The Daily Sentinel from Scottsboro, Alabama (2024)

April 24, 1994

Publication:

The Daily Sentineli

Location:

Scottsboro, Alabama

Issue Date:

Sunday, April 24, 1994

Page:

12

Extracted Article Text (OCR)

Page 2 The Daily Sentinel Profiles Planning the uture Sunday April 24 1994 On the cover Incoming 1994 95 Scottsboro High School Student Council officers left front to back Laura Cannon Chad Bradford Gene Necklaus and Jacob Crawford meet with the outgoing 94 council to make plans for the future Outgoing council members right front to back include Shelley Williams Matt Bowman Betsy Whitehead and Stephen Myers Positions front to back both sides Secretary President Vice President Treasurer Stewart: Education key to future By PEGGY Sentinel Staff Archie Stewart was bom in Jackson County the third child of DP Stewart and Effie McClendon Stewart in 1916 He has lived in Scottsboro for most of his life aside from a four year stint in the military And it is here in Jackson County that he has made his mark putting it mildly DP and Effie Stewart may have been somewhat surprised if known back in 1916 that their son would go on to become a civil rights activist a staff sergeant in the US Army a highly respected educator serving in several capacities in' schools including teacher and principal and an almost revered man in the Scottsboro communi ty Stewart undoubtedly has spent his life paving the way for many He was the first black from Jackson County to: Serve as president of his col lege class for four years Receive a masters degree in education from the famed Tuskegee Institute Receive an invitation to a White House conference (the signing of the SALT II treaty in 1979) from a President of the United States Receive a superintendent certificate qualifying him to serve in three major fields including agriculture edu cation school administration and guidance and counseling 1 Vr A ft ''r t' fu Wil Jackson County native Archie Stewart said he believes edu cation is still the key to success and the future and his long record of service to education and civil rights activism serves as an example to younger generations services Serve on the Alabama Educational Association Board of Directors Stewart has led the way in civil rights for decades now In the 1960s he sat in on meetings with Dr Martin Luther King Jr himself Stewart was also the first black from Jackson County to serve as president of the Alabama 5th Congressional District of the Alabama Democratic Conference a posi tion he held for 12 years He has also served simultaneously as the president of both the Alabama Democratic Conference and the Jackson County Voters League Stewart is not only a leader and a teacher He is also a hus band a father and a friend He is also actively involved with with the Saint Elizabeth Missionary Baptist Church in Scottsboro where he is a Sunday school senior bible class teacher deacon and financial secretary In short Stewart has always been a busy but inspired man That has not changed at all since he officially retired in July 1989 A love for education Stewart has made education a lifelong pursuit He embraces it both as a student and as a teacher Perhaps it is because he comes from a family of school teachers ive of his sisters taught school His wife Leola taught school for no less than 33 years As a pupil in the classroom Archie excelled He earned his degree from Alabama and afterward went on to additional coursework at Alabama State Teachers College the University of Chattanooga and the University of Hawaii He earned his mas ters in education from Tuskegee Graduate School Stewart is also certified as a bible teacher by the American Baptist Theological Seminary and holds an AA certificate from the state in guidance and counseling But the Stewart that most Jackson County residents are more familiar with is the teacher and school administrator He has been a teacher at Hollywood Junior High School and a guid ance counselor at Stevenson High School Bridgeport High School and Hollywood Junior High School He also served as principal in Stevenson of the Stevenson Roosenwald School (later known as Joseph Drake School) from 1951 through 1968 In 1966 he organized the first GED class in Jatkson County The class was held at Joseph Drake School and contained 20 students Twelve of those students passed the test on the first try while others passed on subse quent attempts Stewart taught the class for free because there was no funding available on the local state or federal level Stewart also helped with the first Headstart Program in Stevenson He went on to serve as test supervisor for the Jackson County School System from 1971 to 1981 then retired from the system in May 1981 after working for the Jackson County schools for 34 years A year before that retirement Stewart qualified to run for the office of Jackson County Schools superintendent Although he qualified he officially run for the office got cold feet I chickened he laughs today when asked why He went on to take a job as the supervisor of the North Alabama Educational Opportunity Center office in Scottsboro where he worked for six years One of daughters Tiajuana Battles Cotton of 1 Scottsboro has followed her footsteps in education She holds an educational spe cialist degree and has taught school in Jackson County for 21 years State of education Stewart has some definite ideas and thoughts on the state of education today He minces no words when he addresses how schools have changed for better or for worse think the principals and teachers have lost control of the Stewart said when asked his thoughts on how schools have evolved over the years He points to the lack of discipline in schools as an example think the school laws have brought about this he said are afraid to disci pline the students because of legal ramifications Prayer has been taken out of the schools it (previously) served as a great moral force for Another difference in words is that some of teachers to be more interested in the academics than the moral character of stu Stewart said teachers teach by precepts and example many cases body language speaks louder than verbal he said way a teacher looks at a child and his or her tone of voice has a lot to do with the learning process in the He also believes religious principles are not being stressed in the schools afraid to emphasize any religious prin he said the Bible prayer and the paddle were taken out of school we asked for trouble and we have had trouble ever since is time for the principals and teachers to take over the schools he said politicians have gone too Stewart points to the absence of religious education in public schools today Religious ceremonies have been cut out or at least restricted in most public learning institu tions To illustrate his point Stewart recalled that one of his daughters Besfanette was near ly fired from her job as a class room teacher in Hollywbod Calif for having a picture of Jesus Christ on her desk See STEWART Page 3 whet 323 Parks PORCH HOME MEDICAL YEARS 0 The Porch Home Medical staff righ to left Lon Porch Charlotte Owens Maryann Browder and Steve Porch at the store entrance Steve Porch and Charlotte Owens discuss medical equipment inventory for lheir patients 323 Parks Avenue Scottsboro AL 259 31 23 1 800 403 3740 professional staff into their present at Scottsboro four PORCH HOME MEDICA! 3123 5 74 3' Porch Home Medical has been Jackson fore most supplier of home oxy gen services and medica equipment for a number of years Lon Porch and his friendly moved location Avenue years ago Porch Home Medical offers a complete line of home medical equipment and supplies including home oxygen hospital beds wheelchairs braces ostomy walkers bathroom safety equipment nutri tional feeding supplies patient lifts incontinence supplies and many other items They file all insurance medicare medicaid compensation claims They have 24 hour service and free home delivery They are home owned operated have been serving Jackson County surrounding areas since 1973 P0RC TWENl I rfi If jgaka fijsiisasKi 4 All IW 11X1 I GAITHER CO BEAUTY COLLEGE "Over 30 years of behind our instructors" AU DUNE STSTUONIS Pictured are students of Gaither Co Beauty College: Heather Ballard Donna Grider Susan Kitchens Evonne Moon Robin Dean Sherry Guerin Sherry Riseden Gina Porter Angie Porter Dana Morris Rachael Underwood Holly Donnelly Lordana Bugsby Tanya Johnson Lorie Ball Stephanie Weaver Kim Shavers Ginger Parker Gayle Paschal Instructors: Renee Williamson Michelle Pittman Student Instructor Renee Williamson Gaitheriiwmpany Perns Hair Cuts Color Manicures Kails and Waxing Walkins Welcome Bedve ALL WORK DONE BY STUDENTS! 259 1001 414 East Willow Street Scottsboro AU WOHKj DUNE STSTUONIS JIOR 0 fl.

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