar School, principal of Chatham
Academy Grammar School, principal
of Barnard Street School and last, and
longest, and best-for twenty-six years
the honored head of the Massie
School.
For thirty-five years, the best of his
life, he devoted his talents, his heart,
his soul, his earnest labors to the
great cause of training the young
minds and forming the young hearts.
He was qualified not merely in the
matter of sound scholarship, but in
that higher and nobler attribute of a
teacher, that attribute without which
no man, be his learning never so great,
can be truly a teacher the attribute
of lofty character, making him a silent
yet eloquent exemplar to the young.
Such an exemplar, it is our duty and
pleasure to testify, was Joseph Edgar
Way.
Conscientious, even to a fault zeal
Gus, with zeal which Knocked at la
Dor, devoted in the truest sense of de-
| votion to his every duty, happy, in
deed, were the pupils who received
their training under his mild but per-
suasive rule. ~,
He loved the young, for in the young,
his soul saw many future men and
women, destined, if we'll trained. to
make for the good of society and the
welfare of the state.
He loved the young, aye.
more-he never ceased to be young, for
in his last illness, with the Angel of
Death casting the shadows over his
life, his thoughts were of his school,
and the teachers and pupils who should
see his kindly face no more.
! And thus thinking of the young for
whom he had labored so long and so
well, his gentle spirit went back to
| it's maker.
A faithful teacher was no more!
May eternal peace be his!
No muffled drums sad roll shall beat
the teachers last tattoo.
No-nor Voiceless marble minstrels
tone shall tell the story of his deeds.
The world honors thus the destroyers
| of men; it has not yet advanced so far
as thus to honor the teacher, the maker
of men.
Lord Brougham's words, though
spoken seventy-four years ago in Par
lament, are still dream and a proph-
ecy: Let the soldier be
abroad if he will. There is
another personage-the schoolmaster
is abroad, and 1 trust to him, armed
with his primer. against the soldier in
| full military array"
The world still rewards the teacher
meagerly when living, and forgets him
quickly when dead.
But by us, his brothers and sisters
in the noble work of teaching, the
memory of this man shall be ever
| green, and his services justly valued
Long, long, shall we think of his no.
| BILE life, his genial presence, his in
| spring example and strive to initiate
his many virtues. as man and his
many excellencies as a teacher.
To his afflicted wife and family we
offer our deepest sympathies in their
great affection, and knowing full well
how feeble human comfort is in such
great sorrow we commend them to
that mercy which the royal prophet
experienced when he said:
Though I walk the valley of the
| shadow of death, 1 will fear no evil; for
thou art with me; thy rod and thy
staff they comfort me-"
/ Be it therefore, Resolved, That this
/ tribute to the memory of our de-
/ parted friend be adopted as the senti-
I ment of the public school teachers of