Tag Archives: Teacher Politicians

Frances “Sister” Webb Strong: Alabama teacher and politician

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Former teacher Frances Webb Strong  served her community in the Alabama State Senate. She and her colleague, Ann Bedsole, were the first women to serve in that body. Photo Credit: Webb family

Many fine educators also serve their communities as politicians. One of these is Frances Webb Strong, who was one of the first women to be elected to the Alabama State Senate.

Francis, whose birthday was Jan. 11, 1931, was born and raised in Demopolis, Alabama. Her family owned a number of businesses, including a cotton merchandising company, a sawmill, timber lands, cattle farms, and cotton farms. As a youngster, Frances was often called by the nickname “Sister” because she was the younger of two sisters in her family.

Once she graduated from high school, Frances earned her Bachelor’s degree at the University of Alabama. She earned her Master’s degree in Education from Livingston University.

In a career that spanned a total of 19 years, Frances taught at all levels, from kindergarten through college. In addition to her classroom responsibilities, Frances coached many outstanding sports teams. In fact, she founded a girls’ athletic program for Demopolis City Schools. Participants in her sports programs captured many statewide honors, some of which resulted in college scholarships for several of her students.

In addition to her work as an educator, Frances served her community as an accomplished politician. She was elected on the Democratic ticket to the Alabama State Senate, where she represented District 22 from 1983 to 1986. In fact, she and her colleague, Ann Bedsole, were the first women to serve in the Alabama State Senate.

While in the Senate, Frances worked to strengthen the rights of Alabama’s Native Americans. She was instrumental in the passage of the Davis-Strong Act, which gave official status to six Native American tribes that previously had not been been recognized. As a result of this legislation, a ten-member commission was established to advance the interests of Alabama’s Native American communities. Frances was appointed by then-Alabama Gov. George Wallace to serve on that commission.

On a humorous note, in the 1980s Frances supported the creation of an Alabama Turkey Hunters Hall of Fame. The District she represented is located in southwestern Alabama, which is still considered one of the best turkey hunting spots in the nation. The Senator told the newspaper, “In my District, you don’t mess with folks’ hunting and fishing.”

Today, at age 91, Frances Webb Strong continues to live in her home town, Demopolis, Alabama.

Former teacher Evelyn Bowles served in the Illinois State Senate

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Former elementary school teacher Evelyn Bowles served in the Illinois State Senate, and is also a US veteran. Photo Credit: St. Louis Dispatch

Many times, competent educators dedicate themselves to public service. Evelyn Bowles, an elementary school teacher from Illinois, was an educator like this. She served her community as a State Senator for many years.

Evelyn was born on April 22, 1921 in Worden, Illinois, although she was raised in Livingston, Illinois. During World Water II, Evelyn served as a yeoman in the US Coast Guard Women’s Reserve (SPAR) Intelligence Division. Her military service spanned the years from 1943 to 1945.

To further her education, Evelyn attended Greenville College, Illinois State University, and Southern Illinois University. While working as an elementary school teacher she taught first at Edwardsville CU #7 and then at the Elementary School in Livingston.

From 1975 to 1994, Evelyn served as the County Clerk for Madison County, Illinois. In this position, she managed election processes, kept the county’s vital records, and supervised 25 employees. Although she was a Democrat, Evelyn developed a reputation for running a nonpartisan, no-nonsense office.

In 1994 Evelyn was appointed to fill the seat of Democrat Sam M. Vadalabene in the Illinois State Senate, who had unexpectedly passed away while in office. There she represented the 56th Senate District until 2002. During her years in the Illinois State Senate, Evelyn worked diligently on numerous projects of vital importance, including one to protect lands surrounding the site of the Cahokia Mounds. In 2000, the former teacher received the Illinois Archeology Public Service Award for this work.

Evelyn spent a lifetime supporting educational causes. When she retired from public office in 2002, she used her unspent campaign funds to establish a scholarship for future public servants at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. “I can’t think of anything that would mean more to me than encouraging others to take an active role in public service, the electoral process and government,” the former educator explained.

The many awards Evelyn earned are too numerous to list, but here are the some of the most prestigious: In 1979 she garnered the Alice Paul Award from the Alton-Edwardsville Chapter of NOW. In 1984 she received the Girl Scouts Service Award, and she was recognized among the Outstanding Working Women of Illinois by the Illinois Federation of Business and Professional Women in 1986. In 1987 she received the Social Security Administration Service Award.

Evelyn Bowles passed away in Edwardsville, Illinois, on April 8, 2016, just two weeks shy of her 95th birthday. To read more about her, see this obituary published by the St. Louis Dispatch.

Bill Grannell: Teacher, union organizer, and former member Oregon House of Reps

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There are many fine examples of hardworking educators who have served their communities in elected office. One of them is William “Bill” Grannell, a former history teacher who also served as a member of the Oregon State House of Representatives.

Bill was born on Jan. 6, 1938, in Denver, Colorado. After earning his degree at the University of Denver, Bill moved to Coos Bay, Oregon. He bought a boat and became a salmon fisherman. Later he taught history at North Bend Junior High School in North Bend. He also worked for a time as a union organizer for the National Education Organization.

In 1972, Bill was elected on the Democratic ticket to a seat on the Oregon State House of Representatives. There he represented the 4th District from 1973 to 1983. While in the Oregon House of Reps, he supported the right of public employees to bargain collectively. He also advocated for legislation that increased funding for schools and allowed for the production of natural resources, including timber, fishing, and mining resources. For part of his years of service he served as the Chairman of the Revenue Committee, even though he had previously he opposed a movement to impose a state sales tax. During the years Bill served in the Oregon House, he also published a weekly newspaper he called the Bay Reporter.

After Bill retired from his position in the Oregon House, he worked as a lobbyist with the Association of County Governments. Currently, at age 84, he lives in Oregon.

NJ teacher, counselor, and politician Priscilla B. Anderson

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New Jersey history teacher and guidance counselor Priscilla B. Anderson also served in the New Jersey State General Assembly. Photo Credit: ourcampaigns.com

Many excellent educators have also earned success as politicians. One of these is Priscilla B. Anderson, a public school teacher and guidance counselor from New Jersey who once served as an elected member of her state’s General Assembly.

Priscilla was born on Sept. 14, 1935, and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After earning both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Education, she worked as first a history teacher and then a guidance counselor in public schools in Trenton, New Jersey. Priscilla was known to have a special interesting young people and their contributions to the community. In fact, to recognize their service, she established the Willingboro Youth Achievement Awards to honor them.

Priscilla inaugurated her career as a politician in 1981 when she was elected to serve on the Willingboro Township Council in Burlington County, New Jersey. Subsequently she was elected mayor of the Township in 1984 and again in 1991. At that time she was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly representing the 7th Legislative District, where she served from 1992 to 1994. Priscilla was the first African American to be elected to the New Jersey State Legislature from Burlington County.

Once her term in the Assembly was completed, Priscilla served as a Commissioner on the Burlington County Bridge Commission. During her tenure, the Commission collected nearly $30 million annually in bridge tolls, oversaw a $41 million capital budget, and handled the county’s economic-development projects.

The retired history teacher and guidance counselor also published a book of local history entitled The History and Contributions of Black Americans to the Development of Willingboro. The volume has become an important resource for historians and sociologists studying her town’s history.

Today, Priscilla B. Anderson is 87 years old, and she resides in Philadelphia.

 

Oregon educator Betsy Close served as a state legislator

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Many educators have committed themselves to work in politics. One is Betsy Close, a public school teacher who has served in both the Oregon State House of Representatives and the Oregon State Senate. Photo Credit: Ballotpedia

Many classroom teachers have also committed themselves to work in politics. This is true of Betsy Close, a public school teacher who has served in both the Oregon State House of Representatives and the Oregon State Senate.

Betsy was born on May 4, 1950. Her mother was a physical education teacher and coach, and her father was a teacher, coach, principal, and assistant superintendent.

As a young woman, Betsy earned Bachelor’s degrees from both Washington State University in 1972 and Central Washington University in 1974. She earned her Master’s degree from Oregon State University in 1978. Once she earned her degrees, Betsy taught in public schools in Washington state and in Albany, Oregon.

In 1999, Betsy was elected on the Republican ticket to the Oregon State House of Representatives. She served there until 2004. In 2012, she served in the Oregon State Senate, representing District 8. She served there until 2015. During her time as a legislator, Betsy served on a number of committees. One of the them was the Committee for Education. To address the need for increased quality and accessibility in Oregon, Betsy championed more classroom teachers, lower class sizes, a longer school year, and adding back instructional minutes after years of cut-backs. In the Senate, Betsy also served on two other committees: Public Safety and Jobs and Economy.

In addition to her work as an educator and a legislator, Betsy volunteered as a counselor for the Corvallis Pregnancy Care Center and Habitat for Humanity House. She also served on the Board of Directors for the Palestine Rural Fire Board.

For her work as a public servant, Betsy has earned many accolades. She was inducted into the Farm Bureau Hall of Honor in 2003. In addition, she garnered State Official of the Year in 2003 by the National Association of Homebuilders; Friend of the Taxpayer Award by Citizens For A Sound Economy in 2002; the Legislator Recognition Award for Outstanding Service to Oregon’s Special Districts in 2001; and the President’s Award from the Oregon Concrete and Aggregate Association in 2001.