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| A Tribute to Clinton Richard Davis | |||||||||||||||||
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| November 30, 1922 - May 26, 2003 | |||||||||||||||||
| Clinton Richard Davis, or was it Richard Clinton Davis, or could it have been Dave Davis, Junior?� It seems that the official records of the birth and various other documentation regarding this man were in some disagreement.� The only theory he ever gave for this abnormality was that the census taker must have visited his home shortly after his birth, prior to the naming ritual, and at a loss for a name, his parents quickly gave the name of his father.� This somehow made it to his birth certificate and wouldn?t be corrected until over 50 years later upon the occasion of his retirement.� His students knew him as "Mr. Davis." His friends knew him as "C.R."� His brothers knew him as "Doc."� Most of us in this family knew him simply as "Uncle Clinton." | |||||||||||||||||
| For many years, the unofficial motto for the Davis family has been Proverbs 22:1.�� A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold. �Today, we pause for a few moments of reflection upon the life and influence of the fourth child and third son of David Larkin Davis and Lizzie Dalceda Wiggins of Blun, Georgia.� He was a man who left the good name of Davis even better than when he inherited it.� |
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| Clinton Richard Davis entered this life on November 30, 1922.� His birth, at the Davis home near Blun, Georgia was attended by the trusted African-American mid-wife named Julia Colbert.� His childhood was spent working on the farm and in the various other farm-related enterprises of his father, Dave Davis.� Work was hard and times were tough.� There were fields to be plowed, cotton to be picked, cows to be milked, and firewood to be cut.� However, this only made Clinton Davis a better man, not a bitter man. | |||||||||||||||||
| There were also lighter moments in the life of Clinton Davis and his family.� No story of the Davis brothers can compare with the story of the Scott's Itch Cure.� Clinton's brother Paul can tell it as good as anyone.� Here is his version: | |||||||||||||||||
| Rich people have Eczema.� Middle class people have Scabies.� The Davis family, yes, I said family, had itch.� Melvin was alleged to have gotten it from some girlfriend, but blamed it on his cousins and friends.� It really doesn't matter now, but we had the Itch.� Without an adequate supply of running water, it is hard to "doctor" on the Itch.� The standard treatment was sulfur powder and lard.� The lard made you greasy and sulfur powder would then stick to your skin.� During the winter next to the fire or under the cover, that sulfur began to smell.� You could play it cool and look the other way, but most the people around could tell where the odor was coming from and their suspicions were immediately aroused to the possibility that you had the Itch even if they didn't see you scratching.� Inman was working on an NYA job by this time and receiving a small check.� It seems like it was $12 per month.� He was sent to Midville to purchase the bottle of Scott's Itch Cure for 35 cents.� Naturally, the bottle didn't last very long with all of the children and Mama and Daddy. | |||||||||||||||||
| But a circular came in the mail as a rural route box holder.� It advertised the Scott's Itch Cure for only 25 cents per bottle if you would send your picture, name and a short testimonial about the worth of this product.� Inman took Clinton's picture, name and the following testimonial: | |||||||||||||||||
| ����������� ����������� It sure does feel good not to have to scratch! | |||||||||||||||||
| and sent it in to the company.� Inman saved a dime, but it took Clinton and me at least a week of solid fighting at recess and lunch period at school to keep from being teased when the next box holder came out with Clinton's picture in it. | |||||||||||||||||
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| There were also times of drama in the life of Clinton Davis.� Such as the time the Davis house caught on fire.� And there was Clinton's back problem that kept him out of school for two years and required treatment at the Scottish Rite Hospital in Atlanta.� One of the most dramatic moments of Clinton's life occurred on a Sunday afternoon in December of 1941 when he was a student at Georgia Teachers College, now known to us as Georgia Southern University.� He recalls looking out of his dorm room window that afternoon and seeing fellow students with broom sticks on their shoulders doing close order drills.� It was then that he learned of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, an event that would change the life of the Davis family and the nation. | |||||||||||||||||
| Clinton holds the distinction for entering the military service first and serving the longest of the four Davis brothers.� After working in the shipyards at Newport News, Virginia, Savannah and Brunswick, he entered military service in the Army Air Corps that took him first to England and later to France and Germany where he served as a mechanic for C-47 transport aircraft.� He recalled sometimes working 24 to 36 hours straight repairing the airplanes that were dropping American soldiers behind enemy lines on D-Day.� In 1946, Clinton ended his military service and soon returned to Georgia Teachers College to complete his degree and began his teaching career. | |||||||||||||||||
| Without question, one of the most significant events in the life of Clinton Davis occurred in the fall of 1949 when he met a young, beautiful, and highly intelligent college student by the name of Juanita Hill.� She would become the love of his life as they wed in August of 1950.� Through the years, the devotion and dedication to one another between Clinton and Juanita has served as an example for all of us in the Davis family. | |||||||||||||||||
| Clinton dedicated his professional life to bettering the lives of the children passing through the schools in which he served as both a teacher and administrator.� It is impossible to know the number of students who were influenced by his wit, wisdom, and dedication to their education.� Because of his commitment to quality education and his personal interest in his students, he was respected by his peers, supervisors, subordinates, and students alike.� | |||||||||||||||||
| But his influence reached far beyond his educational endeavors.� To those of us in his family, brothers, sisters, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, and nephews, he was always willing to give of his time and wisdom to challenge us to be better people.� Uncle Clinton was one of the few people I've known who could disagree with you and still make you appreciate his point of view.� Just last year at this reunion, he and I engaged in a discussion about education.� Although it was most certainly poor judgment on my part to take the opposite position from a Davis brother in the area of education, I came away with a new appreciation for his side of the issue. | |||||||||||||||||
| Clinton Davis was more than a man of good works..he was a man of great faith.� At the age of 7, he settled the question of his eternal destiny as he accepted the claims of the Bible and made Jesus Christ both Lord and Savior of his life.� Clinton spent most his adult life serving the body of Christ as deacon, teacher, and in many other positions.� He lived the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." | |||||||||||||||||
| Clinton Richard Davis will be missed by all of us who knew and loved him.� In tribute to him, let us learn and live his example of faith, good works, and love. | |||||||||||||||||
| Delivered at the Davis/Wiggins Family Reunion | |||||||||||||||||
| July 11, 2003 | |||||||||||||||||
| St. Simons, Georgia | |||||||||||||||||
| Return to the Davis/Wiggins Homeplace | |||||||||||||||||