The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1909-02-18
PRIZE ESSAY WON
BY MISS BRYAN

the DeeJ essay ny my hhChAoOA vi "AO
Marietta High School on the subject,
alexander H. Stephens" was won by
Miss Annie Pope Bryan, daughter of
Rev. J S. Bryan The medal was pre-
sented by Mrs. John Graham, in the
presence OF the entire school. Misses
Emma Moss, Annie Field and Josephine
Clarke received honorable mention
for the excellence of their essays.
Governor-elect Joseph NJ. Brown was
present, and gave short but inspiring
talk to the school. Below we give the
essay in full:
ALEXANDER HAMILTON STEPHENS.
Great men oftentimes rise to distinc-
ton from very humble conditions. This
was especially trne of the subject OF
this sketch, Alexander Hamilton Ste
phens. He was born near CrawfordVille,
in Taliaferro county, Georgia, on the
18th day OF February, 1912, of poor, but
respectable and worthy parents. His
father, Andrew B. Stephens, was the
son of Revolutionary soldier, and his
mother was Margaret Greer, both OF
Wilkes county, Georgia. His mother
died when he was an infant OF three
months, and his father died when he
was about fifteen years Of age. Alex
ander was born with fraiJ body,
scarcely ever weighing over ninety
pounds, but he was endowed with
mind out of all proportion to his small
body.
As the family were all poor and AL
exander, like all the rest of the chill
dren, had to work on the farm and in
the home, he had meagre opportunities
for acquiring an education. He at
tended school near his home for a few
months during the last two years OF his
fathers life, and latter his fathers
death, he went to live with an uncle
and aunt at Raytown. Here he at
tended a Roman Catholic school for
about year. He left this school with
the expectation of entering upon bust
ness life, as he was too poor to attend
any higher institution of learning.
A special Providence directed the
fortunes of the poor orphan boy. Be-
fore his father died, Alexander had at
tended a Sunday school at Powder
Greek, where he became deeply inter.
ested in the Bible. After moving tc
Raytown, he attended Presbyterian
Sunday school at South Liberty church
By his intelligence and pious demeanol
he attracted the attention of Mr.. Mills
the superintendent of the Sunday
school. He became so much interested
in Alexander that he resolved to nave
him educated with the intention o.
making him minister, though he die
not make known to him his motive a.
first. Mr.. Mills advanced the money tt
defray his expenses at q high schoo
taught by Mr. Webster at Washington
Here Alexander advanced rapidly, ant
in due time was prepared to enter thu
University of Georgia at Athens, where
he entered in 1928 and remained To-
four years, until he had finished hi
course. At the University, he made ,
fine reputation for character and schol
arship. Writing in after years to
friend, when he had had various expe
riences in life, he referred to his college
career as the happiest period Of his life
During the..first two years of his college
life his expenses were paid by the BoarC
of Education OF the PresbyteriaI
Church, but when he decided that HI
was not called to the ministry, he acteC
conscientiously, and repaid the money
with interest that had been paid TO
him. He paid his way through college
with some money left him by his fathe
and with what he borrowed from hi
brother Aaron.
After leaving college, he taught as al
assistant in the school at Madison. Here
he became very respondent, and il
later. years he referred to the few
months he taught in Madison as thu
most miserable part of his life. Afte
leaving Madison, he taught as private
tutor in DR.. LeConte's family in Lib
erty county. From here he returned
to Crawfordville and pursued his Law
course alone, the profession which hi
decided upon at college. He prepared
himself so thoroughly that he wa
highly complimented by the lawyers
and judge before whom he was exam
ined. He was admitted to the bar il
1884, and his first speech was delivered
in behalf of a mother who was suing
her father-in-law for the custody of hel
child. He pleaded her case with sucl
eloquence that the court and audience
were moved to tears, Now that hii
reputation was established, his bushes,
increased and his struggle with poverty
was at an end.
The subject of this sketch was des