Page 76 - Lubbock Senior Link Magazine Summer 2022 - Online Magazine

Exceptional

Nettie Edwards SENIORS

Esteemed Educator

& Excellent Example

by Jane Bromley

ot so long saw talent I didn’t know
ago in was a part of me. She gave
Nyears, me free piano lessons
but a lifetime and arranged for me to
ago if you count sing in the high school
experience, two choir while I was still
sisters, Nettie and in elementary school.” Nettie with AKA sorority sisters holding
some of the handmade dresses they
Bettie were born Nettie graduated from sent to needy children in Haiti
into a wonderful segregated Lincoln HS,
home in Houston. Coldspring, TX. “There
Their parents, was never any question
Ben and Luvenia about whether we would
Greenleaf loved go to college. It was
them dearly, but Ben Greenleaf holding expected of us. I attended
sadly, when the daughters Nettie & Bettie Prairie View A&M. My
girls were five and daddy was a common
three, their sweet mother passed laborer, a faithful church deacon With members of AKA's mentoring group
away at the age of 32. Ben loved and filled with faith.” He was at the YWCA Women of Excellence Event
his little girls, but he had to rely on honest, hardworking, and faithfully teachers on the east side were
Luvenia’s family to help raise them. paid our college tuition. transferred to schools out of that
Luvenia was one of twelve children, area, and I was transferred to
so the girls were warmly enveloped In 1958, Nettie received her Bowie.” I found myself gravitating
by a lot of “mothers.” Their second- Bachelor’s in Music with a minor towards struggling students with
to-the-oldest aunt, who eventually in Elementary Education. She met problems.” Calvin was moved to
became a principal in New Caney, a good-looking football player, Monterey HS to coach sophomore
TX, cared for them. Calvin Edwards, at Prairie View; football and wrestling. Five years
they eventually married and
The girls adapted to their new life, began their teaching careers. “In later, Nettie was moved to the
but tragedy struck again when this order to get my master's degree, I position of Demonstration Teacher
aunt became ill and died. They attended the University of Southern for 13 schools, helping teachers
were then embraced by another California, LA for three summers with lesson plans, classroom
aunt who also taught school. “In while Calvin stayed home to work management, and much more. “I
fact, many of our relatives were and make extra money. I taught conducted workshops and received
educators.” The Greenleaf girls elementary students, and Calvin lots of special training with access
had lost two mothers, but their started the first football team at to new materials and strategies.
father was a constant in their lives, Lincoln HS, Snyder, TX.” Five years later, Superintendent
as were all the aunts, uncles, and Irons asked me to move to Parkway
cousins. “We never doubted that Three years later, “Calvin was Elementary to help improve
we were loved. They looked out for hired as the first football coach at instruction there.” Two years
us, teaching us to do right because Struggs Junior High, and I got a later, Nettie was asked to become
it was right.” job at Wheatley Elementary.” By principal at Haynes Elementary,
then, the couple had one beautiful which she did from 1982-1996. “We
Nettie also fondly remembers a daughter. “When schools were were a family. Those years and
teacher, Mrs. Naomi Porter. “She integrated in the 60s, most minority what we were able to help children

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