The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-01-10
HOW THE BERRY SCHOOL BEGAN AND
HOW ITS WORK IS BEING EXTENDED

In a preceding story of the Berry
/ chool for boys, its beginning was but
Briefly mentioned. For two reasons
more detailed account of that begin
ling may be fitting. One reason is
hat the present time is, almost to
lay, the anniversary of the schools
opening, and in knowing it's earliest
hays one can realize what has been
Hone in the IS years since that time.
|rhe other reason is that. from psyche
Epgical and sociological STANDPOINT. 1t
be one social position reaches and per-
Inanently helps those of another.
In the first place 1t must be recog-
bized that the southern mountaineers
fome OF proud stock. They are red
FLOODED Anglo-Saxons, and are farther
From being mendieants than are
kny others. They repel as an insult
hny offer of help for which they can
pot give an equivalent. Charity Is
eord they do not know, and independ-
nee is their boast In many respects
&his is laudable, but in one way, from
fhe standpoint of its effect on the chill
1ren it is, to say the least, unfortunate.
The problem which Miss Berry under
book to solve was how to reach the
children of the mountains-th children
y hose heritage was dependence OF ev-
trything except spirit.
1t seems a bit strange that one In
Miss Berry's position should have made
a crusade in behalf of these children,
should have been the one to under
take to win the mountains.
She was one of the daughters in an
.aristocratic home of north Georgia,
. Girl who had charm, intellect, beauty,
aud wealth. But she was more than
| the undeveloped product of these gifts,
more than an idler or a dreamer She
lis practical, instinctively an organizer
and very deeply and sincerely a Chris
.lian.
The Log Cabin School
In the thick grove in front of her
home near Rome, Ga, was a little cabin
built of rough logs and daubed with
mud. 1t was like dozens of other log
cabins to be seen in a days journey
Through the mountains but they were
homes while this one was just a play
house for Miss Berry when she was
q little girl and was later transform
ed into a den. She spent much of her
lime there when she was through
Ischool, running over from her home
across the road, to read or sew in her
eozy log cabin.
She was there one Sunday afternoon
when some young people strollsd by
Through the grove in which the log
cabin stood. They were children from
Possum Trot, neighborhood some
| right miles away.
As they passed, Miss Berry spoke to
them and asked what they usually did
on Sunday afternoons The answer
was, Nothing" She then invited them
. to meet at her log cabin on the next
Sunday afternoon for q Bible story
hour.
They were there the next Sunday att
ernoon, and with some of them were
older membexs of their families, even
GRANDPARENTS who had walked the long
. distance. They, too, did nothing on
. Sunday afternoons, after working all
week, and were glad to have some in
terest.
The afternoon Sunday school grew.
and the older people as well as the
. children who were first invited were
. held by Miss Berry's telling OF BIBLE
stories.
Miss Berry saw almost at once how
great was their need for teaching along
other lines. and SO she planned a day
school.
Other Schools Are Opened
For this school she had a inrgel
house built on the opposite side OF the
road, and there she opened school foI
# the children of the tenant farmers and
. the mountain children who could reach
. It. The teachers were Miss Berry, Miss
| Frances Berry, and Miss Elizabeth
. Brewster, a graduate of Leland-Stand
ford, and devoted friend Of Mist
Berry.
Miss Berry says that one of the prob
. lens of that first school was to get
the children to keep their hands clean
| 1t was a delicate subject, and instead
of saying much about 1t, she carried
to school a microscope which she hat
used in botanical work, and interested
the children in making inspections will
Il. 1t was not long before that prob
lem was solved
The little school was Miss Berry's own
It was supported by her personal funds
. and she and the teachers had made thu
| curtains, and with some help had mad
some of the desks from dry goods boxes
Additions were made to the original build
/ Ing but 1t was soon outgrown.
It then occurred to Miss Berry to estab