Honoring the School Principals in our Family–Past and Present, Part 2 of 2
Today I want to introduce you to a true leader and another school Principal in our family tree! Kay Youngblood Fuller is my 2nd cousin on my father’s side of the family. We knew each other as children in Richmond,Virginia, then lost touch until we ended up at the same small Methodist College, Greensboro College in Greensboro, North Carolina. This allowed us to renew our friendship which has lasted uninterrupted since then in 1968! Being friends with this dynamic leader and ball of fire is amazing all by itself! She is fun to observe and fun to be with–she’s like the driving force or the wind beneath a lot of people’s wings! Kay has been married for 45 years, and has three children and three grandchildren. Like many educational leaders, she has done it all!
After college, Kay went on to earn not one, but several Master’s degrees! She earned a Masters in Curriculum at Elon College, in Elon, NC. She also earned a Master’s in Educational Administration at University of North Carolina at Pembroke, UNCP. As if that wasn’t enough, she completed all but her dissertation in Educational Leadership from UNCP/East Carolina University! What’s amazing is that Kay did all this while parenting three small children! When Kay walks into a room, people notice the energy she exudes!
Giving you the briefest synopsis of Kay’s career is still amazing in my opinion! I neglected to tell you that Kay is also a talented musician, playing several instruments and singing beautifully! Think God gave her enough talents? The wonderful thing is that she uses them! She served as a Director of Music at Harrells Christian Academy in Harrells, North Carolina, then held the same position at Heritage Academy in Newman, Georgia. When her family relocated to Greensboro, NC, Kay started teaching eighth grade Math, first at Mendenhall Middle School, then at Kiser Middle School for the Guilford County Public School System. I personally was thrilled when her husband’s job brought them to Raleigh, NC where I was living. The Wake County Public Schools System was very happy to have this experienced educator to teach 8th grade Math and English at Ligon Gifted and Talented Magnet Middle School, where both of my children attended! Never a family to let grass grow under their feet, Kay soon found herself teaching in Laurinburg, NC where she not only taught 8th grade Math, but became the AIG-Academically/Intellectually Gifted Program Facilitator at Spring Hill Middle School! Her leadership skills firmly recognized and tested, she was chosen the Assistant Principal of I.E. Johnson Elementary School, then the Principal of Scotland High School of Leadership and Public Service in Scotland County, North Carolina! After serving Scotland County Schools as the Director of Secondary Education, at only age 63, Kay retired with 37 years in education!
What did this amazing woman do upon retirement? She was asked, and agreed to teach Algebra II for one year at Hickory Grove Christian School in Charlotte, NC! This year she is administering an NC Quest Grant for Richmond County Schools! Whew! Wow! Awesome! I can hardly catch my breath just thinking of this whirlwind flying through life! I’d certainly have to compare her to a soaring Eagle when I think of this quote which I believe describes her very well:
Bill Williamson was married to my first cousin Claudia. We already had the chance to meet his dynamic daughters, teachers Becky W. Stodola and Stephanie W. Nicklin. He has a very entrepreneurial son, Bill Jr, a good businessman as well! Bill Sr. was a popular Science teacher at Matoaka High School in Chesterfield County, Virginia, where he was also a football coach. He was later tapped to be the Principal there where he was so well-known. I wonder if that made his job harder or easier? He served as Principal at two other schools as well, Kanawha Elementary in Cumberland County, Virginia, and Mechanicsvile Junior High School in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Bill also earned three Master’s degrees– one from the University of Virginia and two from Virginia Commonwealth University! We do have an educated family–one who lives by their strong beliefs in the importance of education! Tragically, Bill was killed in an automobile accident when he was only fifty years old. He would have been so proud to see how well his children have done professionally and personally–how they have followed in his footsteps in education. How they’ve become good people who care about others. His grandchildren as well, four of them, all growing into smart, exciting young men and women. We are blessed by this family in ours and in our world!
An ancestor Principal, Calvin Hogg, was born 10 Mar 1883 in Slippery Rock Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, and died 15 May 1962 in Cherry Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania. He is related to our family on both my father’s side through his Hogues and Watts, and on my mother’s side of the family through the Hoges and the Spanglers! Isn’t that amazing! I did not know this until I started working on genealogy and met his granddaughter, my cousin, Dorothy Voorus Hogg Moore, called Dory. The Spanglers are related to Dory through her Voorus/Voorhees line of ancestors! Amazing. Calvin and his whole family were educators. We already met and heard about his wife Dorothy and her sisters, Bessie, and Lena. His son, Dory’s father, Robert Arthur Hogg, taught Science and later became a Guidance Counselor. We will hear about another of Dorothy’s brothers when we meet our college educators.
Calvin was an interesting person. He served in the Armed Services in World War I. When he returned, he earned his BA from Grove City College and his MA from the University of Pittsburgh. He then taught at Karns City Elementary. Later he served as the Principal at both Harrisville and at Evans City School. He moved on to be a District Supervisor and the Assistant Superintendent of Butler County Schools until he retired in 1953. What a career he had! How much would I have liked to have had the opportunity to talk with him about all of his experiences over the years. He attended schools before the turn of the 20th century, then taught and lead them for another half century, can you imagine what he could tell us? He was retiring about the time Juel Turner from our last post was beginning his educational career. We know Juel filled his own pot-bellied stoves for warmth in his classroom and taught and served as Principal at the same time–can you imagine what the classroom was like for Calvin Hogg? I would have loved to hear his stories!
Five School Principals profiled, five in one family system! I think that is pretty amazing, and I am sure there are more of whom I am not aware. These five however, bring us great honor as a family, and so we honor them back! Thank you for all of your hard work, for the huge gift you have given our society and our family as you have chosen to lead the call for the importance of education!
Our last educator posts will focus on our college professors and instructors. We have quite a few of these talented individuals who represent our family well. Please share your thoughts with us, tell us about your favorite educator, tell us about some of these if you knew them. Until we meet again, keep on learning!
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