Mississippi College - Tribesman Yearbook (Clinton, MS)

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James Madison Sharp, B. A. Professor of Mathematics AMES MADISON SHARP was born Dec. 28, 1851, near Liberty, Amite County, M.ss.ss.pp.. His early education and preparation for college was in the private schools at Summit, Mississippi, and he was graduated by the University of Mississippi in 1875, with B. A. degree. 7 To see his place of highest usefulness in the world, and then, with unselfish singleness of purpose, to fill that place, is the underlying characteristic of every truly great man Possessing the qualities of the born teacher and realizing the great need of earnest men in this field of endeavor, Prof. Sharp decided soon after his graduation to make this his life work As a student he had distinguished himself as a careful, conscientious, accurate scholar and was honored and respected by all who knew him. As a teacher all these admirable qualities, both of scholarship and of personality, were developed and enlarged, and as he grew in age and experience, so also he grew in usefulness, in the graces of Christian manhood, in broad, sympathetic character, and in capacity for service. In the field of teaching Prof. Sharp has had wide experience. His first work was as principal of Live Oak School, Colorado County, Texas, 1875-76; next, he was first assistant in Peabody School, Summit, Miss., 1876-77; following this, he was principal of McCarthy and Jefferson schools, New Orleans, La., 1877-80; principal of McComb City High School, 1880- 82; principal of preparatory and commercial schools, Mississippi College, 1882-90; principal of Capital Commercial College, 1890-93; head of department of mathematics in Mississippi College since that time. I his wide experience, together with peculiar natural aptitude, has fitted him to fill with eminent success the position he now occupies. He is an indefatigable worker, a born math- ematician, an excellent judge of human and boy nature, and is capable of getting as much good, hard work from his students as any man that ever entered a classroom. His interest m his work never flags, and woe unto the boy who ever lets his do so! “It were better that a millstone— etc. Has only three hobbies: long lessons, whiskers and slanderous mal- treatment of the last letter of the alphabet, from which he gets the endearing appellation “Zed ” Prof. Sharp was married Nov. 20, 1878, to Miss Emma N. Quinn, daughter of the late Hon. Judge James B. Quinn, of Summit, Mississippi. His has been a life of perfect domestic happiness for, as he is a man distinguished among many, no less is his wife a true, noble womanly woman, always helpful always inspiring, beloved of all within the circle of her acquaintance Prof. Sharp is still ,n the prime of his vigorous manhood, with a bright future of many years of usefulness before him H,s plans for ever increasingly greater work are thoroughly m keeping with the growth and enlargement of Mississippi College and as a teacher as a man, as a citizen, and as a force for the development of strong manhood among those thrown m touch with him, his worth is immeasurable to this institution. 2 5

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Henry Franklin Sproles, D. D Professor of Bible and Instructor in Psychology and Ethics N a modest farmhouse situated on a beautiful elevation gently rising upward from the delightful little valley whence come bubbling and sparkling the waters of the famous Castalian Spring, was born, sixty-three years ago, the subject of this sketch. Had there been present one gifted with prophetic eye, he would have seen in the face of that man child the miniature of the soldier, the preacher, the teacher, the man. Owing to youth and physical weakness, in 1862 he was counted unfit for army duty, but by sufferance he was allowed to go with the forces, and was given the privilege of using one of the guns in Wofford’s battery. He was not in the war, and yet he was not out, until, at Blakely, April 5, 1865, he was “shot out.” However, he stood faithfully behind his gun, and in every action proved himself as brave a gunner as ever touched spark to fuse. His gallant conduct and accurate aim always elicited from his superiors encomiums the most extravagant. Though men are apt to recognize true merit, God infinitely more. So with young Sproles. While still battling in behalf of his native Southland he was impressed by the Holy Spirit that there was needed another recruiting officer in the great army of King Immanuel. It sometimes seems that “Providence has a wild, rough, incalculable road to its end,’’ for soon after Mr. Sproles had decided to enter the ministry, he was severely wounded in the mouth, resulting in the entire loss of the lower jaw, together with part of the tongue. How- ever, Mr. Sproles never once relinquished his purpose to preach the Gospel. But could a man maimed as he was speak in public ? The call was God’s, it was his to obey. With this thought he began his preparation with unwavering faith in divine guidance and that “a man accus- tomed to work was equal to any achievement.” After spending three sessions in the Seminary, during which he supplemented his incomplete academic course by private study, in 1870 he returned, bearing his diploma, to enter upon pastoral duties at Carrollton, where he labored so diligently for nine years that one would think that he was trying to prove that, “ In all human action those faculties will be strong which are used.” In all his previous life he labored in the belief that “he who has acquired the ability, may wait securely the occasion of making it felt and appreciated.” His call to the Jackson church, in 1880, was such an occasion, and, during his stay here of about a score of years, he never lost sight of the fact that work is victory, and few ministers have held a warmer place in the affections of his immediate congregation, or claimed a higher esteem of his community at large- From Jackson he moved to Vicksburg, and soon won to himself the hearts of all with whom he came in contact. In 1905 he came to the College, where he is greatly esteemed and sincerely beloved, because of his conscientious care, accuracy, scholarship and sympathy . He has been for more than twenty years on the Seminary board of trustees; was as many years on the College board; for many years has been president of the Convention board, and was for three years president of the State Baptist convention. 27