The Lexington advertiser. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.) 1904-1985, 1946-12-12
THROUGH
HAZEL
EYES
by Huzel Bronnon

101lRpt d. . . 1GAICa VIII
Near this town there lives a good
negro family -. Holsey Smith by
name. Holsey has been having
pretty hard luck in the past few
years. In 1910 he lost a leg, a pretty
hard blow for an active man with a
big family. But he managed without
whimpering and never asked help
from anyone. Then this year, on
November 4th, to be exact, Holsey
had to have his other leg taken off.
This left him pretty helpless but he
didn't give up. He was learning a
trade which made it possible for him
to support his family and make his
own way.
ONLY a couple of weeks ago his
wife, jennie T. had a baby, a little
girl.
A week ago today Holsey and his
family went to bed early. They were
awakened about 1915 by the roar
of flames consuming their small
home which they owned. In just a
few minutes the place was reduced
to ashes and stark tragedy loom
ed TO. in those ashes were the bodies
of his oldest son, George, IL, and
his Youngest child, the week-old
daughter.
The world looked pretty dismal
to this colored family on the morn
ing of Friday, December 9th. Two
children dead, a stricken father, a
sick mother. No roof owe their
heads and no clothes whatever to
20 on their backs. No household
furniture OF furnishings.
Bright and early Friday morning
the white friends of Holsey went to
work. A store-to-store canvass was
made around Lexington's old-fash-
toned Courthouse Square. The mayor
of the town took time off from his
rushing business to go and see per-
sonally the other business men l n
the community to help Holsey and
his family. BY noon over $4,000 ] n
cash had been raised with not half
of the folks seen yet. Later IN the
week the figure had run to over
$4,000 among the white riends
who had set as their goal the COM
plete rebuilding Of a home for Hol-
G and his family. This will be done
In addition his colored friends
have pooled their resources to help
furnish that home and to e to 1T
that Holsey is put back on his feet.
This story is to us a heart warm
ing m . in this world of greed
and hate -. it is a story of neigh
as,oriiness and love which cannot be
duplicated in any place in the world
except places -. like Lexington.
This expression of good will and
real friendship has been shown
many times between the races in
our community and has been taken
as a matter of course :. !. as the only
thing to do.
But toduy when the forces of evil
seem determined to divide the
world into groups, and classes, and
races. it is good to know that in at
least one small Mississippi comm
unity the spirit of true brotherhood
still rules -.
Lexington is and should be proud
OF the boys which compose the
High School football squad the
Purple Wave.
While the team is not distinguish
ed for the number of games 1t has
won this season we s~uggestthut is
not important. 1t is not whether we
win or lose that counts, but how we
play the game that really counts.
No fault can be found with the
way the boys have played the game.
They put their hearts and souls and
all their strength into it. and en-
countered stiff competition. They
conducted themselves like gentle
men throughout the entire season
and never has there been a suggest
ion of anything in their playing or
conduct which called for anything
but the highest praise.
Coach Bill Schneider has done a
good Job this year and how hard he,
has worked with the boys only they
know. He has gone to great lengths
to make it possible for some of the
boys to play on the team taking
them. home in the afternoons :.
those who lived far from town and
otherwise would have had to go
early on the schoolbus. He deserves
the highest praise and common
dation for his efforts and we are
sure these will be given by the gen
ereus people of Lexington.
The Advertiser is this year, for
the first time, giving a gold foot
ball to the Lexington player who
has contributed the most to the
team. The boy will be selected by
the coach of the team and the award
will b egiven each year hereafter.
It is our wish that the award will
promote good craftsmanship and
encourage and recognize leadership
in the boys, inspiring each of them
to do their best for themselves and
their school.
The Supreme Court of Mississippi