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THIRTEENTH DISTRICT ASSOCIATION.

        This is one of the largest and most progressive districts in the state, and is the home district of the writer. Its beginning and work date back to 1876 when Bishop Wm. Massy, of Marshall, Texas, was appointed by the Louisiana and Texas brethren Educational and Financial Agent. Half of what he raised went to start the FIRST educational work in North Louisiana, while the other half was used to foster educational work in Texas. One hundred dollars was raised in the first Educational Rally.

        After the Louisiana brethren withdrew from the Texas brethren they formed local associations, the first being organized in 1880 with Bishop L. C. Capers as Moderator. This first organization was effected by Elders L. C. Capers, Luke Allen, Sr., N. W. Winston, Jackson Powell, Eli Adams, Dave Grantham, Tom Luke

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and others. Bishop Robert Taylor was elected Missionary--the first to go forth in this part of the state.

        The North Louisiana Association No. 1 was organized in 1869 with the following officers: Bishop John Jones, Moderator; Elder Dave Grantham, Vice Moderator; P. W. Shivers, Secretary, and a Treasurer whose name cannot be recalled. Others helped to set up this body, whose names are lost to this history, but their names are on the "Record on High" to be known when the roll is called in Heaven.

        The Thirteenth District Association is the result of the union of local bodies, and was constituted in the year 1888 at Antioch Baptist Church, Elder L. Allen, Sr., pastor, Shreveport, La. The following brethren affected the organization: L. Allen, Sr., C. S. Shelton, Allen Johnson, Daniel Gross, L. C. Capers, Robert Taylor, J. M. Carter, H. C. Coleman, F. J. Cook and others. Bishop J. M. Carter was chosen to be the Association's first Moderator, and Deacon A. A. Pradd its first Secretary. The rest of the officers were elected and the Association got down to business. Elder L. C. Capers was subsequently elected to the Moderatorship and served acceptbly for a number of years.

        In the year 1894, during the session held at Mansfield, La., with the St. John Baptist Church, Elder Albert Isaac Carter, by the will of the association, came to the Moderator's chair. This body has wrought well religiously and educationally since this grand old man has had his "hands upon the throttle and his eyes upon the rails." He took the work up where his predecessors had creditably left off and brought it forward with marked success. This Thirteenth

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District as such had no educational work going on at this time. A school known as Providence Academy, however, was being operated in its midst by a Trustee Board independent of the association. This school was the product of the great mind of Dr. A. M. Newman, who was its founder and Educational Supervisor. The teachers were Miss Blanch Sterrett, Miss Elizabeth Norrington and others, whose names cannot now be recalled. The Providence Academy accomplished much under its efficient Board, able Supervisor and faculty. Bishop A. B. Daniels was the popular chairman of this Board.

        In the fall of 1894 the Providence Academy Board and the Thirteenth District Executive Board met in joint session at the Antioch Baptist Church, Dr. A. M. Newman, pastor, and agreed on the dissolution of the Providence Academy and the organization of the Thirteenth District Academy, with Professor Wm. Hicks as Principal; Miss Blanch Sterrett, Assistant; and Dr. A. M. Newman, Supervisor. So to speak, the Institution got up steam and started out, sending word ahead "to close all switches because the Thirteenth District Academy was on the main line." The beginning of this school was small and humble. When Principal Hicks climbed the hill, October, 1894, on which he hoped to find a two-story structure completely equipped, instead he found an old "L" shaped cast-away dwelling house on whose top was the warm-hearted and education-loving Bishop A. T. Sumpter and the faithful Deacon Aaron Gaskin, with hammer in hand, stopping the leaks in the old building. After five years of successful labor the Principal moved this old house back, made a dining-room and kitchen of it, and on its site erected to the

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credit of the District a fine $3,000 two-story frame building. In a short while the District had paid every cent on it. No member of the Board worked harder and more zealously in the erection of this edifice and the payment of the debt than did Bishop A. H. Samuels, chairman of School Board. He stood ready at all times to encourage the Principal with both his money and his words. The enrollment of the school grew rapidly to nearly 300, and the term receipts from tuition, board, etc., to more than $2,000, when Professor Hicks resigned in 1903 and accepted the Deanship of the Theological Department of Coleman College, Gibsland, La. The Managing Board of the school was made up of the following brethren: A. H. Samuels, President; C. S. Shelton, Secretary; J. M. Carter, District Supervisor of Education; J. T. Alexander, A. T. Sumpter, L. W. Canfield, L. C. Capers, H. R. Flynn and Wm. Caldwell. The following teachers have served this school: Wm. Hicks, B. A., D. D.; Miss Blanch Sterrett, Prof. Harris Hamilton, Mrs. Desire Morse Priestly, Mrs. Olivia Madison Hicks, Mrs. Julia Carter Whalley, Mrs. Rhoda Brown Madkin, Mrs. Agnes Johnson Mickens, Mrs. Dr. Rainwater, Mrs. Lula Burgess Capers, Mrs. Dr. J. H. Henderson, Mrs. Harris Hamilton, Professor A. Cheatham, B. A., Professor R. P. Player, Professor A. Leatherman, B. A., Professor A. C. Capers, B. A., Professor J. E. Wilson and others.

        This school has grown from a minimum value or $600 or $700 to a maximum of about $6,000 or $7,000 in 1914. It comprises one two-story frame building with an attached boys' department, seven or eight city lots and 120 acres of farm land. The District's churches have increased

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BISHOP W. W. HILL.

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to 94, with a membership of about 9,000. Elder A. H. Samuels has been recently elected Moderator (1913).

        In connection with the Association of churches this body has three working auxiliaries that are accomplishing much.

        The entire staff of District officers follows: Elder A. H. Samuels, Moderator; Bishop E. S. Stills, Vice Moderator; Bishop C. S. Shelton, Recording Secretary; Brother J. A. Steadman, Corresponding Secretary; Bishop J. J. Evans, Treasurer; Professor R. P. Player, Auditor.

        Sunday-School Association officers: Brother J. A. Steadman, President; Mrs. S. C. Williams, Vice President; Prof. R. P. Player, Recording Secretary; Miss Essie Bailey, Corresponding Secretary; Brother H. C. Henderson, Treasurer.

        Baptist Young People's Union: Brother H. S. Davis, President; Brother L. E. Murray, Vice President; Miss Johnetta Bradford, Recording Secretary; Bishop I. A. Carter, Jr., Corresponding Secretary.

        Woman's Home Mission Association: Mrs. S. C. Williams, President; Mrs. J. C. Carter, Vice President; Mrs. H. R. Flynn, Recording Secretary; Mrs. Margaret Chew, Treasurer.

PROF. THOMAS HENRY KANE, AN HONORED NORTH LOUISIANA EDUCATOR.

        One of the most widely known teachers in the state is the subject of this sketch. He was born in slavery, of Mr. Samuel and Mrs. Amanda Kane in the state of South Carolina, February 6, 1853.

        After the horrors and besetments of American slavery had passed and freedom had been freighted with educational hope for the Negro, young Kane began to apply himself. The first school he attended was Providence, Benton, La., next Peter's School, Shreveport, La., and finally Bishop College, Marshall, Texas. Here he was a hard student, and through that pluck and indomitable will so characteristic of the professor, he laid the educational foundation on which he stands today, and on which he has stood and won his hard-fought scholastic battle from the country schools of Greenwood, La., and Kellyville, Texas, up to the principalship of the Antoine or Mt. Zion School, Shreveport. La.

        Prof. Kane is active in educational circles,

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both local and national, having conducted State Summer Normals for years in various parts of Louisiana and represented the State at the National Teachers' Association. He has been identified with the growth of public schools for years, being among the prime movers who influenced the public school authorities to grant and establish the Peabody Normal in Shreveport for Negroes; and through his untiring efforts the new school building where he now teaches was erected.

        His interest does not stop with the children in the day school, but extends to the Evergreen Baptist Church Sunday-School, which he has super-intended for a number of years. He came to this work shortly after he was converted and baptized into the membership of the Antioch Baptist Church in 1877 by Bishop Thomas Christian. He has been continuously engaged in Sunday-school work since uniting with Evergreen. For many years he presided over the children of the entire District, being President of the Thirteenth District Sunday-School Association. While holding this position he became endeared both to the children of his school and those of the District. He delighted in lecturing the Negro Boy's Improvement Association--a movement organized by Bishop Wm. Hicks, A. B., D. D., at Trinity Baptist Church. Professor Kane is a great reader, having read the Bible through several times, and reads almost daily some of the best authors of this and other ages, thus keeping abreast of the times and holding his own among the educators of his day.

JOHN MILTON SMITH, SR., TEACHER, FARMER AND EX-U. S. POSTAL CLERK.

        Of our many young Baptist laymen, none have climbed higher in teaching, farming and United States Postal Clerk circles than Mr. J. M. Smith, Sr. He was born October 28, 1872, at Furrh, La. His parents, Mr. William and Mrs. Ida Smith, being financially weak when he reached school age, failed to carry him all the way through but did what they could under the circumstances.

        Being blessed with sufficient iron in his blood and hustle in his bones, the subject of our sketch started upward like a rising star. After attending the rural public school, the Providence Academy, Shreveport, La., under the late lamented and scholarly Dr. A. M. Newman, and Bishop College a short while, he passed first grade Texas examinations and won his place among college graduate teachers in the big state of Texas and often outclassed them.

        After teaching seven years in Harrison County, he passed a Civil Service examination and entered the Railway Mail Service June 2, 1903, which position he held and honorably filled to the delight and satisfaction of the United States Government until 1912, when he of his own accord resigned much to the regret of "Uncle Sam." One of his reasons for leaving this lucrative position

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was to go back to the farm where he could more successfully save and rear his children. Brother Smith wisely put the value of his children above a big salary and the privilege of living in Mississippi's metropolis. He reached the highest round in the ladder of service on the mail car, i. e., Clerk in Charge.

        His career thus far has been one of unbroken success. His motto--"A Consistent Christian, a Loyal Baptist, One and Inseparable Now and Forever"--is the secret of his success. He was converted August, 1891, and baptized into the membership of Republican Baptist Church by Bishop L. W. Canfield. He married Miss Crenzia Patsy Hicks, March 13, 1898. Eight children bless their union. Brother Smith's marked success has helped him to get closer to, not further from, the Lord. While doing well financially in the mail service, during his stay in Meridian, Miss., he always found time to work in El Bethel Baptist Sunday-School and superintend a division of the Negro Boy's Improvement Association, a constructive movement for the good of the boys.

        He is comparatively young and has a great future before him. His achievements say he will still succeed.