The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-12-14
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

| "A ~ -- 4 A A ' Nfe( |
 I like my work because it brings me in touch with so many different people and with so many different enterprises Each day is new adventure, and get sorry for the man who sits at desk and grinds and grinds at the same old job.
 Now, not long ago. Pierce Smith, a leading citizen of Camp Hill, came by The Age-Herald office, and as I was out. got in touch with Mr.i Mullins the business manager, and asked him to see if wouldn't come down and take part ifr>-the twentieth anniversary of the Southern Industrial institute
 Soon 1 came in and he opened up the situation to me and as I found out l was down for the principal address, Jeff Bailey said he knew it was a 'cinch' that I would accept the invita- tion, flor he says he has never known me to duck a speaking date.
 
 s-P or years 1 ndu been nearing dDout and reading of the industrial school which had done and was doing so much for the boys and girls who were un able to go through other institutions of learning. I had met Dr. Lyman Ward and his charming wife, and felt that whatever they undertook would at least have the imprint of consecrated and cultured lives.
 Twenty years ago, young preacher and his lovely bride set out from New York state on a pilgrimage south and located at Camp Hill. They had the zeal of missionaries. For a long time the couple were looked upon askance, but by sterling worth and making tho community's interest their own, with the lapse of years they became part of it, and today they, are beloved by all
 1 do not know why it is so, but it is true chat the Lord works through men. When He has task worth while, He calls a man to do it! A man must have vision, faith, and courage to ac- complish what has been done by Ly-. man Ward at Camp Hill in the past 20 years. Of one thing am stret he is no quitter. He found his job and he stuck to it. Few men have the grit to stick.
 He made up his mind to found school along new lines He had no money, no clientele, but he had the dogged quality of perseverance, He rented a building, make shift affair, with great cracks in the floor, leaks dows A rainstorm almost gave him nervous prostration. for it called for many umbrellas. The old building was set up on pillars two or three feet above the ground.
 He and two teachers began in schoolroom without stove or fire able for buying the former or building the latter. Twenty three students showed up at the opening, but before the winter was over. the number had reached 75 or 80. It was at a time when boys were less ,coddled than now. They were not so soft as the modern youth, and hardships were their daily lot.
 In these days, when some boys want book of car tickets if they live six blocks from school it. mi ght be well to mention that one of the first pupils { boarded four miles from the school, but was one of the most faithful at- tendants. and one rainy morning the spring freshet carrying away bridge he had to cross, he walked around eight miles to another in order to got across the swollen stream and report for his studies. A little spring shower will sometimes keep twentieth cen- tury city lad from venturing forth on paved streets
 l met sterling young man, one Of the honor guests, and learned that he had worked his way through the Southern Industrial institute by attend Ing sto farm work in the daytime and studying and reciting at night Hs was enthusiastic about Dr. Wards un- selfish devotion to poor country boy, . and feelingly told how much pains, ho had taken with him and how patient he had been. But for him." said he, T would today have been without any save rudimentary education, but by sticking at it I graduated at the age of 29 from the law class at the Uni yersity of Alabama
 I have seen number of pageants. but the one staged by the Southern In- dustrial institute, was unique in that 1t was all home talent, the partici- pants, the costumes, even the flags oft the nations--yet it made a most credi- table show. There, of course, was Un- cle Sam and John Bull, and Joan Of Arc, and several floats with the girls dressed in the various national cos tunes of the allies.
 had the pleasure of making an ad z dress when pr. Ward said N"There is little for me to say The 20 years that have lived in your midst are sped away. look back upon them as the best and most fruitful years of my life> In these 20 years We have raised nearly s20o,0oo for this institution. We nave given some sort of assistance to