Sunday, May 19, 1957, the Faculty and Students presented a program in the
new high school auditorium honoring your humble servant in the cause of
education on the verge of his retirement from Lincoln High
School and
the teaching profession after forty-two years of continuous service. To me this was a very touching occasion,
filled with solemnity and traces of joy and satisfaction. An audience filled the auditorium to its
capacity participated in this program.
The audience stood and joined in singing, “Lead On, O King
Eternal”. After which, the Lincoln High
School Chorus, directed by Mrs. Geraldine Y. Fields, sang “Let Us Now Praise
Famous Men.” I recall the most
appropriate prayer by Rev. W. M. Ferguson, Pastor of Mount Pleasant Methodist
Church. Dr. G. L. Porter, Executive
Secretary of the Florida State Teachers’ Association gave the occasion and
brought greetings in behalf of this organization, also greetings from a
representative of the Alachua County Board of Public Instruction, Wilford Griffin, President of the Lincoln High School
Student Body and the President of the Alumni Association. “My Here “rendered by Miss Catherine Berry,
Soprano and Mr. Julius Harper, Tenor followed with Presentations and closing with
a song: “Let My Soul Rise in Song” by the Lincoln Chorus and Benediction by
Reverend Leroy Tillman. After the presentation of this program and during the
course of conversations with Dr. Porter, he advanced the idea or suggestion
that I should write some memoirs of my life experiences. I had never thought of writing anything about
myself. My thinking was that it would
appear somewhat egotistic. Again, Mr.
Eric Roberts, sportswriter for the Pittsburgh Courier, visited Gainesville, his hometown at least once yearly and always visited
me, and on every visit, he has mentioned to me that I should write about my
activities. But the latest suggestion
was made to me in October of 1967 by my wife, Mrs. Frederica M. Jones.
Therefore, I decided reluctantly to write these Retrospections with the idea in
mind that they might be somewhat of an incentive to those who might chance to
read them and that they might reveal something of the sacrifice involved by one
who sincerely desires an education along with the desire to render service
thereafter.
