The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-11-13
WILLIAM C. sHAFER: A TRIBUTE
OF RESPECT.

tBy Rev. l.. f. Peters, in the Jour
nal and Messenger, of Cincinnati,
ohio.)
About seventeen ye-rs ago lliscov.
cred Brother Shafer and was the
means of getting him interested in
Sunday school work. The discovery
was on this wise: went to Tara
Alta to organize a Sunday school anil
assist in the dedication of the new
Baptist Church. The school was or,
gained by the cnurch on Saturday
afternoon in their regular monthly
meeting. The officers and teachers
were all chosen and the teachers urg-
ed to go out and make up their class.
es. We simply organized faculty"
and sent out workers for pupils. Dr..
j. p. Shafer, father of William, was
made superintendent. He said to NC
"My son. William, IS quite handy wit,
crayon: can we give him something
to do? would like to have him In
terested in the work" Eyes" said r
1--WE Will create an Office and call him
Chalk Talker." He was appointed anil
became interested. He was a born
artist. and was mt that time running 4
photograph gallery. Some time after.
ward he moved his business to Fair.
MINT, and had the finest gallery in the
State. He was elected superintendent
OF the Baptist Sunday school there
and soon become the most progressive.
up-to-date superintendent in the State.
While holding that position Dr.. Ham.
mill mode a tour Of the State in the In.
terest of the International Sunday
school work. | was at that time Presi.
dent of the State Association, and
had by eye on every prospectiyelv
good worker At an institute in Fair.
mont for an afternoon and eyzhfng
DIR. Hammill made an address on an
"tlttoIl7te Sunday school" Brother
Sharer was deeply interested, and /
urged him to attend the State conyen.
tlon which met in few wteks al
Clnrksbnrg. Brother Snafer came,
we had a most splendid meeting. It
was at this meeting that Brother Shs.
fer got his great heart stirred. He
began in dead Nrnest to study tho
best methids and apply them to his
own school, until he became an ex.
pert, especially with the crayon. He
was most fertile in expedfents. never
at loss to meet an emergency. He
ORGANIZED his school for the best meth.
DDS OF work, and took great pleasure
in quoting him all over the State.
When the State Association was
casting about for Il State Secretary,
every eye was turned to W. C. Shafer.
But the executive committee did not
have the funds\to pay him anything
like a remnerative salary. but he
took up the work in connection with
his art gallery. But the Sunday school
work outgrew the time he could give
1t. SO he scll his business. and took
it up at a great pecuntary sacrifice.
No one eXcept God and some few That
have Travelled over West Virginia
know what sacrifice he made. No one
was happier than he. and probably
no one ever brought out and up such
an enormous werk under such great
difficulties as did he. He made,every
possible effort to keep abreast the
times in his Chosen speciality. He at.
tended scores Of county and state
conventions, not only in his own fell.
but in other States. He also attend
ed the International conventions ami
the Worlds Association at Jerusalem.
He read all the new books. in his line