Weathers, Lee B.

English

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y ' •V'a. 'Vv:Dear Mrs, DlxonYour letter o^ Deconbor 14 received and I hasten to reply becauseI ^ope soTietbing satisfactory to you night bo iiiorked out beforeI go'with ny Wife to Florida'December 27 to be gone throughJanuary, She has been sick ^or ^ive weeks and I haven't had avacation since ny son went into service 32 months ago. He ishome now and back on his Job here at tbe office.I have given much thought to the question you asked. Havetbouyht of suggesting that Mr, Dixon bo buried here in SunsetCemetery or out at Prospect church where his faf^er and motherave burled. In the Shelby cemetery his would bo another graveamong hundreds. At Prospect, there is not room in the Dixonplot and the cemetery in a rural community Is never properlymaintained.• . '' • V)Jit. ' .4, =• I'J "tMy suggestion is that his body be placed at the Gardner-WebbCollege and made a sort of shrine for old and young. Mr, Dlxonis the most distinguished product of the county and has brou^tfame to the county of his birth, T>'e college as you know is notwholly denominational, although it has the support C" 100 Baptistchurches of this section. The section is predominantly Baptistbecause o** t'-^e pioneer eforts such men as the Revs, T, Dixon,G, M, Webb, Suttle and others. The college physical plant isthat of old Boiling Springs College ar.d we hnve o half milliondollar i'und in cash/ with plans already made for enlargement.h -l' iI think it i'itting that his remains be at the college, either ina campus grave or in a vault in the library where his books andpojLntlnga will be, I^ yob would not bject, the remolno mightbe oreaated and placed in the library. He has been such a powerin the field of literature, on the public platform, on the stageand in the pulpit that the spirit of his presence would be felt amongthe students of tMs and future generations.I do not have the authority to extend this invitation, but havespoken to life-long friend. Judge K, Y, VJebb, chairman ofthe Board o^ Trustees and Dr. Phil Elliott, college president who*%• •^fVi~r'r^:-f\ • ^ \ »X'\r^\-•1 . *. v's'• J 'corcur In ray suggestion. Before the raatter Is presented to thegoverning boerd w^ich meets next week, I would like tn have yourr-eact'on. It wotild take a week or ten days to go through thenecessary machinery.''ost certainly his remains shonld come back to the county of hisbirth, on which he reflected honor and credit in his long, usefulli^e.As yet I haven't been able to see the undertaker, Lutz-Austoll,both friends o^ mine but I am sure satisfactory arrnngomentscon be worked out with then. \/lll advise you about this in afew days. Within the last few years I have buried my fatherand mother in a v;orthy manner at a cost o^ f/000 each. Largecity undertakers would charge much more for the same service,nice casket, vault, etc. I believe I can get this handled cheaper,and in a manner becoming Wr. Dixon's distinction and your wishes.I would like to r^ad his biographical raanuscrlpt to better acquaintmyself with bis most interesting career so proper obituary noticecould be mode his ll^e and his r turn to his native soil. Thenewsponers would give generous space to a man o^ his prominencewith a interment such as I suggest.Also in rending the biography I would have enough highlights topresent programs he^"ore our local civic clubs touching on hiswonderful career and unveil at such programs tke paintings whichgo to the college library. This would serve to revive an interestin t^e tragic reconstruction period which he described and dramatis-ed so vividly In his books and plays. The present and futuregenerations o*" this section where most o<" these scenes were enactedshould ever appreciate the struggle our forefathers had in leavingus the heritage we enjoy today.;•&; >•f."> ^ jr '.fI'i. VV"3 '^^ '•iWith kindest reftards and hoping to '^ear soon how you feel towardbhie auggestion and with deepest ayrapathjr in hla affliction, I am,incorely. •• -I't*.'A ' \ •'•IH... .., . ' „» c•' •*%" '1. fk'4v:14'A'..1 A." .r.u ' ' X ;r • tf At--51'!,:, i'VIS- A f' .Ml*

1.A.3 Lee B. Weathers, 1945, DEC 19 (addressed to Madelyn D. Dixon)

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1.A.3 Lee B. Weathers, 1945, DEC 19 (addressed to Madelyn D. Dixon)

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