Newspaper Page Text
Retires From Perry School System
James Hightower - “A
Tough Man To Replace”
“It’s going to take
somebody mighty strong to fit
in that man’s shoes,” Perry
Junior High teacher Hervia
Ingram said last Friday af
ternoon, as he watched a
seemingly middle-aged black
man walk out the door at
PJHS. “That Man” was
James Hightower, who retired
Friday after more than thirty
years of service in Georgia.
Eight years were spent by
Hightower as principal of old
Houston High - until 1969 the
black high school in Perry.
As much as any man,
perhaps more than almost
anyone, James Hightower
helped ease the pains of in
tegration in Houston County,
''.inrough the tense racial
confrontation on Perry
streets, and during an even
tenser adjustment period in
the school halls, Hightower
was a calming, reason-giving
force. “He has meant an awful
lot to Houston County’s
schools for thirteen years,”
Houston School Superin
- ?^tf&f *
y
$■ ■ v* *■.'■?* 'i~< * ..»iiE!!
A mob of well-wishing students, many of them tearful, emoracea James
/Hightower Friday afternoon as Perry Junior High School classes let out for the
summer. Through the halls rang the cry, “Where’s Mr. Hightower? I’ve got to
tell him bye!”
James Hightower was honored this year by the
Perry Junior High School, which dedicated its
yearbook, the “Pantera”, to him. As Ad
ministrative Assistant to Houston County
Sen . Sam Nunn Proposes
Bill To Aid Small Businesses
U.S. Senator Sam Nunn has
proposed legislation
guaranteeing small
businesses an active role in
America’s race to become
energy independent.
During a Government
Operations meeting con
sidering legislation that would
create a new Energy
Research and Development
Administration and a Nuclear
Energy Commission, Senator
tendent David Perdue said at
a recent Board of Education
meeting.
James Hightower was born
on April 2,1915, in Fort Valley,
where he still resides. His
parents were Peyton and Ann
Hightower. He has three
sisters - Willa, Christine, and
Mattie; and one brother -
John. James’ first wife Ann
died six years ago and he has
since remarried to a woman
named Sylvia from
Thomasville.
James went to school in Fort
Valley at the old Fort Valley
Normal and Industrial School,
a Negro prep school. He then
went to college at Fort Valley
Stale, graduating in 1941. He
earned his masters at Atlanta
University in 1947. He worked
on his doctorate for three
summers at Ohio State
University.
His first principal’s job was
at Thomas County High in
Thomasville from 1942-44. In
1944 he moved to Wrens as
principal. After a year he
Nunn ottered an amendment
which would assure small
businesses of fair treatment in
the awarding of government
contracts and loans for energy
related research and
development projects.
“Billions of dollars will be
spent in the next ten years on
energy research and
development,” said Nunn.
“There are many small
businesses in Georgia and
throughout this country that
by JOE HIETT
became the school principal at
Pelham. Another move came
in 1946, to Thomson as prin
cipal. Then he stayed three
years as principal of the
Negro school in Thomaston.
A move to North Georgia
followed, to the mill town of
Dalton. For twelve years,
from 1950-1962, Hightower was
principal at Emory High in
Dalton. Then in 1962
Hightower came to Perry as
principal of Houston High.
In 1969, integration hit the
South and Houston High was
closed, its students to be
assimilated into Perry High
School. Hightower was named
Administrative Assistant to
Houston County School
Superintendent David Perdue.
Hightower is a modest man,
but urging led him to reveal
that he was listed in the 1950
edition of Who’s Who in
America. One thing he is very
proud of is his involvement
with the G.I.A. - the Georgia
Interscholastic Association -
the former Negro controlling
School Superintendent David Perdue, Hightower
spent a great deal of his time “in the field’’
helping junior high and high schools in the county.
are uniquely qualified to make
a valuable contribution to our
national goal of energy in
dependence, and 1 want to
make sure thay have an op
portunity to participate in this
effort.”
As adopted by the com
mittee, the Nunn amendment
would give small businesses
the opportunity to participate
“in a fair and equitable
proportion of grants, con
tracts, purchases and other
agency for athletics and all
phases of high school.
Hightower helped found the
G.I.A. and was an At Large
State Representative to its
council from 1945-1950. He was
serving as Executive
Secretary of District Four of
the G.I.A. when integration
took place in 1969.
Hightower offered several
observations on his 32 years of
employment with schools in
Georgia, and made several
statements. He first of all took
an opportunity to thank the
Houston School Board,
Superintendent Perdue, the
System office staff, prin
cipals, and teachers for their
cooperation with him in his
job. /
Hightower lauded the
Houston School System. “It is
way above average. It is one
of the best organized systems
in the state.”
Hightower praised the
modern student. “The student
of today is far more well
equipped to handle himself in
society than were his
predecessors of years ago. He
is more mature, more per
ceptive, and smarter.”
Hightower is especially full
of praise for recent
developments in the system.
“The school system is trying
to move out of so much fact
memorization and move
toward the introduction of
constructive thinking for
students. Although the Gifted
Students Program points this
out, it is moving into all
phases of school work.”
He reflected, “Back when
Russia launched its first
Sputnik, a lot of so-called
progressive education was
being offered. Then we
returned to “(he books” -
started offering more math
and science. Now there is
more emphasis being placed
on ALL phases of school
study.”
Hightower says that his
hobbies are checkers, bridge,
and hunting and fishing. He
likes to stay tuned into modern
events through vigorous
reading and plans to continue
federal activities relating to
research, development and
demonstration of sources of
energy, efficiency and
utilization of energy and
conservation of energy.” The
amendment also requires the
Administrator of the Energy
Research and Development
Administration to work
closely with the Small
Business Administration in
carrying out these provisions.
that in his retirement.
One of his fellow school
administrators predicted,
"That Man’s absence is really
going to be felt this fall - really
fell ” The friendly,
inquisitive, gentle but prod
ding voice of James
Hightower is no more in the
Houston County School
System. He'll be missed.
Badcocfe
HOME FURNISHING CENTERS
1115 BALL ST. PERRY, GA. 987-2350
Let’s make it his best
Father’s Day ever
-with a La-Z-Boy cna
Reclina-Rocker
-on sale now. paTsST
The most gifted reclining chair for Father's Day ~ •
is La-Z-Boy—the only recliner that is tailored
n , r ,i EARLY AMERICAN
to please and ease one man—your Dad. Even the reclina-rocker
tension of the back is adjustable to his particular Nutmeg fim.h.d wood turning. o«.ni
' ' wood arms. Box Pleated wurf, button
comfort. He just leans back and the pressure ’ $10095
of his body guides his La-Z-Boy into the position Goid&Go'id’ or
Compare at $2lO
of his choice. Or he can enjoy it as a smooth
working, soothing rocker. All complete with fully
padded foot rest. All yoursior the best of all
possible giving—at the best of all possible prices.
TRADITIONAL Diamond tufted attached back. Carved arm.
RECLINA-ROCKER and back. Velvet or NBugohyde cover.
EARLY AMERICAN RECLINA-ROCKER "Big Man'. Chair Attached pillow bock, 1? *“‘?. V,lv “’ 1 <1 r\ Anc
Skirted attached .olid ‘l arm, dcirted. 42 " H., in Nougohyde. Bl °‘ k Naugohyd. > UUVJ
back. Rolled front on t| AQi; Lifetime warranty M M _, .
.eat co.hion. Covered I W-■# on mechoni.m, QQ9S Compare at $209.95
in lOO'/r Hercolon * M M Smoke or Brown I f M
Olive or Gold. plo.tic. Compare at $2lO
, !^^3BpWßß^^' JHk *■
Former Houston High principal James Hightower relaxes in a beautiful
recliner given him in Friday ceremonies honoring his retirement after more
than 30 years in the school administration profession. Hightower says he plans
to “do a lot of relaxing’’ now that he is retired from the Houston County school
system.
HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL THURS., JUNE 6, 1974,
PAGE 1-B