Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-29
Continued From First Page.)

bus Dewitt Huston, was the pastor of
q Presbyterian Church. His mother,
Margaret Eleanor Macrae Huston, came
of hardy North Carolina stock, and
when left a widow with four small chill
dren she had the determination to keep
the little family together on little
farm until they were able to shift for
themselves. Years after he had left the
surroundings of Boone, Claudius Huston
went back and purchased that farm,
and today regards 1t as one OF the most
priceless of his possessions.
The only school nearby was known as
"Swamp College," because it was one
room affair on the edge of swamp. and
there the four Huston children received
their early education. The curriculum
was limited, but out of it Claudius got
enough to qualify as a school teacher.
He saved enough out of his salary Of
$50 a month to pay the tuition at VAL
paraiso University, and plugged through
the four-year course by doing all sorts
Of odd jobs around town.
An elder cousin had gone to Chatta-
nooga to teach in the Normal University
there, and there was teaching JOB
there for CIaudius when he received his
degree from Valparaiso. That normal
school is now a part of the University
OF Chattanooga, and the former cub
teacher is now the most influential of
its trustees.
Bought Small Business College.
Then in his early twenties, he thought
that pedagogy was his life work, and
when an opportunity came along ne
bought out small business college and
in effect became a captain of industry.
Although still boy he had attracted
attention In Chattanooga. He was the
"go-getter" type, a forerunner OF the
men who were to revolutionize American
business in the twentieth century, and
he gravitated naturally to the leadership
in everything he tackled.
Soon after he joined the Chamber OF
Commerce his associates made him pres
ident. Soon after he joined the Young
Mems Christian Association and TOOK
charge of a campaign to improve its
plant, he became president of that.
Having defied local prejudice by cling
ing to the Republicanism he had brought
from Indiana, he soon became leader
in the affairs of the minority party.
Incidentally, that was about as cour-
ageous an act as Huston ever performed.
The easiest way for any ambitious
youngster in Chattanooga, back there at
the turn of the century, was to become
a Democrat and train with the crowd.
Huston chose the more difficult part, but
some years later he was TO have the
satisfaction of seeing Tennessee twice
give its electoral votes to Republican
candidates for the presidency, and In
each case to a man who called Huston
his personal friend.
The records do not disclose the exact
date when Claudius Huston ceased to be
a school teacher and branched into more
lucrative callings. He says himself that
It happened so gradually that he didn't
realize himself what was taking place
The most important part of his business
college venture was to get jobs Tor ms
graduates. This made 1t necessary Tor
him to cultivate the acquaintance OF
manufacturers, shopkeeperS and others
who from time to time were in need OF
stenographers and bookkeepers. Many
times. after interviewing a local mer-
chant, in behalf of somebody else. Hus-
ton came away considering an OFFER OF
a lob for himself. Eventually he began
to accumulate extra Responsiveness.
'Placed" Huston on Board.
There was a candy manufacturer In
the neighborhood, and Huston fire.
ouently asked him to place" graduates
of the business college. In time the
manufacturer placed" Huston on his
board of directors, and gave him a
chance to earn a financial interest In
the property. BY curious CO!McloenGS
that candy manufacturer, William +:
Brock, became a new Democratic United
States Senator from Tennessee on the
same day and almost at the same hour
that Claudius Huston became the new
chairman Of the Republican National
Committee. It was busy day for both
of them, but they managed to get an
hour together to philosophize on the
strange things that can happen In life.
Huston very soon became known as
Chattanooga most successful busi-
ness doctor" whenever an industry,
whether it was steel or wood or cloth,
showed signs of slowing up, perplexed
executives turned to this very versatile
man, who still chung to his business col
lege as a mainstay. He passes from
one directorate to another and inevita-
bly, landed in the banking business.
where men of his caliber are particular
ly valuable.
Huston has. always said he had no
patent cure-all, that he merely applied
the first principles, Of common sense to
every problem. But apparently there