Lewisburg School inducted the first 14 members of the Lewisburg Leaders Hall of Fame Friday, Sept. 20. A large crowd witnessed a special night that was entirely student led.
The Logan Journal plans to carry several stories about the evening. Following are biographies of four of the inductees who graduated several decades ago. All four were present. The names of their presenters are included.
Hattie Ruth Shelton
Alyssa Gant, 7th Grader
I am proud to introduce the first member of the night, Mrs. Hattie Ruth Shelton from the class of 1944.
Mrs. Shelton attended Western Kentucky University until 1945. Because of the shortage of teachers due to World War II, she was hired to teach on an emergency certificate. She taught for two years in Butler County and for three years in Logan County. In 1955, she was hired as the first secretary of Lewisburg School. At that time, it was a 12-grade school. She was our only secretary until she retired after many years of service. During that time, Mrs. Hattie put on thousands of bandaids, listened to millions of problems --- all while counting money, answering the phone, and watching over kids who were in trouble.
She worked for five principals: Glen Summers, Joe Vance, Bill McKinney, Joe Milam, and Darrell Dooley. One student she taught in grade school in 6th grade later became her principal at LHS, Joe Milam.
Mrs. Hattie married Morris Shelton in 1946 and together they had two sons, Gary and Greg, who both became respected teachers and coaches.
Mrs. Shelton remembers having many good teachers when she was a student at LHS. Those teachers influenced students to be there to do their jobs and to always do your best. This is also the advice that Mrs. Hattie has for students today.
She is very proud today when she sees our students as doctors, nurses, lawyers, and whatever they have succeeded in. It makes her proud to say they went to Lewisburg School.
In Mrs. Shelton’s time as a student and as a leader in the building, she touched many, many lives in a positive way. She always made students and staff alike feel like they were important to her. It has been almost 70 years since she graduated from LHS, but she will forever hold a place in the hearts of countless Lewisburg students.
I am happy, Mrs. Hattie Ruth, to name you the very first Lewisburg Leaders Hall of Fame member.
Wallace ‘Buddy’ Price
Maria Wells, 7th Grader
It is my honor to present Wallace Bryson Price, class of ’56. Wallace Bryson Price was born December 26, 1937. Mr. Price moved to Lewisburg in 1948 when his father started Price Funeral Home. He attended Lewisburg School from 5th grade to 12th grade and graduated in 1956. He was married for 51 years to Wanda Sparks Price, who passed away in March 2011. He has two children, five grandchildren, and a great-granddaughter, with another great granddaughter due in October. He has been a member of the Lewisburg Cumberland Presbyterian Church for 65 years, having served as an elder, teacher, and songleader.
Mr. Price attended mortuary school at the Kentucky School of Embalming and received his funeral director and embalmer licenses in 1960. He served as director of the Kentucky Funeral Directors Association and was also president of Southern District of KY Funeral Directors Association.
He served America in many ways. Mr. Price joined the US Army Reserve in 1956, spent 16 months on active duty and 4 ½ years in the Reserve. He operated an ambulance service for over 25 years and served on Lewisburg Fire Department for over 40 years, six of those as fire chief.
Mr. Price was a leader amongst a lot of people. He served as class president all four years of high school and has served as the Lewisburg Alumni Association president. He served as scoutmaster of Lewisburg Boy Scouts for two years and also was president of Lewisburg Lions Club. He was instrumental in opening the Lewisburg City Park.
He tells us to “always keep faith in God, get a good education, and work hard.”
Wallace B. Price, year of 1956, shows his leadership in many ways. Congratulations to him for his induction into the Lewisburg Leaders Hall of Fame.
Major John Stovall
Amos Parsons, 8th Grader
Ladies and gentlemen, I have the distinct honor of introducing our next guest. In 1957 he was a senior at Lewisburg High School. Afterwards he attended WKU, UK and U of L. While in the Army our next guest attended Infantry Officer Candidate School, the Armor Officer Basic Course, and the US Army Safety Officer Course, as well as others. He worked his way up the ranks from Private to Major by the time he retired in 1986. He served our country with distinction in the Vietnam War where he was injured and, by using a special libation, escaped the effects of Agent Orange. He is a father of three, a grandfather of five and a husband of 47 years. Please join me in welcoming Major John Preston Stovall.
Major Stovall worked in research and development in the Army on many types of vehicles, weapons, and ammunitions. He worked on weapons systems for the Abrams M-1 tank and the Bradley fighting vehicle weapons systems. He tested equipment from the Arctic to the Tropic test centers. His other military travel included almost every NATO post in Europe and the Middle East, as well as many embassies.
Many reports, such as on the Military Channel on “Battlefield Diaries” and in print, discuss the first and only Tank verses Tank Battle of the Vietnam War, in 1969. Company B, first battalion, 69th armor was under the command of Captain John Stovall. He had come forward and established a temporary command on West Hill near Ben Het. After a few unusually quiet days, vehicular movement was heard and indications were that they would be attacked by the Communist forces. That evening, the Allied encampment came under heavy fire. Captain Stovall fought off attacks with his tankers, but the one he was on was soon hit with enemy fire, which threw him from his position. His tanker again joined the battle, though, as other crews filled its fighting positions. This battle of March, 1969, became historic in the history of US forces in Vietnam and armored warfare. Company B, continued its role as one of the select group of armor fighters in Vietnam.
We are thankful for the patriot John Stovall and are proud of his Lewisburg Ranger roots.
Joe Milam
Rhonda Reeves, 6th Grader
I am honored to be presenting Joe Milam, who has accomplished many great things. He has been a teacher, an assistant coach, a principal, and a great leader.
Mr. Milam attended Beechland one-room school for grades 1 through 8 and Lewisburg High School for all four years; he graduated in 1958. He then went to Murray State University and earned his B. S. and M. A. degrees; he received a National Science Foundation grant there. He later attended Western Kentucky University and earned his Rank I degree in education and 30 additional hours in Administration.
Mr. Milam was an educator for 35 years. He taught at Lewisburg High School, Paducah Tilghman High School, and Russellville High School. He was also principal at Lewisburg from 1975-1978. He is the only person to be a student, coach, teacher, and principal at Lewisburg High School. Mr. Milam was selected to teach in the Kentucky Governor’s Scholars program and was named Kentucky High School Science Teacher of the Year in 1991.
He has been a science consultant, including Land Between the Lakes outdoor education, TVA, R. J. Corman creosote study, Logan Aluminum Wetlands, and UK PCB study on Mud River.
Mr. Milam’s advice to students stems from lessons he has learned in life. As a student, he remembers the respect he had for his teachers and the pride they had in Lewisburg. You should all take pride in who you are and what you do.
As a teacher, he learned how challenging it was to teach with few resources, yet many students went on to successful careers in sciences. You should never be limited by your circumstances.
As a principal, he learned it is better to have one rule than a long list that couldn’t be enforced. His rule was that no student has the right to interfere with another student’s right to learn. This rule can apply to life.
My personal favorite, Mr. Milam says to seek out what is right and what is good; once you have found it, never be afraid to stand up for it. That will make you a leader.
Mr. Milam’s daughters live in other parts of the state and could not be here tonight. They have asked us to share this about Mr. Milam.
Joe Milam has made an impact on Lewisburg School. He is a true leader.
For every one of us, there is the Teacher we remember. The one we think of when we succeed, conjure when we learn something new, spin into a lesson and legend for our children.
This Teacher:
Knows when to ask and when to answer, when to lecture and when to listen, when to push and when to pull.
Makes you think, and work, and grow. Makes you curious, and creative, and confident. Makes men and women out of boys and girls, and makes magic from the mundane.
Shines in the spotlight, and shouts from the sidelines.
Fetches laughter with a look, offers wisdom with a word.
Is infected with a love of learning, and passes it on. And on. And on.
Never stops teaching.
Those lucky enough to have learned from him know him as
Teacher. Coach. Principal. Mr. Milam.
Three lucky children know him as Papa Joe.
And we know him as Dad.
We are so very proud of you.
Love,
Carrie and Laura Jane