THE MURPHREE ANCESTRY 23

 "Our comradeship continued until we were big boys, and
Albert went away to teach school. Of course, I kept in touch
with him all along. And in mature life he used to come back
and we would live over the old days. It seems only yesterday
that his last visit was made to the old home place."
 After completing his studies in Walnut Grove College in
1887, Albert A. Murphree, not yet 18 years old, secured a
country school in Tennessee and began his career as an edu-
cational leader. It was a mighty humble beginning and he
had all of the trials and difficulties both of teaching and dis-
cipline that the one-room log-house school teacher of the '80's
experienced. It was splendid training for the young peda-
gogue. The next year he went to Cullum, Alabama, where
the official title of this young educator was superintendent of
city schools. In this capacity he got his first taste of admin-
istrative work. Then followed the principalship of the Sum-
mit (Alabama) Institute.
 In the fall of 1890 Albert selected the University of Nash-
ville in which to continue his academic training. He com-
pleted his work for the A.B. degree at this institution in 1894.
This school was later merged into and became a part of Pea-
body College.
 In 1902, while he was president of the West Florida Semi-
nary at Tallahassee, this institution conferred upon him the
degree of Master of Arts. Rollins College, at Winter Park,
Florida, honored him with the degree of Doctor of Laws. At
the completion of his services as president of the Woman's
College at Tallahassee in 1909, the University of Alabama, in
May, 1909, likewise conferred upon him the degree of Doctor
of Laws.
 His studies at Peabody included Latin, English, elemen-
tary physics, chemistry, and his major subject, mathematics.
In the latter, he went through plane and spherical geometry,
higher algebra, calculus and kindred subjects. Public speak-
ing was also included in the curriculum, and Albert Murphree
enjoyed this course tremendously. His voice was well placed,
clear and resonant. He was gifted in platform ability, and
this ability made itself felt while he was still a student. After
four years in Peabody, Mr. Murphree was ready for a bigger