Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 12, 1994 TAG: 9406140103
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
When Wilson was growing up, few would have guessed he someday would become school superintendent in Roanoke County, the largest school division in Western Virginia.
Yet, as Wilson ends his 38 years with county schools - the past 14 as superintendent - he leaves an imprint that extends beyond the school building programs, bond issues, budgets and academic programs he's helped oversee for four decades.
It almost didn't happen.
Wilson, who will retire June 30, as easily could have become a career military officer or taken a job in private business.
He grew up in the tiny rural community of Swords Creek in Russell County in the coalfields of far Southwest Virginia. His father was a miner and a farmer who tilled land that had been owned by the Wilson family for 200 years.
No one in his family had ever gone to college. At first, it didn't appear that he would, either.
When Wilson was 15, he dropped out of Honaker High School, a small rural school, to join the Air Force. He was stationed in Japan and South Korea during the Korean War, rising to the rank of sergeant when he was 18.
At the end of his 45-month tour, Wilson almost re-enlisted. However, he had obtained a high school diploma in the Air Force by taking night courses and the GED test and he decided to give college a try. With money he had saved in the Air Force, he enrolled at Virginia Tech.
His money ran out after a year, so he went to work, hoping to save enough to return to Tech.
Among other jobs, he worked as a prison guard, as a clerk for the B&O Railway and as a clerk for an auto parts dealer.
But he went back to college sooner than he expected because Congress passed the GI bill, which enabled financially strapped veterans to meet the expense of school. He graduated with honors in 1956 at the age of 24 with a bachelor's degree in business administration.
He was offered a job in private business with a higher salary, but he decided to go into teaching after a stint as a student teacher at the old Andrew Lewis High School in Salem.
Wilson, now 62, began as a teacher and coordinator of vocational office training at the old William Byrd High School in Vinton. In a rarity for a male teacher, he also doubled as sponsor and coach of the cheerleading squad. His salary was $3,600.
But his teaching career was short.
In 1957, Wilson was appointed business manager for the Roanoke County school system. Except for two years as principal of Salem High School, when it was part of the county school system, Wilson has worked in the central administrative office ever since - first as business manager, then as assistant superintendent for business and finance, and, since 1980, as superintendent.
Wilson has helped shepherd the school system through dramatic change: racial integration, rapid growth, construction of more than a dozen schools and expansion of academic programs that place the county's students among the highest in the state on standardized tests.
One of the toughest challenges for county schools has been in the courtroom and ballot box. For nearly 30 years, the county has fought to keep its school system intact, resisting annexation and consolidation attempts by Roanoke.
Hildrey Pollard, former chairman of the county School Board, said school officials had to spend untold hours during those years to stave off annexation and merger. The county won the consolidation wars, but it lost on two other fronts.
The county lost 4,000 schoolchildren in 1976 when Roanoke annexed nearly 16 square miles of the county. A few years later, it lost another 3,800 students when Salem created its own school system.
During Wilson's years with the school system, county voters twice rejected consolidation proposals that would have combined county schools with Roanoke's.
In the early 1970s, the county's enrollment was more than 25,000, and it was gaining nearly 1,000 students each year. The county opened four new schools in one year to handle the growth.
The county built more than half of its 27 schools during Wilson's tenure.
Wilson recalls searching for sites, often in hay fields, for the new schools.
"I have a lot of vivid memories as we looked for sites," he said. "We were growing by leaps and bounds then."
Wilson has a special interest and expertise in financing school buildings. His doctorate from Virginia Tech in educational administration included a study of school-building finances in Virginia.
"One of his strongest points is his knowledge and experience in school finances," said Frank Thomas, chairman of the county School Board. "I like his style of management. He sets very high standards, and he motivates his staff to achieve them."
Because of lower birth rates and the loss of students to Roanoke and Salem, the county's enrollment is down to 13,500. It is still the largest school system in the valley, but it is growing slowly - about one percent a year. Five older schools in the county have been closed because of the decreased enrollment.
Still, the county needs to spend $16 million for renovations and repairs in the next few years. It also needs to spend $10.5 million for major additions and for upgraded facilities at half a dozen existing schools because they are getting old.
The school system has spent $24 million during Wilson's tenure to expand and renovate buildings.
By all accounts, Wilson has the management skills that were especially needed during those years of unprecedented change.
"He has the ability to work with people and to get them to work together in a cohesive manner," said Maurice "Buck" Mitchell, vice chairman of the county School Board.
"You enjoy working with him, because he is so professional and supportive. Anyone with an interest in education likes to work with someone like him," said Deanna Gordon, assistant superintendent, who will succeed Wilson.
School officials have prepared a 20-minute video that is a remembrance of and tribute to Wilson's years with the county. More than 300 people attended a recent dinner to watch the video and honor him.
During the Wilson years, one thing has remained the same: the county's pride in the academic achievement of its students. County students have consistently ranked among the top school divisions in Western Virginia on standardized tests and other academic measures.
Eighty-five percent of the county's graduates continue their education in colleges or professional schools.
Wilson said the county has been fortunate to have children who are motivated and self-disciplined. Most come from affluent or middle-class homes.
But the secret to quality schools is good teachers, Wilson said.
"You have to have top qualified and dedicated teachers," he said. "We have a flagship school system because we have made teachers our priority year after year."
But a school system can't provide a quality system without the support of parents and taxpayers, he said.
"Public schools are going only to be as good as the parents want them to be," Wilson said. "We've had excellent support from parents."
During his years as superintendent, five county schools received national recognition for their excellence, and five received state recognition.
"I have strived to emphasize academic excellence and caring concern for students. Teaching in the classroom is what it's all about," he said.
The toughest challenge facing county schools in the next five to 10 years will be finding the funds to continue educational programs without a decrease in quality, he said.
Many city and rural school systems were helped by the funding-disparity package approved by the General Assembly, but Roanoke County received less than $150,000. Roanoke County and several other suburban counties received less funds because they have a healthier tax base.
"Finding the money to attract and keep top teachers will be tough," he predicted.
Another uncertainty facing county schools will be the coming of an elected School Board and its impact on school operations. The first election will be in the fall for the seats from the Hollins, Vinton and Windsor Hills districts.
The county has had fewer problems with drugs and violence than some localities, but it has experienced problems with students using alcohol. In recent years, several county students have been killed in automobile accidents.
Wilson said some of his toughest days as superintendent have been when students were killed in accidents. "Whenever a student is killed, there is always sadness," he said.
Wilson has mixed emotions as he leaves. He said it is the best and the worst of times for him. He looks forward to his retirement, but he will miss the daily association with students, teachers and school administrators.
Soon after retiring, Wilson plans to take a fishing trip to Montana with his son John. He may also play some golf, a sport that he never had time to enjoy while he was superintendent. He will spend more time with his grandchildren.
Wilson had wanted to retire two years ago after having heart surgery, but the School Board persuaded him to stay on. He is in good health now, but there will be no time extension this year.
Said Wilson: "We did the best we could with what we had. Generally speaking, I think we have accomplished what we wanted to do."
by CNB