1.

Mrs Viola Ruffner

Mrs. Viola Ruffner was the second wife of General Lewis Ruffner, a salt and coal mine owner and community leader in Kanawha County, West Virginia. She layed a crucial role in the ersonal de!elo ment of "oo#er $. Washington.%oung "oo#er came to Malden, West Virginia with his mother &ane after 'manici ation in late 1()*. +ollowing other ,o-s of manual la-or including wor#ing in the salt mines, he ser!ed as the Ruffner family.s house-oy. Rigid and strict/0ccording to the first of his auto-iogra hies, 1 +rom Sla!ery, Mrs. Ruffner had a harsh re utation for her rigid and strict manner, was feared -y her ser!ants and could only #ee tem orary em loyees due to her demands and e2 ectations. Res ect for !alues/0 3ew 'ngland/trained school teacher, she was a conser!ati!e and hardwor#ing erson who !alued education, cleanliness, rom tness, and honesty a-o!e all else. +riend and -enefactor/She taught Washington the !alue of a dollar, and encouraged him to further his schooling, allowing him to attend school for an hour each day. 4e credited her with teaching him the essentials of the 5uritan ethic. She and the General su orted his causes and they -ecame lifelong friends. Washington e2 resses his e2treme res ect and utmost regard for Ruffner, calling her 6one of the -est friends 7 e!er had.6

8. Miss 9li!ia 0. :a!idson

Kind-hearted, sympathetic and full of missionary zeal-Working as a teacher she nursed a smallpox stricken pupil back to health. She was so dedicated that she remained by the bedside of the boy night and day until he recovered. he zeal of selfless service was in her very blood. She telegraphed the !ayor of !emphis offering her services as a yellow-fever nurse. Wise and intelligent-"er sharp mind told her that the people needed something more than mere book-learning. !rs. !ary "emenway of #oston, came to know of her rare ability. She helped her get training at the !assachusetts State $ormal School at %ramingham. Self respect-!iss &avidson was proud of her racial identity. She was not that black to look at and could pass herself off as a white person. #ut she refused to deceive anybody by posing as a white person. 'nselfish-She had moral character and unselfishness was her breath of life. With the help of !r. #ooker her aim was to develop intellectual, moral and religious life of the people. (alculating mind-She devised plans to repay the loan. She organised festivals to collect funds. She had an amazing convincing power that made many persons see her sincerity and they donated money. )t was !iss &avidson*s strength of character that took the institution out of the mire of scarcity of funds. She worked relentlessly and unselfishly to uplift the students as well as the institution.

;. Mr "oo#er $. Washington
Res ect for wor#/ 3o race can ros er till it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a oem. 4el ing nature/7f you want to lift yourself u , lift u someone else. :ifinition of success/Success is to -e measured not so much -y the osition that one has reached in life as -y the o-stacles which he has o!ercome. Resilience 7nitiati!e Self/Reliant Moti!ation 5erse!erance Courage Wisdom