Lola Bowersox, College Grove, TN

Lola Francis Reed Glenn Bowersox was born January 5, 1918.  She attended Bethesda School 1^st -12^th.  She attended Middle Tennessee State Teacher’s College.  She began teaching in a two room schoolhouse in Naomi (1937-1938).  She then taught 8 grades at Choctaw.  In 1945 she taught at Flat Creek, returning to Bethesda in 1956 to teach.  She received her B.A. in 1954, her M.A. in 1956 from Middle Tennessee State University.  She earned credits from Trevecca, David Lipscomb, and Peabody College.  Davidson County Schools hired her in 1959.  She taught at Schwab and Crieve Hall.  She retired in 1974, serving 23 years in Williamson County and 15 years in Davidson County.

Walter C. "Red" Gaffin, Viola, TN

Born January 27, 1909, a native of Warren County, W. C. “Red” Gaffin, Jr., graduated from McMinnville High where he served as captain of the 1928 State Champion football team.  Receiving a B.S. degree from MTSU in 1933, he began his thirty eight year teaching and coaching career in Warren County where he served as president of the Warren County Teacher’s Association.  It was also during this time that Gaffin served as a Pharmacist Mate First Class in the United States Navy in World War II.  Twenty two of his career years were devoted to his term as principal of Viola School and mayor of Viola.  He was known throughout the county for his skills in English and math.  He instilled in his students the importance of honesty, diligence, and kindness to one’s fellow student.  After his retirement in 1974, Gaffin was honored by his former students when the school playground was named the W.C. “Red” Gaffin Playground.  As a 1983 inductee of the Warren County Sports Hall of Fame, Gaffin was recognized for his promotion of the “development of young men and women who know how to play the game both on and off the field.”
 

Walter C. Gaffin has passed away.

Frances H. Haynes, Germantown, TN

Frances received her Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts plus 45 hours at the University of Memphis with certifications in both elementary and secondary education.  Her first year of teaching was in second grade, but the rest of her sixteen years in the classroom were spent teaching language arts in grades seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven and twelve.  At the end of these years she moved into instructional supervision where she worked with teachers of reading, foreign language, drama and English.  The last seven of her forty-four years in education ere spent directing the staff development for Shelby County Schools.  As a director she wrote federal projects, managed the Teacher’s Center, planned inservice activities, sent our inservice updates each morning to all schools in the system via email, placed student teachers from the surrounding universities, directed curriculum writing activities each summer, and coordinated the system’s SACS accreditation activities.  During her professional years, she served as president of the Tennessee Council of Teachers of English twice and worked on National Council of Teachers of English essay evaluation teams several years.  She was selected Distinguished Administrator for Shelby County Schools in 1992, won the Hometown USA Video Festival in 1988 and 1992 for producing a monthly WKNO-TV show entitled “Report:  Shelby County Schools.”  In the year 2000 she was presented the Millennial Teachers’ Award from the Germantown High School alumni in classes from 1964 through 1967.

Ruby C. Krider (deceased), Hendersonville, TN

Ms. Krider attended Murray State University in Murray, KY graduating with a B.A.   She also attended Columbia Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York.  In 1958, she began work on her masters degree at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and earned a Masters in speech education.  She was editor of the Tennessee Speech Journal for several years.  She authored a book New Born Leaf, on creative dramatics emphasizing its use in creative teaching for all grade levels.  She taught speech education at Murray State University.  After retiring, she taught extension classes for the University of Tennessee at Martin, Murray State University and other colleges.  She became a member of the faculty at Bethel College in McKenzie, TN and retired again the year before her death.  On her last day of life, she gave her final exam for her college extension classes at Jackson State and graded them.  She suffered a massive heart attack after she went home.     

Jane D. Latimer, Savannah, TN

  Jane Dietzel Latimer grew up in Union City, TN, received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Memphis State University, then spent most of her 43 year teaching career in Hardin County.  She taught many grade levels and helped develop an outstanding adult education program while working as its supervisor.  She was instrumental in bringing computer literacy to the county, prompting the local high schools computer laboratory to be named for her.  Her tireless dedication to helping children learn, regardless of their limitations, is legendary.  Latimer continued community service in retirement, most notable in her efforts to build a new community library.

Myrtle G. Lord, Murfreesboro, TN

Myrtle Glanton Lord was born in Rutherford County in Dilton, Tennessee to Luther and Catherine Glanton on February 14.  She was reared in Murfreesboro, attended Bradley Academy School in the first through the twelfth grades.  Mrs. Lord received a B.S. degree at A and I College in Nashville.  She taught school for 42 years and worked for the recreation department for 52 years.  She also studies at the University of Michigan, Fisk University, and Peabody College.  The fourth of nine children, Mrs. Lord was married to John L. Lord.  An active member of the Church of God, she serves as the treasurer of the church and Sunday school.  She was the chairperson for the Patterson Community Center project, past president of LWV, secretary of ARC, board member of Habitat for Humanity, Bradley Academy Museum, J.C. Beesley Humane Foundation, and Mid-Cumberland Action Agency, a member of the NAACP, and a member of the Rutherford County Teacher’s Association.  She has also received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Daily News Journal and SunTrust Bank, the Outstanding Award for African-American Women by Imperial Court Daughters of Isis, and was given the Community Award for Distinguished Service by the Murfreesboro City Schools.  Presently, Mrs. Lord serves as the coordinator of Patterson Community Center.  On May 3, 2002, she was inducted into the Tennessee Teachers’ Hall of Fame.  Also the Library at Patterson Community Center is named the “Myrtle Glanton Lord” in her honor. (Deceased April 16, 2007)

Mary Helen Lowry (deceased), Nashville, TN

Mary Lowry gave over 50 years to education.  She was educated at Tarbox School in Nashville (elementary), Ward-Belmont in Nashville (high school) and received her B.A. in English, and her MA in English from Vanderbilt University.  She also attended George Peabody College for Teachers.  Ms. Lowry taught school at Parmer School in Nashville in 1939, Stephens College (1940-1942) and Montgomery Bell Academy (1943-1993).  She served as head of the Department of English for 47 years at Montgomery Bell.

Virgie Morse, Medina, TN

Born and raised in rural Gibson County, Tennessee, hard work is nothing new to this lady who was raised the youngest of nine children.  She started school at Oakview and later went to Gibson High School for 3 and ½ years.  She graduated from Trezevant High in 1927.  From there she went to Union University where she attended for one year and received a 4 year certificate to teach elementary school.  Her teaching career began at Mt. Zion Schoolhouse where she taught for four years.  She then took time off to raise her two children, Jimmy and Patricia.  She taught at Medina Elementary from 1943 to 1974.  She remains active in education as she volunteers one day a week.  She also remains on the substitute teaching list.  In 1992 she was presented the “Friend of Education Award” from Medina School at the GCEA Banquet.  In May of 1994 the Medina PTO presented her with a plaque in recognition of her dedication to the students of Medina School.  In recent years she has been the subject of numerous articles in the local papers which highlight her contributions to the school, church, and community.