Sterling Daily Gazette,
January 29, 1947
The Hey brothers enjoyed the respect and recognition that comes with success. Uncle Clement was featured in the "They Helped Make Sterling" series of the Sterling Gazette. Perhaps one can see a connection between Uncle Clement's boyhood recollection of school and his later success.
"I went to a single room country school with one teacher for 8 grades. These classes were cut down perhaps to about 5 by holding some back so that I was 12 1/2 years old I would judge I was about 2 or 3 years behind in classes by grades, but for several years I eagerly listened to the upper classes recite. I looked at and studied some in their books so that in September when vacation was over and there was no change in my books I rebelled. I wrote the teacher a letter saying I was tired of being consolidated backwards always, and that I knew more of the upper classes' lesson without studying than some of them knew when they recited. In a few weeks I was put into the top class. Passed the examination among the pupils of the whole township. Our school had the top 4 in a bunch of about 20. I was Rank 4 in March. In April we had the County Final Exam. I pushed up to No. 2 of the 5 in our school.
"I can remember going to the county seat in Morrison where all the diplomas were given out. Each one was to recite a verse of his selection. I was one of the small ones, but I decided to talk loud and clear. I got by far the most applause by this:
In battle or business, whatever the game,
In law or in love it is ever the same,
In the struggle for power or the scramble for pelf,
Let this be your motto, "Rely on yourself."
For whether the prize be a ribbon or throne,
The real victor is he who can go it alone.
