The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1927-11-04
CLINTON w. TOMS RISE
IN NOTABLE INDUSTRY
From School Room In Rural North Carolina
To Presidency of A Hundred Million
Dollar Companv
BY w. o. SAUNDERS

It's a far cry from teacher
in a one room school in Ply
mouth. \. {. to the presidency
of hundred million dollar cor
poration with offices on Fifth
Avenue, New York. but Clinton
". Toms, a native of Hertford,
PerquimanS County has made
the stride.
The Associated Press carried the
story. the other day. of the eleva-
ton of c. W. Toms to the presidency
of the Lessett 4 Myers Tobacco Co.
The Associated Press failed to re-
late that the man who was tried and
chosen for the presidency of one of
Americas foremost Industries was
once but a modest country school
teacher here in Northeastern North
Carolina.
II has been said of c. W. Toms
that he is the first notable example
of a school teacher plucked out Of Il
school room tn become a great bust
ness executive. Teachers are sup
posed to he anything but business
men.
There are five ingredients in the
formula for Success. They are in,
telligence, character. industry
thrift and luck. Clinton W. Toms
had all five. And here briefly is the
story of his rise from Main Street,
Hertford. to Fifth Avenue. New
York.
Mr.. Toms was horn in Hertford
Perq,limanS County. Oct. =, 1S6S
His parents were Mr.. and Mrs. Zach
Toms. as fine a couple Of plain folks
as ever lived in North Carolina
Clinton Toms was educated in the
old Hertford Academy and at the
University of North Carolina. The
nr,fesSion of teaching had not been
made frivolous by short skirts, rouge
and face powders in those days ana
youn- Toms chose to be SchO"I
teacher.
He came from Il family that ha"
known how To live with diknity. ease
and refinement on Il modest income
and he had no ambition to be rich
He would be satisfied To he ai
honorable teacher and live qtletlE
and leiSurely on teachers s;'tar!
Graduating from the University
in 1889 he took n private Scho"
NJ Plymouth y. G. which he tansh'
for two years. And then he weh'
to Durbom. He was familiar WIFI
Durb,m after his four years at the
I-nirersitv at Chapel Hill. He be,
came principal of the public Schoo
i'm Durham.
And there he came under the eyes
os ,be LATE Benjamin Duke aho
cooroo ". Watts. two big figure:
in the tobacco industry that had ou'
rocoptly found itself. MesSrS. DUKE
ord watts were members OF th'
Durham School Board anu "er' '
,brovn into intimate contact VIII
the principal of their school. Inc!
onpraiSed him for his intelllsenee
farcefuIneSs, industry. ability an'
dependability. ,or,
Your big business man Is a'""s
on the alert for level headed nlei
who are not afraid OF WORK. ~ ~,
m,,n goes unrecognized in any Dis
;ndnstrv II he thinks he lsh
rpcopuized. he is only kidding MN
self. The biz boys higher up ar' ,'
constantly studying every man Mi'i
n.hom they come in contact. lhei
GREATEST need is for dependaoie men
AID in Clinton Toms. the late bei
DrLo observed yOungSter who nat
. hood and who wasn't afraid o.
work Clinton Toms was ho.'h'
for work. He not only WORKED
harder in the schools OF Durhah
than any other man. but he wen
ont into the factory settlements an'
,,tar,od night schools TO help th'
pnderprivileged. He taught III de
own night schools. There WASH
Drke in Durham who could put II
harder DAYS work than I. "
Toms. sooi
In 1896 Mr.. Tomas was ohe.e.
tbe chair of pedagogy at the thi
versity: he resigned as prinelPai y
tho nurbam School. removed III
FAMILY TO Chapel Hill. taught tnr'
the summer school and might nav
hssn an honorable professor in tn'
University of North Carolina u
this day. but for his luck.
You can say what you pieaS'
ahout intelligence. character III
/ dustrr thrift and all the rest OF l,
Iut without the element OF luci
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