The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-07-23
WHAT ONE MAN GAN
 DO IN MOUNT ANS Dr. E. H. Gardner's School at
 Flat Rock HOW TT HAS GROWN Beginning With Thirteen Pupils Up in Jackson County He Is Now Plan ming Dormitories and stone i.
 school Building
HOW TT HAS GROWN
BY WALTER HARPER

BY WALTER HARPER
 Dr. F. H. Gardner who has been spending a few days with his friend, the Rev Frank P. Culver of BirIning- ham, has returned to his home at Flat Rock in Jackson county.
 Dr. Gardner is doing a missionary work in the mountain section of north- east Alabama that is attracting wide spread attention and will bring nani- fold results for good in the future.
 The story is well worth telling. Ala bama needs more Dr. Gardners. He is carrying the torch of ightenment into a section of country and to the hearts and minds of a people who have been sorely in need of help.
 The mountains of north Alabama are inhabited by a race of people that are of the purest Anglo-SaXon blood. They are honest and great hearted. But many of them are sorely lacking for education and the high minded refine ment that education brings.
 Dr. Gardner recognized the needs of these people and accepted the first op portunity to do something for them. Native AIabamian
 Dr, Gardner was born and reared in one of the fertile and beautiful val leys extending down into northeast Alabama near Sulphur Springs. He was often thrown in contact with the noun tain people a race distinct in charac- ter and training from that in the val ley lands. and took an early interest in their betterment.
 Affar rapaivinp his education at the Wesleyan university and a medical course at Johns Hopkins he began the practice of medicine at Chattanooga. After a few years practice here he became converted and changed his pro- fession to that of the ministry, and was assigned to missionary work in Mexico.
 The climate disagreed with the health of himself and wife and he was forced to return to the states. He settled near his old childhood home and 1t was then that he found his opportunity to reach the mountain people he learned to love in his early days.
 He was unable financially to do all he would like to have done but he began in a small way.
 Small Beginning
 There was small five months school at Flat Rock Sand mountain g miles northeast or fiort fayhe' III Jdch son county. The attendarce at this time three years ago was 13 pupils. The public fund for this school dis trict at that time was s112.50. With this one teacher was employed Tor five months term during each year
 The grade of the teacher who would accept such a position at that salary was necessarily low.
 Dr. Gardner volunteered his services
 of he has managed to build 1t up to one, of the finest country schools in north Alabama in three short years no one seems to know.
 Al the close of the last term there were 100 pupils and three teachers ln- cluding pr. Gardner.
 One of the teachers. is young Methodist preacher, an "A. B. graduate of Vanderbilt university. VI o was as signed to the community for mission work by the north Alabama Method'st conference. He has agreed to teach in the school and Is mainly supporteo bv the conference appropriation Tor mission work.
 A young lady teacher is supporseo py Dr. Gardner and others who nave pc come interested in the work Of the school
 Frame Building
 The nresent school building is small frame structure but Dr. Gardner IS try ing to arrange for the erection or d s'oiie b,,ilding which will give more room and more adequate quarters for the accoIniho dation os the S1owing attendance. ihele ia an abundance of native stone al the site of the school and 1t is pr. Gardher opinion that all adequate structure 'ah ha erected at small cost.
 He is now putting up Broom frame buildjnr for the accommodation or the young lady teachers and the giri stuoehts' many of whom are being drawn from some distance along the mountain range.
 number of small cottages are also haipe planned. These are intended for inc accommodation of boys and young mo, who live too far from the school to po home every night It is planned that they will occupy these cottages from Monday to Friday, doing their own cook ing in them
 Good Effects Wonderful
 The good effect that the school has had on this mountain community is won- derf,1l The people are eager for educa- tior and take kindly and readily to the institution. Young boys and girls who never had opportunity for education are crowding into the school and seem eager to learn. Some of the boys who Went through the school at the last term are nreuaring to take courses at the uni versltv and other high institutions. They show great riomise, and will make their ma,ix7 in the world. This mountain school was the very opportunity that they nave always needed.
 The school Las also had wonderful moral effect on the community. Flat Rock boys and girls are recognizable in all the adjoining country. They have a distinct bearing that makes them different from the other mountain folks.
 The Rev. Culver Talks
 Discussing the work of Dr. Gardner, the Rev Frank p. Culver said yesterday: "I have twice visited the school that is being established at Flat Rock by Or. Gardner. IL is wonderful institution and emphasizes what may be done in the rountain sections of Alabama. It directs The attertioI to a great field that l am afraid is being neglected.
 .,rhesc nour tain people are among the besr and purest people in Alabama. All they need k education. They want edu- ca ton, but heve not been given just the onportunisies that some other people en- ioy. TEey need little encouragement.
 'Dr. Gardner began in a very small way three years ago. There was prac- tically no school in the community at the tine he took charge. His success in three years is something wonderful. The peo- ple have responded in marvellous de- gree to his kindly work among them. and he has done rnore good than can be appre- ciated without personal visit to the community and knowledge of the for mer conditions.
 .rhe good effects of pr. Gardner s school are far-reaching. The moral tone of the community has been greatly ad- vanced, and the good influence is reaching >t< x.<> -..-I