Clarke County GaArchives Biographies.....Rutherford, Mildred unknown - unknown ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 April 1, 2005, 11:55 pm Author: Mildred Rutherford Life Sketch of Miss Mildred Rutherford By Miss MILDRED RUTHERFORD YOU have asked me to write a sketch, of my life in three hundred words. To write a sketch of one's life for the public eye— that eye which knows you truly, or thinks it does—is a difficult task, for like one's obituary, only the good is told while the public knows the other side, and is Chinking about that. Who's Who in America will give you the salient points in my life— the names of my parents and the date of my birth. The name Mildred came from Mildred Windebanke who married Robert Reade the father of George Reade, of the House of Burgesses in Colonial days; Leivis came from Councillor John Lewis of Virginia; Rutherford from an old Scotch ancestor, Robert Rutherford, a kinsman of the great Samuel Rutherford of holy fame. My ancestry was all right but I have long since learned that great ancestry does not always make true greatness, so I have tried not to rely upon this when I make an effort to live my life. My ambition has been "to make the world better for having lived in it." Athens is my birthplace, and I have lived in Athens all of my life save the five years I taught in Atlanta. Mr. Bernard Mallon was superintnedent of the schools then and Miss Laura Haygood was principal of the Girls' High School, and Major Slaton was principal of the Boys' High School. I love everybody in Athens, white and black. I love everybody in Georgia, good and bad. I am not Miss Mildred Rutherford in Georgia, but simply "Miss Millie." I hope to die in Georgia, and to be buried on her old "red hills." My first school days were under a mother's loving direction, and my first and most prized textbook was Webster's "Blue Back Spelling Book," and after I had advanced as far as baker, I entered the school of Mrs. Elmira Lee, the daughter of Dr. Alonzo Church, the president of Franklin College, and a much loved friend of my mother. Many of Athens' distinguished women of later years were pupils of this school. At eight years of age I entered Lucy Cobb from which I was graduated at 16 years of age. We received no diplomas in that day, so I hold no diploma or degree from any college or university. I began in 1872 teaching the children in the family at Dr. Lipscomb's insistence, and at his urging I went to Atlanta to stand the examination for the public schools. I taught one year at Ivey Street School, one year at Crew Street School, and three years at the Girls' High School. Over 500 Atlanta children were my pupils. In 1880 I was offered the principalship of Lucy Cobb. I was then in my twenties. I have taught every year since then at Lucy Cobb, and I am still teaching there. I was principal or president over twenty years. I resigned in 1895 on account of my father's illness, to make a home for him. My sister, Mrs. M. A. Lipscomb, succeeded me. I returned in 1908 for the Golden Jubilee. I resigned the next year in favor of two of our graduates, Misses Gerdine and Brumby. I again returned in 1917 to save the school from being given to the state. I resigned in 1922 in favor of Miss Mildred Mell, my neice and namesake. I fought many battles with the college boys about the Lucy Cobb goats. These statues were at each end of the long front porch and the earthly ambition of these boys was to annually paint one red and the other black—the University colors. No policeman, no chancellor, no trustee, no principal, no teacher, no night watchman, nobody was ever able to cope with these midnight marauders, and only the final, destruction of the goats ended the battle. It is strange to me at this late date that I can recount my many defeats and smile over them. Such is life! Literature and history I loved most to teach, and at the urging of my pupils I had the lectures I delivered to them put into printed form. English Authors, American Authors, French Authors, and The South in History and Literature. To correct habits of speech and manners I wrote Mannie Brown. To amuse and entertain I wrote the farces, Polly Peablossom's Wedding, How the Old Maids of Lickskillet Held a Convention to Exterminate Man, How to Plan a Convention, and to Edit a Paper. To encourage the study of God's Word in schools, public and private, I published Bible Questions. At my mother's death in 1888 I was made president of the Ladies' Memorial Association of Athens, organized in 1867. At the death of my sister, Mrs. George A. Mell, I was made president of The Bessie Mell Industrial Home. I was president of the Auxiliary of the Young Men's Christian Association for two years. I was president of the Young Women's Christian (City) Association for several years. I was chairman of the Gulf States Com. Y. W. C. A. under the American Committee, and a member of the National Board, Y. W. C. A. in 1911. I was elected Historian of Georgia Division, U. D. C. for life in 1896. I was president and historian of Georgia Division, U. D. C., two years, 1904-1905. I was president of the Athens Chapter of Daughters of the Confederacy when organized in 1896, and first vice-president during Mrs. Stovall's and Mrs. Welch's administrations, then made president again at Mrs. Welch's resignation. I have been historian of the Laura Rutherford Chapter since it was organized. I was made historian-general, U. D. C., for five years, 1911-1916. I was chosen honorary president of U. D. C. when I ceased to be historian-general. I am now hsitorian-general of the Confederated Southern Memorial Association. My printed historical work is: The South in the Building of the Nation; Thirteen Periods of U. S. History; The Wrongs of History Righted; The Sins of Omission and Commission; Four Addresses as above, bound with picture; The South of Yesterday; The Civilization of the Old South; What the South May Claim; Where the South Leads; Where Georgia Leads; Jefferson Davis and Abraham Lincoln; Indian Legends; Georgia in the American Revolution; Truths of History; The True Story of Jamestown Colony; Cotton is King; Henry Wirz—Andersonville Prison; Georgia: The Empire State; Georgia Facts; Memorial Day Banner; Measuring Rod for Text Books; Historical Programs, U. D. C. and C. of C.; Miss Rutherford's Scrap Book, 10 issues annually; The South Must Have Her Rightful Place in History. I have compiled 32 personal Scrap Books, beginning from 1868 to present time. I have compiled 70 volumes, 500 pages each, in scrap book form for the U. D. C. and have placed them in the Confederate Museum at Richmond, Va. I am now placing in binders 120 volumes of Georgia history in scrap book form, each volume averaging 400 pages. Among these are 12 volumes of Athens history. So much for my historical work. In my religious work, I began teaching in Sunday School at 16 years of age. I taught in a negro Sunday School after War between the States until the Northren school "marms" took charge. I have taught a Bible class at Lucy Cobb since 1880. I have delivered and printed 15 lectures on the Holy Land and Egypt, and letters written from the Holy Land and Egypt. These were prepared for the benefit of my Lucy Cobb girls and University students. I have tried to do something to benefit others. I feel, however, at the close of a, very busy life I have accomplished little of what I have planned, but I am conscious that my own life has been greatly blessed and enriched by these efforts and for this I am truly grateful. I have had all the roses thrown while I live and need none when I die. Additional Comments: From: HISTORY OF ATHENS and CLARKE COUNTY 1923 H. J. ROWE, Publisher THE McGREGOR CO., PRINTERS, ATHENS, GA. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/clarke/bios/rutherfo770gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 8.3 Kb