tage, in Chatham County, North Carolina, June 11, 1863.
Through this humble slave, yet Christian, parentage, there
came to this youth principles of industry, morality and
Christianity which formed the broad, deep, and solid
foundation on which has rested his eventful and useful life.
In early life he learned that "the fear of the Lord is the
beginning of wisdom." In the days of youth he remembered his
Creator.

Like many of the world's noblest and best characters, Prof.
Atkins started life's journey at the plow handles; clearing
the ground of roots and stumps, splitting rails, opening the
furrow, planting and harvesting the crops, constituted the
duty and pleasures of his early life.

Early evincing an insatiable thirst for knowledge, all the
advantages of the village school were given him. His
progress here was phenomenal. His eagerness to know truth;
his power of mind to perceive, comprehend and analyze; his
retentive memory, soon gave him first place among his
fellows in the school in the village. A few years passed; he
in the meantime having prepared himself, the master-mantle
of the village school falls upon him. His work here caused a
widening of his intellectual horizon. In the year 1880,
therefore, he entered the Academic Department of St.
Augustine Normal and Collegiate Institute, Raleigh, N. C.,
and graduated with distinction in 1884.

Immediately after leaving college, President J. C. Price,
the famous colored orator, invited him to join the faculty
at Livingstone College, Salisbury, N. C. At this post he
proved himself one of the most useful men in the faculty. At
times he filled various positions in the college. The
Grammar School Department, under his management, was a model
department, and was the pride of the college. He taught
here, serving well and at a great sacrifice, six years.
Prof. Atkins retired from the Livingstone College to enter
the public school work in which he had long taken a deep
interest. This interest had been manifested chiefly in
connection with his devotion to the work of building up the
North Carolina Teachers' Association, which body he helped
to organize and of which he was President for three
successive years. His first extended work in this field was
as Principal of the Color