New Britain herald., 1930-11-28
WOMAN EDUCATING
 MOUNTA|NEER FOLK
Georgian DeVOteS Life and
 Wealth to Chosen Task

MI. Berry, Ga., NOV. 26,-MOd- ern women think that theirs is a new problem of marriage versus a Gareer. They think that only these days of feminine freedom could bring about such dilemma.
 But 80 years ago this problem confronted young southern girl. Miss Martha Berry founder of the Berry Schools in Mt. Berry, Ga schools which today number d hun Lred buildings, teach 1000 south- ern mountain people each year. nnd have 5000 graduates all over the nation.
 These schools are the result of Miss Berry's dilemma.
 Back in 1900, Martha Berry was a young girl in Rome, Ca. the daughter of a wealthy cotton grower She was brought up in luxury, educated by private tutor and finishing school. She was trained in the southern tradition that women should lead shel- tered life, should marry and bear children.
 Boys Furnished Inspiration
 But driving leisurcly home from church one Sunday Martha Berry stepped her horse to greet three mountain boys. They were dirty, barefoot. ragged She offered them 8 lift. II was merely kindly inn pulse. but on it dangled the whole thread Of her destiny.
 She made conversation with the boys. Where did they go to school? They didn't, How about Sunday school? They had never heard of that.
 Though these mountain people were of purest Anglo-SaXon stock, of aristocratic ancestry, they now lived, ignorant and isolated, ,n their mountain sharties. Martha Berry knew that, but now, sud- denly, in contact with such lgnor- ance, she was moved
 How would you like to stop at my home and hear some Bible stories?" she asked the boys.
 Her Glasses Grew
 They loved it. The next Sunday they had two little sisters in tow. Martha looked at their dirty hands and faces and handed them wash basin. She got out an old botanical microscope and focused it on . drop of the dirty water.
 Why, they's bugs in it." said one boy in astonishmcnt.
 Martha explained about gcrms and cleanliness. The Sunday School class proceeded. Next Sunday there were ten pupils. The following week whole train of horses; parents had come too for the Sunday lady's stories.
 None of her family took Martha Berry's classes seriously. But she had chosen a career. From her father she had inherited a G,000- acre tract of woodland. On this. with her own money, she built a one-room school house. In six months she had added two addi- tions. In two years, at the plead- IllSS Ol OtlItl lllOlAlItd pNOIi' 'O' far away to come, Martha had cs- tablished four day schools at rari- ous points. Her sister Francos and friend, Elizabeth Brewster. agreed to help.
 Signed over Her Land
 But there always were other children who lived too far from any of the day schools. So Martha Berry began to burn her bridges. She went to her family lawyer 10 decd over her woodland tract to the Berry Schools. She was going 10 build a dormitory with her own capital The lawyer was aghast
 Think what you're doing. Mar tha, Ruining your future. Tying yourself up for life
 That was exactly Martha's 1n- tcntion. A career rather than mar riage. Her dormitory accommodated twelve boys whose parents reluc- tantly consented 10 let them live there. They were to pay their board by doing all the work, gardening, housework. everything. The boys be- gan eagerly.
 The fame of the Sunday Lady spread throughout the mountains. Children begged to come 10 school. And her school was full. Martha had no more money
 She decided to go to New York. the home Of wealth. After week she had received only $5l. Then