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/ Gentleman, Scholar, Educator. PROFESSSOR K. G. MATHESON, Acting President Georgia School of Technology. Tn presenting to onr readers the picture of this distinguished Southern gentleman and successful educator, it is to make them familiar with one whose work has created for him not only a local, but a general reputation through out various parts of the country; for al though Prof. Matheson is now acting president of the Georgia Technological School, this position is but one of many important posts in the educational world which Prof. Matheson has held, and in which he has made signal successes. But because of the prominence of the Georgia “Tech” the work of Prof. Matheson during the months he has held the position as head of tins institution, has evoked most favorable comment from the Board of Trustees, and in deciding to retain him as its head these gentlemen had “the unanimous support of the en tire membership of the trustees, as well as of the .ylM|* nwi' W. W K. G . MATHESON. forty-seven professors which constitute the faculty.” Prof. Matheson, although a native of Cheraw, S. C., is of Scotch ancestry, and he says himself, in speaking of the place his father held in the South Carolina town that “he was a banker, but better still, he was for thirty years an elder in the church, and his name is revered in our section for all that integrity, uncompromising honesty and piety imply. ’ ’ In this description of the father by the son it is not difficult to trace the foundation of the high character of the latter, which is, perhaps, in some degree a natural heritage, but which, in Prof. Matheson, is surely the result of personal cultiva tion as well. In addition to being an able pro fessor, a disciplinarian of wonderful firmness and fairness, the subject of this sketch is a pure and a consistent Christian gentleman. With high personal ideals, a love of his chosen profession—that of in structor and guide) to aspiring youth—Prof.- Mathe son stands for all that is best and noblest in our Southern civilization. A true type of the product Qf our greater New South—a man vith pimciples of the highest, and of practices which go far toward realizing even the high standard he has set for himself. Prof. Matheson has succeeded one of the 1 Mr wJWK -- WnHp The Golden Age for March 1, 1906. ablest educators that our country ever knew—Prof. Lyman Hall—whose name is well known through out the entire educational world, but it is not say ing too much for Pi of. Matheson to venture the prediction that he will follow closely in the foot steps of his distinguished predecessor, and that, with the new and improved conditions now sur rounding the Technological school, he will win for himself a crown of honor as one of the leading educators in America. Professor Matheson has, af ter all that thing which the President of an insti tution most needs—the genuine, enthusiastic love of the student body. The Georgia Technological iSchool is a paramount factor in the education of Georgia’s youth, and much depends on the man whose hand guides and guards the institution and its students. We think in Prof. Matheson there is surely found the “perfect touch.” The Indians of Georgia. * Prize Essay by JAMES JACKSON SLATON, Roys' High School, Atlanta. When Oglethorpe, with his party of immigrants, landed at Savannah, in 1733, he found the countuy inhabited by a race of savage, uncivilized men, the Indians. Although these, on account of their con dition, were illiterate and uneducated, yet they were destined to play an important part in the history of Georgia and her people. These aborigines were divided into three great tribes,, the Tipper and Lower Creeks, and the Chero kees. The Lower Creeks were sub-divided into nine tribes who were scattered at great distances apart, over Southern and Middle Georgia. These were the Cowetas, Cussetas, Osweechees, Chehaws, Echetas, Pallachaeolas, Eupaulas, Ocona and the Yamacraws. The Upper Creeks dwelt in part of Middle Georgia, but the most of them lived in Alabama. The Chero kees inhabited the beautiful mountains and fertile vales of Northern Georgia. These were the Ind’ans that lived within the present geographical bounda ries of the State at the time of the colonization of Georgia. Tn 1733, the Creeks all told numbered about fifteen thousand. Tn 1722, the Cherokees, counting men, women, and children, numbered about six thousand. The Cherokee men were tall, erect, and moderately robust, their countenances were open, placid, and frank, their eyes black, and their noses somewhat aquiline, and their hair was long, lank, coarse and jet black. The women were tall, erect, slender, very graceful, but somewhat delicate. The Creek men resembled closely the Cherokees, but their color was darker, height shorter, and their constitution not nearly so robust. The women were very short in stature and their hands very small, but their forms were graceful and symmetrical. On account of the warm climate of the South, the Indians wore very scant clothing. Both the men and the women wore moccasins. The men had deer skins around their waists, and a blanket thrown loosely around their shoulders, and the women wore two blankets, one around their loins, the other around their shoulders. Since the Indians wore blit little clothing, they were very fond of painting their skins—vermillion, red, and black being the favorite colors. All the Indians of Georgia treated their women in the same manner. The women were compelled to do all of the manual labor, and they also wove baskets and made pottery. With these great faults, the Cherokees were grave and steady in their manners, dignified in their de portment, and tenacious of their rights. They were ever ready to die in defending their country. On the other hand, the Creeks were haughty, proud, and arrogant in their manners, but generous to a conquered enemy. They were much more talkative than their northern neighbors The Georgia Indians, unlike most of their neigh bors, did not worship idols. They believed in a supreme being whom they called the Great Spirit. They believed in the immortality of the soul, and that when they died they would go to the Happy Hunting Grounds, where they could hunt and fish as much as they liked. The s in, though not worship ped, was reverenced as the symbol of the power and kindness of the Great Spirit. However, these aborigines paid very little attention to religious mat ters. Rulers and Wars. All the tribes of Georgia were composed of limited monarchies. At the head of each tribe was a Mico, & M ■* h $ < - JHm/ J A MES JAC K SON SI.ATO N . whose power was limited by the council, which was composed of the bravest and most competent warriors. This Mico was chosen by the people, the one most worthy of it, getting the position. He held his office for life, or, at least, as long as he governed wisely. Next in rank was the great war chief, whose duty it was to lend the army. His power was independent of that of the Mico s. He was elected by the people and held his position for life. War is always determined upon by the great war chief. His expedition, however, must have the sanc tion of the Mico, the council, and the great high Priest whose power in this matter seems almost unlimited. Armies have been known to go for two hundred miles, when they were compelled to return by the high Priest who said that if they continued on their journey, they would be utterly routed. *This splendid paper won first prize over three hun dred boys in a contest under auspices of the Joseph Habersham Chapter, D. A. R., and was written without notes or reference to books. It will be eoncludecj next week.— Editor. TS VIIMWr |F ’* Rai 9