In early February, NMH pays honor to its founder, D. L. Moody, who was born on February 5, 1837. Each year on Founder’s Day, he is remembered with a special school meeting and vespers service as well as a birthday dinner. During the Founder’s Day presentation, a giant-size one-tined fork is passed from seniors to juniors. The fork has symbolic significance to NMH. It is reported that at an early commencement, the speaker stated that anyone could eat soup with a spoon, but it took a real person to eat soup with a one-tined fork. Moody was so taken with the image that he asked the speaker to repeat it. Then, turning to the audience, he declared, “Whatever else you forget, remember that forever.” Over the years, seniors presenting the fork to juniors have interpreted the meaning of the one-tined fork in different ways, but everyone agrees that the fork represents a can-do attitude.
