contractor in the building of roads and excavation work generally. While he started with modest capital, he has promoted his business to be one of the leaders of its kind in Florida, and he has extended his invested capital until he has a complete equipment of road building machinery, trucks for heavy hauling, and all the facilities for expert and prompt service in his line. Mr. McGahey built practically all the streets in Miami Beach, a number of the modern streets and most of the large subdivisions of Miami, and much street work in the city proper. Many of his contracts have been directly with the municipalities concerned. He built most of the modern streets in the City of Fort Pierce. At Miami two of the prominent subdivisions in which he built streets are Brickell Hammock and Shenandoah. In addition to his contracting business Mr. McGahey is dealer in road material.

He is an active member of the Miami Chamber of Commerce. He married Miss Maud E. Willard, a native of Florida, and their four children are: Willard, Lillian, Bob and Ben.

JEROME E. WIDEMAN is not only one of the representative younger members of the bar of his native state but also has the distinction of being Florida State Commander of the American Legion, his election to this office having occurred at the annual convention of the Florida Legion held at West Palm Beach in March, 1922. He is established in the successful practice of his profession at West Palm Beach, and apropos of his election to his present office as commander of the American Legion for the State of Florida the following statements appeared in a recent newspaper article: "He was a member of the group that met May 16, 1919, and planned organzation of the local post of the American Legion, and on the organization of this post he was elected its commander, his re-election having followed the expiration of his first term. He was a delegate from Florida to the annual national convention of the American Legion at Kansas City, and is a retiring member of the Florida department's executive committee. Captain Wideman was a prime mover in the campaign to bring the 1922 state convention of the Legion to West Palm Beach, and was a member of the joint comm'ttee of the local post and the Sun Dancers for the conduct of the convention and celebration."

Captain Wideman was born at Micanopy. Alachua County, Florida, on the 20th of March, 1802, and is a son of Col. John W. and Julia (Edwards) Wideman. Colonel Wideman was born in South Carolina but has been for many years a resident of Florida, where he served as colonel on the staff of Governor Gilchrist and where he is an honored and influential citizen of Alachua County.

Capt. Jerome E. Wideman received excellent educational discipline prior to initiating preparation for his chosen profession. He entered the law department of Stetson University, at De Land, and in this institution he was graduated as a member of the class of 1914, his reception of the degree of Bachelor of Laws having been virtually coincident with his admission to the bar of his native state. He has since been successfully engaged in the practice of his profession at West Palm Beach, save for the period of his army service and that of his incumbency of the office of County Judge of Palm Beach County. He held for two years the office of prosecuting attorney of this county, and at the expiration of

his term was appointed to the bench of the County Court, in which connection he had the distinction of being at the time the youngest county judge in the state. He resigned this judicial office in August, 1917, to enter the Second Officers' Training Camp at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, in preparation for active service in connection with the World war. He won commission as second lieutenant and was assigned to duty on the Mexican border, as a member of the Twenty-fourth United States Infantry. He was there promoted first lieutenant and there he was retained in service until the signing of the armistice brought the World war to a close. He received his honorable discharge January 15, 1919, and was commissioned a captain in the reserve corps of the United States Army. His high place in the confidence and esteem of his comrades in the American Legion needs no further voucher than his selection to the office of commander of the Florida Department of this fine patriotic organization.

ALEXANDER RAY, who has served since 1909 as city treasurer of Jacksonville and whose every election has been compassed without the appearance of an opposing candidate, needs no further voucher than this in determining his status in popular confidence and esteem in his home city.

Mr. Ray was born at Watertown, New York, August 30, 1854, and is a son of Jacob and Margaret Ray, the former of whom was likewise born at Watertown, where he died at the age of thirty-two years. The latter was born in Germany, and she was forty years of age at the time of her death. The subject of this sketch was the elder of their two children, both sons. The father was a tailor by trade and occupation, was a democrat in politics and was affiliated with the Masonic fraternity.

Alexander Ray was doubly orphaned while still a mere child, and his education and subsequent advancement represent the results of his own ability and efforts. As a lad of thirteen years he found employment in washing dishes in a restaurant, his compensation being five dollars a week. At the age of fifteen he obtained a position in a real estate office in his native city, and about two years later he entered the employ of an importing house in New York City, the concern being appreciative of his ambition and effective service, and aiding him by paying his tuition in a night school, where he learned bookkeeping. In 1877 Mr. Ray came to Jacksonville, Florida, and later he went to Putnam County and engaged in the growing of oranges, a line of enterprise with which he there continued his association until 1891, when he returned to Jacksonville and entered the service of what was then known as the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. In 1893 he took an office position with the Florida Fruit Exchange, and in 1898 he engaged in the retail grocery business in this city. In the following year, however, he was appointed to a clerical position in the office of the city treasurer, with the functions of which he has continued his close association during the intervening years. His election to the position of city treasurer occurred in 1909, as previously noted, and successive re-elections, without opposition, have continued him in this responsible fiscal office to the present time.

Mr. Ray is a democrat in his political allegiance. In the Masonic fraternity his basic affiliation is with Temple Lodge No. 23, F. and A. M., of which he was master in 1892, and which he repre

sented as district deputy from 1902 to 1906. He has served continuously as treasurer of this lodge since 1908.

November 1, 1888, recorded the marriage of Mr. Ray and Miss Arminda Tyre, who was born in Florida January 16, 1851, a daughter of Jesse and Mary Tyre, both likewise natives of this state, the father having been a prosperous farmer and having served as a loyal soldier of the Confederacy in the Civil war. Mrs. Ray was the first born in a family of thirteen children, and in her home city and native state has a wide circle of friends. Mr. and Mrs. Ray have no children.

ALEXANDER J. MITCHELL, meteorologist and climatologist, and head of the Florida Weather Bureau forces at Jacksonville, has, in following his present important and difficult vocation, slipped far from the moorings of his youth, for, while it is not generally known, he began his career as an accredited lawyer and entered the weather bureau at the beginning of the Government meteorological classes. Today he is accounted one of the most expert men in his line in the country, and is recognized as an absolute authority in several departments of weather forecasting.

Professor Mitchell was born at Glenville, Russell County, Alabama, November 14, 1863, and is a son of Abraham H. and Ann Elizabeth (Pernsons) Mitchell, natives of the State of Georgia. Abraham H. Mitchell was born April 14. 1834, and as a young man went to Alabama, where he became an extensive cotton planter, with several thousand acres of land, operated by slave labor. He also carried on a general merchandise business in Russell County. At the outbreak of the war between the states he enlisted in the Fourth Regiment, Alabama Volunteer Infantry, with which he served in all its engagements, marches and skirmishes up to the fight at Columbus, Georgia. At the close of a valiant and faithful military service Mr. Mitchell returned to his general merchandise business in Russell County, where he passed the remainder of his life, dying in 1889. He never cared for office, although he took an active part in democratic politics. Fraternally he belonged to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He was a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as was also Mrs. Mitchell, who is also deceased. They had four children, all of whom survive, Alexander J. having been the second in order of birth.

Alexander J. Mitchell attended the public schools of Russell County and graduated from Auburn, Alabama, the Technical School of Civil Engineering, in 1881. He entered the Signal Service, U. S. A.. at Fort Myer, Va., being a member of the class of 1882. Fort Myer was the school of instruction for weather bureau officials. He was admitted to the state bar in 1892, after examination. A review of Mr. Mitchell's career as pertaining to his connection with the Florida Weather Department began in June, 1884, at Cedar Keys. He became section director in April, 1895. Recently the Jacksonville Times-Union said. in part, as follows: "So one finds that A. J. Mitchell, known now pretty generally as 'Mitch' since a series of 'weather rhymes' appeared in the columns of the Times-Union, has guided the state work over more than half the road since the bureau first established stations in Florida a half century ago. In all this time he has been a consistent booster for Florida by tell

ing the truth about its climate, and his widelycirculated reports have influenced thousands to make their homes here. Lawsuits have been decided by his figures, and so have they figured in criminal courts, while he is absolutely indispensable since this 'new-fangled' rain insurance policy has made its bow to business.

"Forty years ago A. J. Mitchell crossed the Rubicon of deciding his career by entering the newly-beginning meteorological classes of the United States Weather Bureau at Washington, D. C. Up to that time no systematic forecasting organization had been formed, and allied sciences were reported upon almost exclusively by the Smithsonian Institute in this country. Up through the years of ridicule the forecasters had to endure to its present state of comparative reliability. Professor Mitchell has seen the work develop and the science brought more and more to a point where fine exactitude can be hoped for. He has aided materially in that work, and some of the products of his pen, while not light summer fiction for the tired business man or boarding school vacationist, are widely read and accepted as authoritative. Now located on top of the Graham (Heard) Building, the local headquarters of the Florida Weather Bureau have moved several times since their establishment in 1872. The first location was opposite the Clark Building, in what is now the Mutual Life Building. Then the office was moved to the 'Astor Building.' now the Atlantic Hotel, which at the same time sheltered the Florida Times-Union. Fire also expelled them from the Upchurch Building, where they had moved from the Astor Building when that building was gutted, and so, January 1, 1915, the old wind machine was solidly braced atop the Graham Building and a suite of offices taken on the thirteenth floor, the highest spot in Jacksonville. There they have observed the weather's changes for the past seven years and hope to remain undisturbed. From a few stations located at Key West, Pensacola and Jacksonville, when Professor Mitchell first took charge, the weather bureau has expanded until one may find observers all over Florida, some regular and some cooperative. The climate has been analyzed so thoroughly as to make it almost certain just when to hold picnics and put out rain barrels. Aiding the cold statistics taken on every angle of weather. Professor Mitchell has stored in the archives of his memory supplementary data that make him one of the leading authorities of the country." Professor Mitchell is a democrat in his political allegiance, and has always been a firm supporter of the principles and candidates of his party. As a fraternalist he holds membership in the local Knights of Pythias and the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity.

On October 11, 1883. Professor Mitchell was united in marriage at Mobile with Miss Elizabeth Pryor, who was born at Mobile, and to this nion there have been born four children: Ruth, the wife of J. O. Walton, of Portsmouth, V'rginia; Lucille, who is unmarried and resides with her parents; and two children who died in infancy.

ST. JOSEPH'S ACADEMY. Located in one of the most desirable parts of the city of St. Augustine, and surrounded by beautiful grounds. is St. Joseph's Academy, an institution affiliated with the Catholic University of America. St. Joseph's Academy was founded in 1866 by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Puy, France, under the auspices of Augustine Verot, the first Bishop of St. Au

gustine. In 1889 the academy received its charter from the Florida State Legislature. Since its inception it has increased steadily in public esteem, as well as in the number of its students, who come from all parts of the state and frequently from other states to seek moral and intellectual development under its sheltering roof.

The education imparted at St. Joseph's Academy is practical and comprehensive. Realizing and appreciating the concern of parents and guardians who, while anxious to give their children or wards every opportunity of mental culture, are not less solicitous about their moral development, the Sisters have adopted a system of education which tends to train the heart as well as the mind, and which will prepare young ladies to be an honor to their parents and to society. Recognizing obedience to lawful authority and respect for the rights of others to be as really necessary for the good of the individual pupil as for that of the entire body the Sisters require strict observance of the rules of the academy. These rules are simple and calculated to form habits of Christian virtue, obedience, docility towards superiors, refinement and mutual consideration in social and family intercourse. St. Joseph's welcomes to its advantages pupils of every denomination, and no undue influence is exerted over the conscientious convictions of nonCatholics, although for the sake of order all pupils are required to attend divine services with the student body at the Catholic Church. All pupils, Catholic and non-Catholic, are taught to appreciate moral worth. Knowing that the charm of refined manners is the aggregate of habits acquired in youth, the teachers fail not, on all occasions, to point out and take means to correct faults committed against ladylike deportment. Surrounded as the students are by all that tends to ennoble and elevate, it would hardly seem possible that one should spend even a year at St. Joseph's without acquiring greater love and respect for all that pertains to a nobler life.

St. Joseph's Academy is equipped in every way to care for its students. The new academy, erected in 1908, and lying north of the old building, is an imposing four-story brick and concrete structure. The first floor is devoted to the large auditorium, dining hall, and commercial and music departments. The second floor includes the library, study hall, art department, recreation hall and class rooms. The dormitory, private rooms and baths occupy the third floor, while the fourth floor has linen and clothes rooms and a number of private rooms. The entire building is equipped with all the modern improvements which promote security, health and comfort.

The scholastic year is divided into two sessions: The first commencing the Monday after September 15; the second, the first Monday of February. The course of study is thorough and embraces all branches of both a useful and an ornamental education. The curriculum provides for primary, intermediate and academic departments, each covering a period of four years. The young ladies who have passed satisfactory examinations, obtained the required average, completed the academic course, and have otherwise complied with the requirements of the academy, receive a diploma and graduating medal. views of studies, written and oral, are required every month; the record and averages are read in the presence of the faculty, teachers and students each month. Entertainments are given from time to time before the faculty in which the pupils are required to show their progress

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in composition, elocution, vocal and instrumental music. At the close of each term the pupils of the primary department in music give a recital in order that their progress may be tested. An examination is held at the close of the year, and on the result of this, combined with the record of daily work, is based the pupil's status for the following year. Vocal and instrumental music, drawing and painting are elective studies. The commercial course embraces arithmetic, bookkeeping, business forms and correspondence, stenography and typewriting.

The League of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is established among the students with a view to fostering piety and devotion, and aiding them to acquire more thoroughly the true spirit of Christianity, only Catholics being members of this league. Other societies of the institution are St. Joseph's Alumnae Association, the Children of Mary, St. Joseph's Harmonic Circle and St. Catherine's Literary Society.

MARTIN C. FROST, of a pioneer family in the Dania District of Broward County, is a young business man, and his splendid energy and initiative have put him into a class where he is regarded as one of the largest tomato growers in the United States. He is also a banker, large property owner, and has taken a prominent part in the official affairs of his home community and county.

Mr. Frost was born at Maple Valley, Oconto County, Wisconsin, in 1886, and three weeks after his birth his mother died. His father, A. C. Frost, was for many years a prominent figure in the lumber industry of Wisconsin, represented his county in the State Legislature there, and was founder of the Town of Mountain. In 1900 he came to Florida, following his oldest son, G. A. Frost, and for a time lived at Titusville in Brevard County. In 1901 he removed

to Dania, in what was then Dade, now Broward County, and was one of the pioneers in that district, where he is still living. For a number of years he conducted a mercantile business at Dania, and in the meantime acquired valuable property in surrounding agricultural lands. In this section he became agent for the lands of the Florida East Coast Railway. The land business of this railroad is conducted under the name of the Model Land Company. For several years, up to 1921, he also served as county commissioner of Broward County.

Martin C. Frost was about fifteen years old when his father came to Dania, and he grew up in this locality. There were less than half a dozen houses in the community when the family located at Dania, and scarcely a beginning had been made of cultivating the surrounding lands, lands that have since grown into rich productiveness and have made Dania one of the famous winter vegetable producing regions of Florida. Substantial fortunes have been made in the tomato and other crops. After leaving school Martin C. Frost was associated with his father in the mercantile business for several years, but since 1908 has concentrated his energies on farming, specializing more and more in the growing of tomatoes, one of the choicest crops of winter vegetables used in Florida. Through the skill and efficiency and business-like management he has shown he has set some new standards in the cultivation, management and handling of this crop. Most of his tomato growing interests are in association with Capt. M. C. Hardee of Miami,