 In her 43-year
career, Mrs. Gardner became one of the most highly regarded teachers in Paris, covering at
least 4 generations of families.Born in Paris to Ernest and Mattie Will Cavitt, she was raised by her aunt and uncle, Andrew and Mary Van Dyke, after her parents died when she was a young girl. She attended all eight grades at Henry County Training School and one year at Central High School. She moved to Illinois and graduated from Joliet Township High School. She then went on to Joliet Junior College for two years. She acheived her permanent teaching certificate and later was awarded her bachelor’s degree from Lane College in Jackson. Moving back to Paris she was hired as a teacher at the Henry County Training School in 1933. She taught first grade there for 35 years, until the school was closed. She was hired in 1968 to teach first grade at Atkins-Porter, formerly of Paris, where she became the second Black teacher there. After 8 years she retired from Atkins-Porter in 1976. Mrs. Gardner has a stack of awards she has received in honor of her teaching career. She met and married Oscar Gardner of Waverly, who was a staff sergeant stationed at Camp Tyson during World War II. Church work has accounted for much of her activity, both during her teaching career and afterward. She has been a member of Quinn Chapel Church for 72-years. Currently she is a member of the missionary society and the stewardess board. |
