As descendants of James Ball Naylor, my siblings and I were lucky, for we were able to see many of the photos in this book when we were growing up. My Grandma, Jean Naylor Finley, would occasionally pull out photo albums and scrapbooks. Grandma, as well as my mom and a favorite aunt, would show us the pictures, read us poems, and tell us little stories. As I read The Final Test, I realized that I was rediscovering the little stories and discovering many new ones, and that they were now glued together with fascinating details I had never heard before.

This book exists today thanks to the perseverance of Terry Flaherty. She has managed to capture the essence of James Ball Naylor, the spirit of his family, and to bring honor to the people of Morgan County that he loved so much.

January 25, 2012