NUGGETS

IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO DISCOVER HOW MANY SCRAPBOOKS IN NEWS-BEE HOMES CONTAIN CLIPPINGS FROM ONE OR MORE OF THE POEMS OF LEW WILLIAMS, THE BELOVED BUCKEYE POET. EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE A REQUEST COMES TO THE EDITOR FOR SOME LITTLE NUGGET THAT A READER HAS SEEN, NEGLECTED TO CLIP OUT AND HALFWAY REMEMBERS. THERE IS A HOMELY, CLINGING QUALITY ABOUT LEW'S VERSE THAT FOLKS JUST DON'T FORGET. HERE OF LATE LEW HAS BEEN GIVING A WEEKLY HALF HOUR OF VERSE AND CHAT OVER RADIO STATION WSPD. PEOPLE WHO FOLLOW HIS DAILY POEMS ON THE NEWS-BEE EDITORIAL PAGE HAVE ALSO WARMED TO HIS VOICE. THE DEMAND THAT HE BRING OUT ANOTHER BOOK OF HIS NEWS-BEE VERSE HAS BECOME INSISTENT. WELL, MANY PETS DO THAT, AND SOME OF THEM GROW RICH OVER IT. SOMEHOW LEW WILLIAMS' DECISION TO PUBLISH HIS FORTHCOMING VOLUME, "NUGGETS," FOR THE BENEFIT OF TOLEDO'S UNDERNOURISHED CHILDREN IS A LITTLE MORE IN KEEPING WITH HIS CHARACTER AS HIS FELLOW WORKERS KNOW IT. LEW HAS TAKEN AN ACTIVE INTEREST IN THE WORK OF THE EXCHANGE CLUB FOR THE YOUNGSTERS WHO ARE SEEKING TO PUT ON WEIGHT AND BUILD UP THEIR BODIES PROBABLY NO MAN IN TOLEDO IS KNOW AS A FRIEND BY A GREATER NUMBER OF CHILDREN. HE IS SECRETARY OF THE NEWSBOYS ASSOCIATION AND CHIEF FRIEND OF THE NEWS-BEE CHAPTER OF THE PLAY PALS OF AMERICA. TO ALL THESE YOUNGSTERS, HE IS "UNCLE LEW." AND A MAN WHO CAN BE UNCLE BY COURTESY TO SOME THOUSANDS OF ROLLICKING KIDS, WITHOUT EVER LOSING THEIR RESPECT OR HIS OWN INFLUENCE WITH THEM, HAS MADE AN ACHIEVEMENT THAT MANY A MILLIONAIRE MIGHT ENVY. THE PROFITS FROM "UNCLE LEW'S" NEW BOOK OF VERSE, "NUGGETS," WILL BE TURNED OVER TO THE EXCHANGE CLUB FOR ITS WORK WITH THE UNDERNOURISHED SCHOOL CHILDREN. THEY WILL BE FIGURED IN DOLLARS AND CENTS, AND THE AMOUNT WILL BE SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS, IF THE EARLY DEMAND IS AN INDICATION. BUT LEW WILLIAMS IS CONTRIBUTING A GOOD DEAL MORE THAN THIS MONEY OFFERING HE ADDS SOMEWHAT TO THE SPIRITUAL STATURE OF EACH OF US DAILY AS WE READ HIS NEWS-BEE POEM. HE PUTS HIS SOUL INTO THIS VERSE THAT SO MANY PEOPLE TREASURE AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT CAN'T BE FIGURED ON A MONEY BASIS.

Lew Williams, former Toledo newspaperman, poet and author of several books on juvenile work died today at home, Suder Ave. and Benore Rd., after a long illness he was 72. Known as the Buckeye Poet, Mr. Williams wrote several volumes of verse, including "Fifty Years Ago," "Homespun," "Nuggets" and "Down the road." For years, his verse appeared in the old Toledo News-Bee. His text book, "Junior Journalism," was published by the International Boys Club Press Association of which he was president, and for years was used in Journalism classes of Boys Clubs in the United States and Canada. Mr. Williams was born in Green Bay, Wis., and reared in New Your City, but spent most of his life in Toledo. He spent 10 years in social servece work as superintendent of the Boys Detention Home in New Yourk and of the Allen County Vocational School for Boys in Fort Wayne, Ind., and as director of the Toledo Newsboys Association. He was a member of the advisory board of the Lucas County Juvenile Court under the late Judge O'Brien O'Donnell. He spent a number of years iToledo in newspaper writing, as a feature writer for the News Bee business editor of the Toledo Times managing editor of the West Toledo Standard and editor of small fraternal and other newspapers. A lecturer as well as a writer, he was engaged in speaking and entertainment programs before schools, churches, lodges and clubs for more than 40 years. During one engagement in Washington D.C., he and Mrs. Williams were guests of President Harding in the White House. He also spent nine years on the dramatic stage and a number of years in radio work. For years he was Santa Claus in Toledo Downtown department stores and his radio Santa Claus was a Christmas feature for more than a decade. Mr. Williams was a 32nd degree mason and a member of the knights Templar and the Odd fellows. He and his wife, Sophia observed their 50th wedding anniversary in April 1947. Also surviving are a son John E. Foster daughter, Mrs. Frank McCready; two grandchildren and seven foster grandchildren. The body is in the Abele Funderal Home