The Fruits of His Labor [SIGNED]

"Fruit results from planted seeds, when seeds grow, they bear fruit, Galations 5:22, 23 We were taught that the fruit that you have to reach for is the sweetest! The fruits of his labor are many: the world is blessed with Fairfield Industrial High School (F.I.H.S.) graduates eschewing their accomplishments through serving others! As one of our graduates, Lois Macon, eloquently proclaimed, "There was a place called Fairfield Industrial High School and a man named Edmond Jefferson Oliver and his vision was to educate the coloreds living in a colored community, children of colored parents who worked at colored jobs to send their colored children to a colored school. The visionary, Professor Oliver with head bloody, but unbowed still forged ahead. Each drop of blood in the sand, like living water produced living fruit, sprouting all around is evidence of his passion. He calls to the visionaries and awaits that army to understand that each child of mother F.I.H.S. also has a purpose; that each is, and that is will be is when he or she is" We, the graduates of Fairfield Industrial High School, are the fruits of his labor and some of our stories are unfolded in this book. Like a plant, Professor Oliver's roots are showing. He grew good people in our small town with honesty, sincerity and dignity! Drop this book on the floor and where ever it opens, it will be excellent reading! This true story is dedicated to our Black Community (I choose to capitalize the word (Black), because of all the hell we caught and are still catching in this country)!"--Amazon.com.

John B. Davis was a classroom teacher, central, district and local school administrator for thirty years with the Chicago Public Schools from 1958 - 1988. He served as a visiting professor and part-time instructor at Roosevelt University, Chicago, in the Administration and Supervision Masters Program from 1971-1990. He was also an instructor with the International Renewable Institute and Saint Xavier University Field-Based Masters Program from 1991-2007. His education includes Fairfield Industrial High School, Fairfield, Alabama, 1951; BA in Physical Education, Miles College, Fairfield, Alabama, 1955; M.A. Education Administration and Supervision, DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois, 1967. JOHN B. DAVIS Mr. Davis has been a human resource development consultant, and director since 1969. He has been an administrator and teacher in the Chicago Public Schools for 30 years. EDUCATION AND TRAINING Mr. Davis is currently completing requirements for a Ph.D. in Education Administration at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He received a M.Ed in Adminstration and Supervision at DePaul University and a B.A. in Physical Education at Miles College. He has also completed professional training with Chicago State University, National Training Laboratories (N.T.L.), University Associates, and Cooperative Education Research Laboratories, Inc. (CERLI), in organization development, group dynamics team building, program design, race relations, human relations, and counseling and guidance. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Mr. Davis has taught at every grade level from elementary through graduate school. He has had management experience and human resource responsibilities. Some of his responsibilities have been as President of the Chicago-based Organizational Training Consultants, Inc. Co-Director of Midwest Center Satellite Program for the Chicago Public Schools, Staff Assistant and Coordinator of Human Relations for the Chicago Pu