Chapter Thirty Six

June 29, 1939

There were quite a number of students in this Belwood school during the year I was there, and they certainly seemed to have an enjoyable time. While I was not a student myself, my work was right in the school house and I became personally acquainted with every pupil and teacher in the school. Rev. D. P. Tate was the headmaster and he was very strict on the students. He would not allow the boys and girls to associate together at all, except in a general way in the class room, and none of the boys were allowed to have a date with any girl, but a great many would plan some way to get together, and I would very often try to help them make the plans.

Nearly everyone attended Kadesh church on Sunday and we had to walk. The boys would usually walk in a body and the girls the same way. The lady teachers would usually walk with the girl students.

I would very often walk with one of the lady teachers or a resident student to and from church. My Sunday school teacher was Miss Sallie Nolan who lived near Belwood. She married Chief Justice Walter P. Stacey’s father. Miss Sallie is still living. Quite a number of these students became very prominent people. I will mention a few of them by name:

Miss Mittie Cranford was one of the teachers. She married a Methodist minister by the name of Poe. Mr. Poe was for one or two years a pastor of the Bostic circuit and resided at Bostic. Odus Mull became a lawyer and resided in Shelby. He was one time chairman of the State Democratic Executive Committee. He has represented Cleveland county in the General Assembly of North Carolina two or three terms.

Clarence Peeler became a physician and is now located in Charlotte as an ear, nose and eye specialist. Jim Herling became a railroad engineer. He died several years ago. Everett Eaves became a Methodist minister and was a member of the Western North Carolina conference for a number of years. He now resides in Illinois. Mr. Eaves was one of my best friends and a very fine young man. He was from Rutherford county and a son of Capt. John B. Eaves.

Louise Hoyle was the daughter of Capt. L. J. Hoyle. She had dark lovely hair and was a very pretty girl and immensely popular. She married a Mr. Clegg, a Methodist minister. She was killed several years ago in an automobile wreck.

Mouzon and Marvin Gant were sons of Rev. A. G. Gant and were bright young men. They are both physicians and are now located somewhere in Texas.

Zol Thompson resides in Shelby and manufactures caskets and operates a lumber plant, and is doing a large business. Chiv Thompson is a dentist and is located in Oklahoma. Zol and Chiv are twins and are sons of Mr. Horace Thompson.

Bob Gant was the son of Melvin P. Gant and was only about eight or ten years of age at that time. He now resides in Durham and is among the best lawyers in the state.