2014 Hall of Fame

Julia Redden (1878-1951) has the earliest legacy of 2014 inductees. She is considered among the very earliest female principals in North Carolina, going back nearly a century to the ’20s. She was Valley Hill School principal officially by 1927-28, but as early as 1923-24. She was at Valley Hill for 43 years, where she started as a teacher in 1902. In earlier years, she may have been classified as more of a lead teacher when actually acting as a headmaster. She is described as authoritative. She taught grades 5-7, then high school grades by the mid-’20s. She retired in 1945.

2014 Education Hall of Fame

Madeleine Duncan taught sixth grade for 30 years combined at East Flat Rock Elementary, and then Flat Rock Middle School. She taught at Balfour Elementary for six years. After the school burned on her wedding night in 1971, classes were held in trailers. At Flat Rock, she mostly taught language arts. Students read the novel that spawned a hit movie, often preferring the book and thereby appreciating literature. In both schools, she put together a book of her students’ poetry. She has volunteered since she retired in 2006, such as helping monitor state testing locally.

2014 Education Hall of Fame

Rick Wood is still involved in education as a school board member. He coached boys’ varsity basketball for 40 years, and the last 17 years were with West Henderson until he retired in 2006. Previously, he coached at Edneyville for two years. His Falcons were undefeated before falling in the 1992 state title game. The 1994-95 squad produced current boys varsity basketball coaches Joey Bryson at North Buncombe and Ronnie Coren at North Henderson, and Luke Manuel, who is West’s athletic director. Wood emphasized teamwork, sportsmanship, citizenship and academics. He taught history, most enjoying going over Civil War battles. His autobiography is “40 Seasons: The Life of a High School Basketball Coach.”

2014 Education Hall of Fame

Linda Flynn taught for 31 years, mostly fourth grade in Mills River Elementary School from 1986 to 2007. She was very comprehensive about a subject, such as by researching the Wright Brothers’ historic flight in person at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington. She personalized history, getting a B-17 crew of World War II veterans, including her father, to talk to students. She shared values of her youth, working hard on a farm. She’d call on a struggling student to answer questions to get that youth more involved. She rewarded her class daily with “story time.”

2014 Education Hall of Fame

Sara Lee Nickell is among the teachers cited by noted author Robert Morgan, a local native, as his most influential educators. She taught English and world history in Flat Rock then East Henderson high schools. She also taught drama at East. She was among longest-serving teachers at East Henderson, for 31 years from its opening in 1960 until retiring in 1991 as head of the English department. Her first year, 1955-56, was in East Flat Rock Elementary. She led East Henderson to victory in a statewide United Nations speaking contest in the Sixties, winning a week-long trip to the United Nations in New York City.

2014 Education Hall of Fame

Drew Brannon contributed to local education in various ways. He taught for 10 years at Mills River Elementary, and coached boys’ basketball and track. Previously, he taught and coached at Dana Elementary for two years. He was in Mills River High School’s last class, of 1960, before high school students went to then-new West Henderson. Brannon helped commemorate Mills River School through his work with the local History Initiative. He is a longtime major booster of West Falcon athletics. He helped Wood start recreation basketball on Saturdays for seventh and eighth grade youth. Brannon has much impact in local farming, having served as county Soil and Water Conservation District chairman for 40 years.

2014 Education Hall of Fame

Ruth Sass was the first child nutrition supervisor in 1973-95. Previously, she was a hospital dietitian and then child nutrition consultant for schools statewide. She served both city and county schools in a joint service for 20 years, leading to the 1993 merger. Her menu analysis revealed half of schools were not meeting basic requirements. She standardized menus and improved nutrition. She saved money through bulk purchases. The local system gained an unusual honor when all of its schools received state awards of excellence for meal operations.

2014 Education Hall of Fame

Dr. Dan Lunsford shepherded in the merger of city and county schools in 1993, despite many initial objections. His innovations include requiring athletic directors be assistant principals and head coaches, alternative school, Junior ROTC at East and West Henderson, lighting at baseball fields and a food service warehouse. Supplemental teacher salary was uniform in his era. He has been president of Mars Hill since 2002. Mars Hill expanded into a full university August 2013. Lunsford is the most recent superintendent to join the HCEF Hall of Fame.

2014 Education Hall of Fame

Bobbie Caldwell taught for 30 years, mostly home economics in Rugby Junior High. She started in Fletcher High School in 1957-59, and was among merely five teachers there. She next taught in Fletcher Elementary for eight years, starting in 1965. Then she shifted to Rugby Junior High/Middle. She taught language arts, history, science and math as well as entry-level home economics “exploratory.” Finally, she focused solely on home economics at Rugby for 14 years, from 1978-92. Skills included cooking, sewing, child care and interior decorating. Caldwell started Rugby’s award-winning parliamentary procedure teams, molding leaders.

2014 Education Hall of Fame