Week before last, our city was host to the Old Dominion Dental Society. What an asset this convention was, to our city. If nothing else were enumerated, the inspiration allotted to our young people is really worthy of note. Without any attempt at exagg eration I have heard about ten young men and women express their desrie to become dentists. Dr. J.A. Jackson and Dr. B.A. Coles deserve great credit for their unselfishness in planning the public meeting which gave the citizens a chance to listen and lea rn from those experienced Doctors of Denistry, whose advice was really worth listening to.
A more intelligent and creditable looking group could not be found elsewhere. They deported themselves with a decorum, born of culture and dignity. This in itself, made our young people square their shoulders, and emulate that which was displayed by the se visitors.
It is no secret to anyone within the city, about Dr. J.A. Jackson interest in young people. For the past four years, he and Dr. Coles, both members of the Omega Fraternity, have presented to the graduate of Jefferson High, who has maintained the highest average in English, a prize consisting of a five dollar gold piece. At present, through these two gentlemen, the members of the Old Dominion Dental Society, is offering a five dollar prize, apart from the annual award to the graduating class, to the pupi l in any grade who writes the best paper by Dr. Fred Moton, State Clinician, at the public meeting on Thursday night. Word has been received that many are preparing essays for this contest.
I only wish that more people were visibly interested in the advancement of the younger generation. It is easy enough to say "I love young people and am interested in them", but when it is a question of what have you done?, you must remain silent, unless you remember your criticisms of youths running wild, without offering any substitute.
Now let us enumerate some of the visible signs of Dr. Jackson's interest. (1) I have been told by students that his outer office is always available for groups who wish to study. (2) We know of his hard struggle to organize and gain recognition for the local Boy Scouts, who use his farm in Union Ridge for a regular meeting place. (3) We have discussed the prize offered jointly by our two dentists. (4) In the midst of his plans for the Old Dominion Dental Society, he made a place for the yound people. If you want to know the man he is, talk with his children, and you'll find they are filled with him.