WS Chronicle

By Judie Holcomb-Pack

May is National Teacher Appreciation Month and two residents of Hunt Park senior apartments shared memories of their special teachers.

Jean Strickland recalled her favorite teacher from the 8th grade at Rosewood High School in Goldsboro. She said, “Mrs. Harrell was a very good teacher and took an avid interest in each student. I came from a very poor family, but she made me feel special. She was encouraging and I still have the letter she sent to me at the end of the school year.” Strickland keeps the letter safely tucked away in her Bible. One piece of advice her teacher said to always remember was, “No life is so hard that I cannot make it better by the way I take it.”

Kent Scippio immediately thought about Mrs. Williamson when asked about what teacher he remembered most. He recalled that Mrs. Williamson was one of the first white teachers to teach at Atkins when schools were first being integrated. He said, “I will never forget the first day. Mrs. Williamson was about 4’8” tall in a classroom with all these tall black kids. They would not behave and she broke down in tears. I told her she had to stand up to them and yell at them to be quiet.  … My buddy and I stood behind her and after that first day, no one messed with her because they knew we were there. She had a good heart. She taught industrial education and she got every student in that class a job.”

What teacher made the biggest impression on your life? Share it with the Chronicle at news@wschronicle.