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A young boy once said to Dr. Lyman Ward, "You have been
the best friend to the poor boys and girls of Tallapoosa
County of 'ary' man in it." Dr. Ward looked at the lad and
saw that his shining eyes were filled with tears. This
emotional moment choked Dr. Ward a little and in blunt
fashion he said, "I will take you in my school. You report
to me Monday morning. Hereafter, you will be my boy."
Those simple words reveal more of the basic philosophy
upon which The Southern Industrial Institute at Camp Hill
was founded by Dr. Lyman Ward in 1898 than all the eloquent
rhetoric ever could.
Dr. Lyman Ward was born in Watertown, New York. He was
graduated from Watertown High School and St. Lawrence
University. He became a Universalist minister and was sent
to Alabama on a church survey. While in Camp Hill, he
became interested in a school for boys and girls of limited
means. On a sunny Spring day in 1898, young Lyman Ward, a
visiting minister, stood in the pulpit of the Camp Hill
Universalist Church and told the congregation of his
discussion with the church trustees and of the conclusion
that it would take a minimum of $5,000.00 to establish a
greatly needed high school in the community. The small
rural congregation was stunned at the suggestion of raising
what seemed a staggering sum, and when the young minister
asked for contributions and invited the congregation to come
forward to sign a pledge book prepared for the occasion, an
embarrassing hush fell over the chapel. For a moment, no
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