Blog 67 - A Beloved School Teacher Is Honored

Blog 67

A Beloved School Teacher Is Honored

By

Vernon M Herron

Let’s switch this time from an essay narrative style of writing to a news reporting style to report how a biblical mandate is obeyed. Ephesians 6:2-3 say, “Honour thy father and mother, (which is the first commandment [Ex.20:12, Deut.5:16] with promise) that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” “Honour thy father and mother” means to honor the elderly of the community, all ancestors, your teachers, those who molded your thought patterns and your social and moral behavior. That biblical injunction was observed recently when a beloved teacher was honored. Recently, approximately thirty persons, including the Second Ward High School National Alumni Foundation, Inc., former students and friends of Mrs. Alene Kate Stewart McCorkle celebrated her 96th birthday with a luncheon at the Olive Garden Italian Restaurant, in the North Lake Shopping Mall at Charlotte. The retired Mathematics’ teacher taught at Charlotte’s Second Ward High School for 31 years and is one of two survivors of the 1947 faculty.

The beloved teacher was showered with roasts, toasts and gifts. The luncheon guests were presented with a gift-package containing six articles written by the honoree, (see her writings in the next four blog postings) including her life history, educational and life experiences, goals and a blue-print for longevity, pictures of the ’47 class and faculty, and three blog postings.

The school was built in 1923 and Demolished by the Urban Renewal Program in 1969.

Mrs. McCorkle addressed the luncheon guests with words of gratitude and wisdom. (See last page for pictures of the luncheon). An example of her writing and speaking follow:

FROM BIRTH TO COLLEGE: MY JOURNEY IN RETROSPECT

I was born in Mecklenburg County to the late Brown and Roxie Stewart, farmers who moved to Charlotte when I was 6 months old. I was fortunate to have five brothers, four older and one younger than I. I enrolled in school at age five but was not counted until the next year. There was no school for five years old. So when I was counted, I was six years old and in the second grade. I enrolled in the Biddleville Elementary School, a four room school on the railroad tracks, a few steps off Beatties Ford Road. It housed grades 1-4. After grade 4, you went to Fairview School which was located in Greenville. My being only eight years of age, I could not walk that far. I had to ride the five cents street car to Myers Street Elementary School located in Brooklyn or ride in the buggy, with my father to school. Usually, he was going in that direction (Dilworth) to pick up dirty clothes from white folks’ homes for my mother to wash and iron. At the age eleven, I went to Second Ward High School which was just about one block from Myers Street School. I was still riding the street car. That was the only school to attend which had its highest grade level at eleven. So at the age of fifteen, I graduated from high school, with not a penny to go to college. I spent my first year out of high school working as a maid and as a cook for a family in a section called “Elizabeth.”

The going may be “tough” but if you want a “college education,” you can get it. I wanted it and I got it. Look how it came! You have experienced getting an education or seeing that your child did. This is how I got mine and what I did to get it.

A new principal, (J. E.Grigsby) came to Second Ward High School the year after I finished. He knew nothing about me. He had never seen me. North Carolina Mutual Insurance Company was offering a scholarship of $75.00 to a graduate of Second Ward High School. To this day, I do not know why that scholarship was given to me. I have an idea but I don’t really know.

The $75.00 would pay my tuition but where would I eat? I discovered that I had a cousin living in Durham, NC. She told my parents that I could live with her and her daughter. I grabbed the offer with both hands; caught the train in September; went to Durham; lived in a four room house with my cousin and her daughter; slept in the same bed; walked three miles to school every morning, rain or shine, sleet or snow; and was always on time for my 8 a.m. class. I lived there for nine months without going home because I did not have enough money to ride the train home.

I won’t tell you about all of the problems because you might become sad. I was not sad. I was glad to get the opportunity including hardships and all. I won’t tell you, how I got to live on the campus. I was telling my daughter about it which was the last story which I told her as a child. She guessed that the story was about me.

I was an honor student at North Carolina for Negroes, now NC Central University. At that time, the Founder of the College, Dr. James E. Shepard, was the president who loved my independence, outspoken attitude, love for everybody and one who enjoyed a job given to me so I could live on the campus. Recognized as a good student, I remained there until my graduation.

It was not all books. I had a strong love affair; more than one. A teacher paid for me to become a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. I was a cheerleader, sang in the college choir, worked in the Dean of Women’s Office and the Registrar’s Office where I kept the records of all students attending NCCN. Never once did I tell a student what his or her grades were. That was not my job. They got that report in writing from the registrar.

Even though I am a Methodist, during my college days in Durham, I sang in the West Durham Baptist Church choir [I knew it!] and the NCCN choir. When I returned home on vacation, I sang in the Gethsemane A.M.E. Zion Church choir.

Sometimes, teachers have a hard time getting an education but you can. If you are willing to work hard, hold up your head high, treat everybody right and serve the ONE ON HIGH, success is yours.

Take time to say, “I’m sorry,” “please forgive me,” or “it is o.k.” and if tomorrow never comes, you’ll have no regrets about today.

The following are scenes from the 96th birthday luncheon.

Pictures by William C. Youngblood