This webpage was made entirely from info contributed by Bruce Glenn.
This is the complete faculty of Thomas Jr. High School 1957-1958
School Year.
I was in the first grade that year. Construction had not yet started on
nearby Interstate 65. Next door then and now was Aaron Dennis and wife Myrtle
Kelly Dennis. Across the road was a wonderful country store owned by Mr.
Nabors, which owned the land on the other side of the school as well. Fridays
were special as we didn't have cola and candy machines in those days, but on
Fridays at 1:00 PM, Principal J. D. Hopper allowed Mr. Nabors to bring candy
to the fence in front of the school, which was a very joyous occasion to
everyone. A penny bought you a piece or two of candy and everybody shared
with all. Thomas Jr. as many similar rural schools closed in about 1963 and
the students were consolidated into the big city schools at Clanton. The
school property lay vacant for many years as an unwanted parcel of land,
however, it became very prime property and is currently occupied by a modern
Alabama Power Facility. Parents were very involved in making the school be all
that it could at that time. The faculty of seven taught: the Junior III class
(9th grade) of eighteen students, the Junior II class (8th grade) of 20
students, the Junior I class (7th grade) of twenty students, and the first
through sixth grades of over 80 students. Thomas Jr. had a large play ground
of about four acres and a wooded play area of about five acres to enjoy during
the two daily recess period. The non-wooded play grounds were coed by there
was a dividing line trail that segregated the boys area from the girls area of
the wooded play areas. The worst possible offense was to be so naughty as to
cross into the other's wooded side. Out door facilities were still in use the
first few years, a four staller in both the boys area and the girls area. A
lunch room was adjacent to the school with three lunch room workers. All the
faculty and lunch room workers were humble and caring people that loved each
of us students as their own child and instilled us with both and education and
what matters most and that was to love and care for one another. Principal J.
D. Hopper later was my 7th grade teacher at the old Chilton County High School
which had became the Henry Adair School and then Mrs. Sue McKinney was my 10th
grade economics teacher at the new Chilton County High School. Principal
Hopper's sons, Joe, Bill and David all became educators and have been
appointed as Principals at Isabella, Verbena and Marbury. As an adult of 48 I
am thankful for all of lives joys that God has blessed me with, especially the
fond memories of Thomas Jr. High School.
Regards,
Bruce Glenn
http://members.aol.com/DBGlenn/index.htm