Published: November 30, 2008 11:20 pm      

Standouts inducted into MCHS Hall of Fame

Glenda Sneads’ older sister Juanita Ensley Tipton constantly corrected her grammar. Tipton even once traded Sneads for a piece of watermelon as a young child.

But Sneads still believed her sister deserved to be in the Murray County High School Alumni Association’s Hall of Fame.

“She was a loving sister,” Sneads said, adding Tipton decided to get her back after trading her for watermelon. “I sought to emulate her.”

Tipton, a longtime educator throughout several school systems in the state, was one of five people inducted Sunday into the Hall of Fame. Also inducted were retired educator and coach Pete Adams; JoHannah Brown, a nurse; Tim Howard, an educator and local historian; and Pauline Ogletree, another longtime educator, who is now deceased.

“Every one of these folks are so deserving of this,” said Trudy Swilling, who helped with the induction presentation.



Pete Adams

Adams, who graduated from Murray County High School in 1965, said he hopes being in the Hall of Fame is an indication that he has successfully used the talents God has given him.

Adams, who lives in Chatsworth, said he knew in high school he wanted to become a teacher and a coach.

“A teacher asked what I wanted to do... the teacher said go into science because that’s where money is,” Adams said. “I’m glad I didn’t choose money. I’m honored.”

France Adams, who presented Pete Adams during Sunday’s ceremony, said Pete Adams was a basketball “standout,” but he was also a good student.

“I was fortunate to have Pete as a student in my ninth-grade English class,” France Adams said. “Pete was very quiet and said very little... he absorbed all that was said. He made excellent grades.”

Pete Adams was athletic director at Eastbrook High School and for the Murray County schools. He was assistant principal at Chatsworth Elementary and Murray County High School, was principal of Northwest Elementary and was administrative assistant of the Murray County school system before being elected superintendent.



JoHannah Brown

Brown, who graduated from Murray County High School in 1961, is “one of the most humble people I know,” said Swilling, who presented Brown during the ceremony.

The biography Brown turned into the alumni association stated that one of her favorite memories from high school was being voted by her fellow students to “various titles,” but it didn’t list the titles, Swilling said.

“I had to dig to find them,” she said. “She was homecoming queen (in 1960), Miss Murray High, most athletic four years,” and was a basketball player.

After graduating, Brown worked to become a nurse. She worked at Murray County Hospital for six years, the Murray County Health Department for one year and has been employed with Sutter Family Practice in Chatsworth for 38 years.

“Someone once called her an angel of mercy. I concur,” said Swilling, who is also a nurse. “She’s been out taking care of the sick and ailing. JoHannah, you are a wonderful example of a great Murray County High School graduate.”

Brown said being inducted into the Hall of Fame is “an honor I didn’t expect.”

“I appreciate just being considered for this honor,” she said.



Tim Howard

Howard, a 1978 graduate of Murray County High School, has been too busy trying to induct other people into the Hall of Fame to be inducted himself, said Carlton McDaniel, who presented Howard during the ceremony.

Howard, who has been teaching in the Murray County school system for 27 years, has a long list of involvements and accomplishments including being named the official county historian by sole commissioner Jim Welch earlier this year.

Howard is active in the alumni association, the Whitfield-Murray Historical Society, Friends of the Vann House, the Old Spring Place Methodist Church committee, the Wright Hotel Committee, the Chatsworth Depot Committee, the Spring Place Ruritan Club and is on the Chatsworth-Murray County Library board. He is also the Beta Club and quiz bowl team sponsor at Bagley Middle School, where he has taught eighth-grade history for 20 years.

“He does a tremendous job at all this,” McDaniel said.

“This staying so busy started in high school,” Howard said. “I started in the historical society because of (one of his teachers) Nell Ruth Loughridge. I couldn’t even drive and she took me to my first meeting. So you have her to thank for hearing about all this history.”

McDaniel said when he first joined the historical society several years ago, it was referred to as “Tim and the little old ladies.”



Pauline Ogletree

Ogletree didn’t want to become a teacher, said her sister Phyllis Bearden. Ogletree wanted to be a secretary, but was talked out of it by her parents, something Bearden thinks her sister was later glad for.

“She would have been so happy to have this happen,” Bearden said.

Ogletree, who died in 1976, was a member of the original faculty at Murray County High School, which opened in 1934. She taught for 43 years, including 20 years at Murray County High School and 19 at Dalton High School, said Howard, who presented Ogletree during the ceremony.

“I remember Pauline Ogletree as a truly remarkable, dignified lady,” Howard said. Ogletree was a close family friend, whom he referred to as “Aunt Pauline.”

“She recommended the Indian mascot and the colors green and white. It’s hard to imagine Murray County High School without them,” Howard said. “I remember her driving terrified us, even though she once taught driver’s education. She drove too close to the yellow line.”

Ogletree worked closely with students to help them achieve their career goals, Howard said.

“She challenged students to reach for goals they or their parents never thought of,” he said. “She had a remarkable ability to remember each students’ goals and dreams.”



Juanita Ensley Tipton

When Sneads read about last year’s inductees, she “knew” her sister deserved the recognition too.

Tipton, a 1966 graduate of Murray County High School, taught in several systems across the state for 31 years before retiring in Lumpkin County, where she is currently the volunteer coordinator for the Lumpkin County Literacy Coalition.

“She loved school and learning, especially English,” Sneads said. “She admits math is not her favorite.”

Several times Tipton would have a book she was reading taken from her in algebra class, Sneads said. The teacher would make her do extra homework before returning the book, she said.

Tipton was named Star Teacher three times and Teacher of the Year six times.

“I’m glad to be part of this special day with you,” Sneads said.

Tipton said she is glad to be honored by her hometown, especially since she hasn’t lived in Murray County since graduating from high school.

“You’ve definitely warmed my heart today,” she said. “I always loved school and always knew I wanted to be a teacher. I wanted to give my students what my teachers gave to me. I took that all over the state.”