Michael M. Black has completed Dear Sister: 46 Letters by Dale Family Siblings in Middlemore's Children's Emigration Homes with Supporting Documentation.  Among the dozens of rich family stories which I heard as a boy, none impressed me more or brought more wonder and curiosity to my mind than the story of how Lily Dale (Maxwell) (1889-1991) arrived in Canada as a teenager, married, migrated to the United States, and ultimately became the amazing woman and great-grandmother I knew.  I could never have imagined then what set of unfortunate circumstances set in motion a chain of events which eventually separated four of nine children from their home in England and sent them across the Atlantic Ocean to an orphanage in Canada from which they were separated from each other and placed in foster homes.  It was not until as an adult and my interest in genealogy developed into a serious avocation that I learned just how poignant and important this story is.  This 340-page book is the story of tragedy and heartbreak which tore apart the Dale family, separating its members by an ocean, and the courage, determination and love that bound them together.  My great-grandmother Lily Dale and three of her siblings (Elsie, Daisy, and Sydney) were separated from their widowed father and five of their brothers and sisters and sent to Canada as young children.  It was not until 2003 that I learned that they were part of John T. Middlemore's Children's Emigration Homes.  Their story is partially revealed in this book through numerous public records and a series of forty-six private letters.  This is a link to an article on my book with some of the transcribed Dale family letters which appear in my book. This book is privately printed for my family; however, should you have a special connection to or interest in the Dale family and would like to purchase a copy, please contact me at michael_m_black @ yahoo.com

Biography:
Michael M. Black, a native of Valdosta, Georgia, attended Valdosta State University where he earned a BBA in Finance, a Master's Degree in Higher Education Leadership, and a second Master's Degree in Instructional Technology; he completed his doctoral degree at the Florida State University majoring in Higher Education Administration.  His academic interests include higher education finance, multiculturalism, auxiliary services, instructional technology, accreditation as it relates to business affairs, and higher education history.  These interests and experiences inspired him to write his first work, a historical reference book titled A Mosaic of People and Events in the History of Valdosta State University's Business Operations, 1906 to 2006.  His second book Sincerely, Frank; Frank R. Reade: Professor, President, and Camp Director, a brief account of the life and career of our institution's third president, was competed in 2008.  He has traveled throughout the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, and Central America.  His principal hobby is genealogy.  He works in the field of higher education finance, strategic research, planning, and policy.

updated September 3, 2008