The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-30
THE EAGER BOYS
 OF 'POSSUM TROT Are Keen for Learning and for
 Work MARTHA BERRY'S SCHOOL Is So Successful that Now the Rich Want to Send Tehir Sons
 There-Oeden's Party
 Take OK Trip.
Josiah Dwight Whitney in New York

Josiah Dwight Whitney in New York
 Post.
 Miss Berry's School.-This story might equally well have been dated from Rome, Georgia, but for the fact that Miss Berry's school is better known. People are beginning to forget that Sherman and Johnson shelled each others forces from the two bluffs on opposite sides of Rome But Miss Berry's school, though only seven years old is surely destined to restore Rome's waning fame.
 Mir Berry, the father, died some years ago. leaving his property to two daugh- ters and a son. Miss Martha Berry's share was about s1OOOOO and she has devoted 1t all to this school for uneducated boys young men really, except in schooling from poor mountain white homes.
 Miss Berry is a modest but energetic lit- tie woman of about 40, with a round, good natured face, and a fund of ready wit. She says that she thinks at times she ought to be less facetious. Among the peo- pie from all over the world who have be- gun to visit her school because they have heard about it, was an Englishman. After a trip about the 1400 acres which com- prise the campus, he said:
 "Do you raise gooseberries?"
 "We have raised only one," replied Miss Berry, thinking perhaps of the early stages of her undertaking, when her friends used to accuse her of foolish ness
 Just one!" exclaimed the visitor 'The very idea Just fawncy raising only one gooseberryi'
 That Is all we have found necessary" replied Miss Berry.
 ''Very singular. indeed" said the other solemnly Now in England we raise them for jam"
 Miss Berry pointed to herself. Then she boned and dissected the joke. She de- served to be put to the labor, perhaps because she little deserved to be self styled a goose. If it Is anything to have 150 fine, stalwart young men of tho pur- est American stock fairly worship her, then she ought to be the happiest wom- an in creation. Besides that her school Is one of the greatest practical and aesthetic successes that ever was
 When she returns from her trips, which are frequent, Miss Berry always seizes the first opportunity to tell her boys about It. The Robert c. Ogden party, which at tended the Conference for Education in the South, at Atlanta, last week, came to Rome on Saturday and had an opportuni- ty to hear one of these recitals, when the boys were gathered in the chapel. This is approximately what Miss Berry had to say:
 "Boys"-here every one of the 160 leaned farther forward and fixed clear, expec- tant gaze on Miss Berry; 150 clean-cut American mouths parted in white-toothed, appreciative smiles
 15O Appreclative Smiles.
 Boys, told you when I went away to Atlanta that I hoped I could get MT. Og- den and his party to come up here to see our school When I asked MT. Ogden if they were coming, he said that he had taken vote of the party. and every one except three who simply had to get back to New York on account of business, had voted to come.
 Well, called up the school on the long distance telephone and said that we were coming; and Miss Neal asked what you must do to get ready; and I said: Moth ing, except have plenty of carriages to drive out to the school, and have some lunch, and be sure to have the OK team ready for MT. Ogden, because it wouldn't t be the school if he didn't ride behind the OK team.
 You boys know how long I have wanted to get these nice people to come down to our school. You remember way back several years ago, that l tried to get MT. ogden to let me tell the conference about our wonderful school And, finally he said that he would give me chance.