The Lexington advertiser., 1934-10-18
Athletic Field Named
In Honor B. S. Beall, Sr.

a+b1etic field Friday afternoon in nam
.ba location in honor of B. S. Beall,
G. He was introduced to the gather
;ng hy Dr.. R. VI Stephenson between
haI,.as Of the football game played by
/ lexington and Benton. His address fol-
| lows:
THE occasion that brings Us together
.b;s afternoon has two-fold purpose:
First. to witness a fine football game.
The game speaks for itself. Second:
The dedication Of this magnificent ath-
letie field and stadium. For this pur-
nose we now deveote this part OF the
program.
In dedicating this field and stadium
historical sketch would certainly be
in plaee. When / first came to Lexing-
ton twelve years ago the school had no
athletic field. Our students had to go
out TO West End and use vacant lots
for football field. They had to go
20 the old Fairgrounds for baseball
practice and games. It was through the
kindness Of Messrs jeff Weeks and
: Swinney. the owners Of these
places. that they were available to US.
However. on account Of the distance it
was exceedingly difficult to carry on
any kind o. school athletics.
"Mr. Stewart Watson. President Of
,he School Board. and l were discussing
the situation in the presence Of Mr.. B.
5. Beall. Sr one day and Mr.. Beall made
the statement that he was going TO see
: funds could net be provided for the
purchase and development Of school
athletic field
-'Mr. Beall was at that time Chairman
and Treasurer OF what was known as
the Central Female College Fund. An
understanding Of how the funds were
provided requires history OF this
tund which has been supplied BY Mr..
Harry Watson and is as follows: In the
Year OF Our Lord 1922 9 young man.
then twenty-nine years OF age. left his
home in Franklin County, Georgia, and
iourneyed to the vicinity Of what is now
Lexington. Mississippi. AS he neared
MS destination his party passed over
gently rolling hills clothed in hard
wood and pine. flocks OF wild turkey
scuc.led away from the trail. deer grazed
down the aisles o. trees and an occas-
jonal black bear scuttled over hill.
---e--- - OA-!t " AEt1-4 " IL. N--S--
early date. came TO this vicinity. bought
land from the Choctaw Indians and
his family here. This was
then part Of Yazoo County and Ohio
BeaII became Sheriff q that County
and when Holmes County was cut of
from Yazoo in 1888. ne became the first
sheriff: Of this County. He was the
grandfather Of Mr.. B. 5. BeaN. Sr.
When the town Of Lexington was
founded he gave Tor public use fifteen
acres on the east side OF town in Sec
.ion 36. Township Is, Range : East. The
boundary between Sections 35 and Sc
extends north and south directly through
he courthouse il the Lexington square.
Later ne presented . the public the
block o. land row occupied by the 4. Z.
Swinrey residence and grounds, or which
was buiIt school for male pupils.
During Carpet Bag time the Yankees
took over this building and made il a
school for negro children. a number
Of years later this old. two story build
ing was burned and the colored school
moved 70 It's present location. In the
early days. preceding the Civil War.
there was established in Lexington the
old Central Female College. 1t stood
approximately where the present water
tank stands. \ number ef years later
this building ceased to b> occupied and
was torn down. Judge brennan buying
the brick Of which i had been made Tor
use elsewhere. This money was the be-
ginning q fund which passed into the
property formerly known as the Dyer
home. renamed eTerrystone' in 1889 and
later sold - profit, that money re
turning . the Old fund. Il appears that
the trustees Of this fund were the oItici-
ating Baqt;s. minister OF the Lexington
church and al least one member from
each Protestant church in town. The
original trustees seem TO have been in
addition . the Baptist minister, Ruth
Bowers. grandfather OF Misses Occie and
Emma Mclean. a. Y, Rowe. D. D..
Reuben Hodges. Daniel ". Beall. father
Of 3. S. Beall. Sr., J. v. Dyer, father OF
Mrs B. 5. Beall Sr. and Mrs. F. D. Watson
and Judge brennan. Ruffin Bowers
was the first treasurer and was sue
ceeded by Mr.. B. s. Beall, who later be-
came president OF the trustees. Pres
ident and treasurer. B. S. Bean. several
years later. considering that the funds
were being dissipated. suggested that
they be put to work in the Lexington
school and was largely instrumental,
with the help Of the other trustees OF
the fund. in their being so used. The
amount was then approximately $4,000
and that is the fund. part Of which. has
gone into the building OF the athletic
field which we are dedicating today
In 1922 a bond issue OF 100000 was
floated for the purpose Of building an
annex 10 the present grammar school
building. The trustees Of this Central
Female College fund bought this block
OF bonds with the money then on hand.
The city authorities created an interest
and sinking fund 10 take care OF these
bonds. They had taken up two $1,000
bonds and had paid approximately
81 600 in interest on these bonds. M.
Beall suggested 10 the trustees Of this
fund that since there was no particular
need for this money that said trustees
give back TO the city the outstanding
bonds and that the cash on hand be set
aside as school improvement fund for
the purpose of providing an athletic