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-Ai.V.491§Ttai..1. Vol. 115, No. 88 • Corinth, FFIlississip4.4
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CHS A rani Association
• The Corinth High .School Alumni . Assaciation has named Riith . Shar0 -- retired CHS.. typing • and English teacher as their 2011 Fieulty/Staff of the Year. "Em 89 years old and I retired in '84. At this long a time it is quite a thrill for them to think about me,":me."-: • •
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Sharp was born in Water Valley and graduated from high school there in 1938. She attended - Belhaven College in Jackson; - and Completed degrees in English and Commercial (typing,• shorthand and book-keeping)_ Her first job as an educator was.at Pearl 'River Junior College; where she taught English. "That was one thing I said I didn't want. to do," Sharp said of her first teaching job. "Back• in my day, about all women could do was be a teacher or work in an office or be .e nurse. Now the field is . wide open. Isn't that wonderful?"' Sharp was offered her first teaching job while still in college. She recalled being summoned by the college dean. and told that there was somebody from the Delta looking for a teacher for a school there. Later Sharp would teach English at Pearl River Juninr•C011ege for three years, . Again, the job seemed to come to' her: .• lg got a call., from .Pearl Sharp, Pato 7A
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From Page IA River Junior College. A teacher couldn't finish the term out in Commercial work, - and I would come down and finish the term out," Sharp recalled. • "That was just a Godsend. I had nothing to do with that," she said. While working at Pearl River she met her husband, Richard, a veteran of World War II who grew up in Guys, Tenn. She spent a semester teaching in Durant, was married to Richard, and moved to Memphis. After teaching at Ramer High School for a year -- where she opened the Commercial Department -- she moved to Corinth. Sharp said she was offered a job to teach at Northeast Mississippi Community College in Booneville, but with a year-and-a-half-old child to care for, she said she couldn't bring herself to endure the hazardous two-lane drive every day with her baby at home. Then she was offered a job teaching sixth grade at Corinth by Superintendent Anderson, who Sharp described as "quite the gentleman and a good superintendent." Sharp wanted to teach Older students, but she said Anderson made her a deal, If she would teach the sixth graders for the rest of the year, she Would have her choice of what class she wanted to teach the next year. The next year Anderson was true to his word and Sharp was moved to high school where she would teach English and Typing until her retirement in 1984. Students Pay Tribute Many of her former students remember -
Sharp as a demanding teacher who showed a determined interest in their education. The tell of an attentive, dedicated instructor who instilled lessons that would last a lifetime. "It thrilled me to death when I thought they were learning -certainly wanted them to learn and to do their best," Sharp said. "The claim I pushed them a little and 1 don't doubt it. I hope I did it the right way." Don Dalton graduated with the class of 1970. He said that he's written for public consumption almost every day since college -- in radio, as a sports editor and reporter for The Daily Corinthian, as a hospital public relations o cer and currently as vice president for the North Carolina Hospital Association. "She taught me my trade. Yes, I learned fundamental English from her but, more importantly, I learned the power of a well-crafted sentence and the truth that good writing is clear thinking Made visible. She taught me how to communicate. I've made my living doe ing so. I. would never have achieved the success nor experienced the joys I have were it not for her determination to see me learn," Dalton said.
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"I am forever grateful," ,' he added, Dotty Fortenberry, of the class of '82, said thanks to Sharp she could still diagram a sentence if the need arose, and she always laughs at the humorous result of a dangling participle. Carolyn Ellenburg Davis recalled how Sharp's compassion helped her and her husband, Mike, through the death of their son. "Mike and I had the experience of being on the receiving end of Mrs. Sharp's extreme love and compassion when we lost our son. There are few teachers in the world today who have the ability to guide, lead, love and charm," Davis said. "I can look back now and know Mrs. Sharp was one of the most dedicated teachers I had. She
was tough but she had to be. I really had some class clowns in 3rd period typing. They would try to give her a hard time but she was Ruth Sharp. She could take it and give it right back to you, said Becky Belue Brown, of the class of '76. "She was a great teacher even if she had to scare the life out of you to get you to do your work," Brown added. "Somebody needs to take you a little further than you think you can go, and if I had any kind of influence on them going down the road further than they thought they could that would be quite a blessing," Sharp explained.
A Happy Life Sharp retired from Corinth High School in 1984. She currently lives in Corinth. Although she lives alone, she said that
there are enough good people around to keep her from being lonely., "My life has been a godsend;" Sharp said. "it's been a happy life and people have been so nice to me and my family, and Corinth's a great place to be. We have a lot of good people here."
The Corinth Alumni Association will honor Sharp as the 2011 Faculty/'Staff of the Year from 6 until 8 p.m. Thursday at KC's Espresso in downtown Corinth. For more information contact Caddie Emmons of Me CHS Alumni ASSOdation at 662-415-2206.
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vol. n5, No. 68 * Corinth, MiSSISSIPPi
Underwood earns distinction in memoriam By Bobby .L Smith • Stag water • •The Corinth High School Alumni Association haS named Ripple Cates Underwood the 2011 Faculty/Staff of the Year in Memoriam. Ripple Cates Underwood was horn Sept. 27, 1906, in Kossuth, to Joe and Effie Doggett Cates. She graduated from Alcorn County Horticultural High School in Kossuth in 1925, and went on to earn a degree in Homemaking Education from MSCW in 1929, later obtaining a Master's Degrree in Homemaking Education and a double major of Administration, Comasoling and Guidance. She married feriner Alcorn County Sheriff Jesse Ray Underwood in 1937, and they had
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two children,.Mary Underwood Green (Bill) of Corinth, and Dr. Joe Ray Underwood (Nancy) of Starkville, Her teaching career began in the Corinth School System, where she assisted the planning of the Junior High and nior High Department at the . request of the State Department. She began her teaching career iu 1935, taught until 1940, and after a few years at home with her children she returned to teaching in 1948. • She taught two years at Kossuth High School and returned to Corinth in 1950, where she would teach until her retirement hi 1970. • During her career in Corinth, she was responsible for student teachers from the University of
Earns... From Page IA class, but that does not mean that I enjoy it. I do love the feel of a pretty. china cup in my hand or the smooth silkiness of sterling silver. --Faye Hodges Smith, Class of 1962 *Mrs. Underwood cared very much for ."her girls." She wanted us to succeed in every area of our life. The skills she taught us in the classroom are slag we use every day of off life. I think of her often and am thankful that she was part of my education. --Jane bigger Chamblee, Class of 1970 'Mrs, Underwood was an outstanding teacher with more patience than . imagine. Just youcan think of.teaching a class of teenagers to cook and sew, She always had a smile and was • an encourager. You always. felt that you could talk with Mrs. Underwood. One of my memories of Mrs. Underwood and Mrs. Sharp is their daily visits in the hall between classes. :
.. Mississippi and MSCW. : Her neighboring teacher across the hall was Ruth Sharp, and the two enjoyed a lasting • friendship that continued into retirement, She had five grandchildren, William Green, Jr., of las, Texas, David R. Green of Corinth, Michael C. Green. (Amy) of Tupelo, John Underwood (Ramona) of Morton, and Melinda Underwood Finch (Jeff) of Wilmington. N.C. She had six great-grandchildren, Catelin Green, Alison Green, Lawson Green, Will Green, Anna Cate UnderWoed and Kimber Lee Underwood, UnderwOod was dedicated to. the First. Baptist: Church and to her work with the Future HomeMakers of America...She died on Jan, 8, 1999, and is
fondly remembered as a true southern lady and one who never raised her voice. Student Tributes ‘: The following are tribut,es to Mrs. Underwood submitted by her fernier students: •1 haVetaten in the homes of ' some of my female CHS classmates, and when I commented on how much I enjoyed the meal the classmate has said, "Yes, Ripple would be proud of me." --Lew Talbert, Class of 1969 •From Mrs. Underwood, we all learned from her calm and patience, a little about grace and being comfortable with beautiful surroundings. I always think about her when my dining table looks especially pretty. I learned to sew in her See Earns, page 3A
Being widowed at an feel bad was probably early age, she was a won- jealous. I have never forderful mother to Mary gotten that and how her and Joe Ray. She was a response instilled pride in faithful member of First us in a situation that she Baptist Church, could have responded in When I think of teach- the same old judgmental ers who were a role model attitudes. She was great at Corinth High School, and positive and I knew Mrs. Underwood is at the that she cared for her stutop of the list. dents. It was a precious --Patricia Nash Burns, feeling. Class of 1960 --Carolyn Davis Ellen•One day, someone was burg, Class of 1970 . upset about the blouse they had on showing too The CHS Alumni Asmuch cleavage. I'll never sociation. will honor the forget how Mrs. Under- 2011 Faculty/Staff of the wood told that perSon Year from 6 until 8 04a.;.:" "that the human body Thursday at KC's EsprO was beautiful and that so in downtown Corinth, " they should have pride For more information in themselves and real- contact Cale EMMOTIS of ize that the person that the CHS Alumni A&9(xiawas trying to make them tion at 662-515-2206.