New-York tribune., 1907-01-27

One Sunday afternoon about nine years ago a
young Southern woman sitting alone in the
little cabin she called her den. enjoying the sweet
ness and freshness Of the spring day Suddenly
three bright little faces peeped shyly in at q
window They were eager. fun of wonder and
longing. those faces. In fact, the young woman
found them much more interesting than the
book she was reading that she threw aside the
volume and went out 10 speak TO the children.
Then coaxng them into the cabin with apples,
Bhe began TO tell them Bible stories They had
never heard any Of them before, and they listened
with interest keen, pathetic. that II
touched the girls heart
Come back next Sunday" she said 10 them.
sand bring all your brothers and sisters, and 1
will tell you more stories"
In this small and accidental way Miss Martha
Berry began her uplift work among the poor
white children Of the hackwoods of Northwestern
Georgia. out of that Sunday afternoon with its
spring beauty and blossoms and three laughing lit
ale faces and the warm. human heart Of the gil.
has sprung a system Of day schools. Sunday schools
and an industrial school for boys. with dormitory.
library, workshop. laundry ana dairy. What IS
needed now is money. To raise money Miss Berry
has visited the North this winter. hoping TO get
sch olarships 0f $50 each enable her two hundred
poor boys to go with their schooling and also
for the new buildings which so badly needed
For those three children of the spring afternoon
did come back the next Sunday. and regularly
every Sunday after. bringing only their brothers
and sisters. but their fathers and mothers we'll
The only music ha l. S9id Miss Berry. "ex-
cept voices that from antiquated
little melodion. which ! PLAYED. One hymnbook
was enough for the thirty forty people who
gathered in my room. so few Of them could read
WRIT. ] became known the Sunday lady.
and found a welcome at every tiny cabin as
| rode through the piney DDS The whole family
would rush out. M. while pt trhaps / would
hear the rather say: 'Yondah the Sunday
lady Then, 10 me, Hitch yO' nag and light
light an come IN We-uns he powerful proud To-
YOU" %"
The Sunday school work soon grew into day
school with the result 1lla; the den
outgrown- With the aid of the boys and men OF
the nel.1borhOOd, q house consisting OF one large
500 Then the county gave her teacher for FIVE
months. Miss Berry paid her out of her
pocket TO stay another month. and something
extra besides 10 visit the pupils and investigate
keep up 4 little circulating library. The school
was even supplied with umbrellas and wraps. so
that the children could come in bad weather.
Then came the enforced charging Of the one
Miss Frances Berry pressed into the service to
help with the singing classes. in 4 debating club
for the boys and in the sewing school for the girls
Some Of the pupils who lived eight miles away. at
'Possum TrGt, begged FOR a Sunday school Of
their own. Miss Berry found an abandoned school
"A day school soon followed.
I supplemented the five months term with an
extra month" says Miss Berry ''and supplied the
school with an organ and library of flfty books
Then ] hit on the plan of having the teacher hold
a meeting sunday afternoons 20 introduce the peo-
pie 20 the books Seeing that efforts were
meeting with success we repaired an old house AT
Mount Alto. "a few miles distant. equipped il with
books. an organ and some pictures and opened a
school there, and friend OF Miss Berrys. grad