History of Lauderdale County School District | Page 261

After I graduated from high school, I went to Meridian Junior College for one year and
then dropped out when I got a good job with A. J. Lyon. However, dropping out of school
caused me to get drafted into the army, but after four months I was discharged with a medical
discharge. When I got home I went back to work for A. J. Lyon Company. After a while I
realized I was not doing what I was put here to do – teach children. I left A. J. Lyon Company
making a little over $12,000 my last year. I did another year at MCC and then 2 years at
Livingston, now university of West Alabama. My first job was teaching science at Southeast
Lauderdale High School. So after three more years and several thousand dollars invested in my
education, I signed a contract for a little less than $7000. In addition to the B.S. Degree from
Livingston, I earned a Master’s Degree from Livingston and a Specialist Degree in science
education from Mississippi State University. Although I have enjoyed every job I have ever
held, my best time in education was teaching and coaching at Southeast. I stayed at Southeast
until I was elected Superintendent of Education for Lauderdale County. I feel so blessed to have
been able to serve as Superintendent of Education for twelve years, just as my dad did. And I
also feel so blessed to have been able to teach science at MCC for the past eight years, just as my
mom did.
A couple of interesting facts about the schools in the southern part of the county – the
colors for Whynot School was Green and White, the colors for Vimville were Purple and Gold
and the first colors for Southeast Lauderdale were Colombia Blue (light blue) and White. The
light blue was later change to a Royal Blue by Bobbie Gibson. The red was added later on.
Name: Charlotte Usher Parker
School: Clarkdale
Year Graduated: 1970
I started to school in 1958 at Clarkdale. At that time there were only four building on the
campus. All the classes were in the main building. The cafeteria was in the rock building (I
think that is the oldest building in Lauderdale County School District that is still used for the
school.) The other buildings were the gym and the shop.
All of my brothers have gone to Clarkdale. In the elementary grades my teachers were
Mrs. Morgan 1st grade, Mrs. Pruitt 2nd grade, Mrs. McMullan 3rd grade, Mrs. Hunter, Mrs.
Hunter 5th grade and Mrs. McClendon 6th grade. When I got in the 5th grade I played in the band.
The band director was Mr. Otis Upton. He had asked me to be in the band. I stayed in the band
until I got to the 9th grade. I decided I needed to play basketball that year. I picked basketball
over the band. We couldn’t do both. My basketball coach was Gerald Wayne Thompson. In
those day we played half-court basketball. I started out playing guard, but the coach moved me
to forward my senior year. I think we played in the Cherokee Conference. We were pretty good.
We made the state championship finals when I was a junior, but lose to another team in Jackson.
I remember the head football coach being Mr. Ethridge with Gerald Wayne being the assistant
coach. Jackie Roberson was the first football coach at Clarkdale in 1963.