Thanks to Karen Berney

March 11, 1876, this young man was born near Alden Bridge, La., of Mr. Samuel and Mrs. Maggie Player. At the age of eight his parents sent him to school at Cotton Grove (near Alden Bridge) to a Mr. Russell (white) as the public schools at that time were being taught by a very few colored teachers. So marked was young Player’s interest in his books, and so studious did he become that he began to hold the “head of his class.”

At this early age he started up to take his place among the intellectual stars of Louisiana. He spent four years in public schools of his parish, and after studying “farmology” eight years he entered the Thirteenth District Normal and Collegiate Institute under Professor Wm. Hicks. Here he studied hard and graduated from the Normal Course with honors. He speaks as follows of his school life: “Although Rev. Hicks resigned before I finished, I confess that I owe much of the character building and general information needed to carry one over life’s sea to him.” After finishing the prescribed course of study here at this Institution, he was elected Assistant Principal of his Alma Mater, but soon resigned and accepted the principalship of the Butler Hill Public School, Shreveport, La.

He began this work with only about 50 pupils in one rented room. But because of the large amount of hustle in his bones, and his indomitable will, he was willing to go up against adverse conditions, believing that with God on his side no night would get too dark, no road too muddy, and no hill too high. He got down to business and in a short while, by the assistance of God,