Gò0dNews for Family
A Special Blessing with Loving Needs by Rita Bennett
I
was the last born into a family of eleven children on a rural
Our mother was a devout Christian, she read the Bible
farm in Hamilton County. In the early 1900s, we were
aloud to us daily, and we were very attentive to all the stories.
considered a poor family, according to financial value,
And to this day, in my eighty-six years of life, I understand
but rich in a large, loving family. Our father was a very hard worker and stern parent, our mother was a Christian loving
God’s word better when it is read aloud. I graduated from school in 1953 and had met my future
homemaker. Our father worked at public works and retired
husband. We were married and soon to start our family. Clyde
after twenty-eight years but farmed and grew the food needed
was still a huge part of my life and he really liked my husband.
for his family also.
Our mother became ill with cancer in 1960, very shortly after
My family consisted of seven boys and four girls. The tenth of the family, a boy named Clyde, was a special child with Down’s Syndrome. By this time in life, both of our parents were
my son was born. We remained with my parents, caring for my mother until she went home to Heaven in June 1962. Shortly thereafter my husband and I purchased a home
up in years, so I don’t know if they felt the need for another
in Ooltewah in 1963 and moved. Dad and Clyde remained in
child or if it was God’s will for one more. In 1936, I came along
the homeplace. They were able to care for each other until 1966
as our mother had reached her forty-fifth year.
when our father became ill. We brought both of them into our
Clyde and I were very close, and I felt he needed me to be
home. My daughter and son grew to love Clyde, and he loved
his guiding hand and help him to develop. All our other brothers
them, and they grew to be adults with him. All was going well
and sisters were busy starting their own lives, and our parents
until February 9, 1967, when I went to awaken our father, and
had their hands full providing for the ones still at home.
he had passed away in his sleep.
When Clyde reached his eighth birthday, the Hamilton County Board of Education notified our parents as to why Clyde was not registered in public school. There were no special education schools in the 1930s and 1940s. My parents visited the then
Clyde remained with us. There was a feed store located two blocks away, and he was allowed to walk and visit there often. They loved him and gave him a little job (not a payroll employee) for tips. He carried out bags of feed—going by the pictures on the bag—and
principal of Snow Hill Elementary School and
bales of hay, but someone had to oversee the
made him aware of Clyde’s situation. They
amount the customer bought. He stayed at this
asked if it would be possible—since I was only five years of age—if I could attend school early to watch over Clyde? He agreed I could start early. Clyde and
feed store through three owners and eighteen years when the store closed. Clyde attended our church Ooltewah Baptist from 1970 forward. He loved
I attended elementary school for six years
his Jesus and wanted everyone to
together, Clyde being passed on condition,
know his Jesus. His health stayed fairly
not having higher learning capabilities. He
normal until mid-1994. He began having
was taken out of school, and our mother and
balance difficulties, hearing loss, and
I taught him as much as his mind could
dental problems. He then became very
achieve. Clyde was exceptionally good at
confused and wheel-chair bound. God
never did understand why he could not attend what he called “Big School” with me.
40 // May 2022
called him home on Christmas Eve at 8 p.m. 1995, at the age of sixty-two-anda-half years old. About The Author
learning all common knowledge, but he
Rita Bennett is eighty-six and lives in Ooltewah, Tennessee.
