NOTES FROM THE CHALKBOARD

About the Book

In Notes From The Chalkboard: Teacher Tales From The Mountains Of North Carolina, I have attempted to capture the essence of North Carolina mountain teachers and administrators. It is a tragedy for people to live to be eighty, ninety or even one hundred years old, and when they die, to allow their wonderful experiences to die with them. Oral history is rapidly dying across our nation. With the explosion of instant communication, we have lost the art of passing on everyday events of interest to future generations. There was a time, not very long ago, when families would sit around the fireplace and relate memories from days gone by. Regrettably, that day is long in the past. Thus, the idea for this book was formed. The purpose is to provide an avenue for common everyday folks, who would most likely never be mentioned in history books, to relate memories that are meaningful in their lives and allow these same memories to be passed on through time.

About the Author

Dr. J. Terry Hall grew up in south central Kentucky sitting around a fireplace at his grandparents house listening to stories from the past. Over time, these wonderful memories became part of his life. He spent forty years in public education as teacher and administrator in Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina. After earning his Doctor of Education degree in Educational Leadership from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1988 he was appointed to the position of Elementary Curriculum Supervisor/Title 1 Director for the Asheville City Schools in Asheville, North Carolina where he served for nine years before retiring.