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2012 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 383
Commending the Johnson sisters.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 17, 2012
Agreed to by the Senate, February 23, 2012

 

WHEREAS, the Johnson sisters have enriched the lives of hundreds of students in Franklin County; the nine women all have worked in Franklin County as teachers or teacher assistants; and

WHEREAS, the Johnson sisters, who had no brothers, were raised in Glade Hill; as girls, they were inspired by the example set by their grandmother, Gillie A. Johnson, who taught from 1908 to 1933, when most of Franklin County’s educational facilities were one-room or two-room schools; and

WHEREAS, the Johnson sisters have a combined 251 years of teaching experience, and almost all of it has been spent in Franklin County classrooms; theirs is what may be an unmatched family legacy of education in the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, the first of the Johnson sisters began teaching four decades ago, and while some siblings have completely retired or moved into other careers, others remain active in education, continuing to offer caring instruction and guidance to young children; and

WHEREAS, encouraged from their earliest days by their parents, Gladys and “Burks” Johnson, to become teachers, each Johnson sister fulfilled the family’s long-cherished goal of becoming an educator; and

WHEREAS, Marcille Johnson Motley was a teacher for 46 years at Gretna Elementary School; in retirement she continues to work as a math and science tutor; and

WHEREAS, Ruth Johnson Mattox, who taught for a total of 43 years, spent 38 years at Lee M. Waid Elementary School, retiring in 2010; she now works for part of the year and is a substitute teacher; and

WHEREAS, Brenda Johnson Aveline taught for 33 years at Ferrum, Burnt Chimney, Lee M. Waid, and Rocky Mount elementary schools and has retired; and

WHEREAS, Delsie Johnson Spear has been a teacher assistant at Burnt Chimney Elementary School for 11 years; and

WHEREAS, Barbara Johnson Quinn taught at Dudley Elementary School for 37 years and is retired; and

WHEREAS, Kaye Johnson Dent has worked as a teacher assistant at Windy Gap Elementary School and at other schools for 11 years; and

WHEREAS, Norma Johnson Turner was a teacher at Blue Ridge Chapel School of the Prophets for 11 years; and

WHEREAS, Nancy Johnson Cannaday taught at Lee M. Waid Elementary School and retired after a 36-year career; she continues to work part of the year and is a substitute teacher; and

WHEREAS, Betty Johnson Powell has worked at Burnt Chimney Elementary School for seven years as a teacher assistant; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the nine Johnson sisters for their unparalleled commitment to education and their many years of service; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare copies of this resolution for presentation to the Johnson sisters as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect and admiration for their dedication to the Commonwealth’s students.