The Pearl of St. Simons

The Pearl of St. Simons is a fictional story set in the mid-1960’s at the University of Georgia and on St. Simons Island. A semiretired history professor comes back to campus to teach a research project. She selects the extended family of President James Madison for the project. To motivate her students, and to be creative in her approach, she fabricates a riddle that indicates that a fortune might be discovered by anyone researching the history and the experiences of the Madisons. Her grandson, who is finishing high school, hears about the project and decides to enroll in the University of Georgia to become rich while in undergraduate school. His family members are thrilled with his decision because they are all UGA graduates. They ignore the get-rich quick part of his decision-making process. His aunt, who is the minister of students at a large church in St. Augustine, Florida, plots with his grandmother to match him with a research partner who would be “perfect” for him, as they see it.

The treasure hunt takes on a life of its own and finally has to be reined in. The research project involves a spring break trip to explore the founding of the country through the mid-1860’s.

Following the trip, the professor learns that an effort will soon be made to bring Las Vegas-style gambling to the East Coast. St. Simons is in the crosshairs. The professor is distraught. The students come up with a plan to come to the aid of their professor by blocking the casinos from coming to St. Simons.

Ultimately, the match-making proved to be successful.