THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 17, 1994 TAG: 9407160119
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY ALLISON T. WILLIAMS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: FRANKLIN LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
TO SOME, DORA Engram is just a teacher. But she is also one of those educators who paved the Franklin City Schools system's path to integration.
Engram, 64, retired in June from teaching language arts to seventh-graders at S.P. Morton Middle School.
The Courtland native logged 32 years with Franklin's school division before ending her career.
``Some of the teachers called me a pioneer,'' Engram said. ``I was the black teacher who integrated the faculty in Franklin schools.''
Engram began teaching in Franklin in 1962 at S.P. Morton, then the city's all-black elementary school.
In 1968, she was the first and only teacher transferred to all-white Franklin Upper Elementary School.
The following year, all the city's schools were desegregated.
``I was not nervous about the change,'' Engram said. ``There were no problems that year. I enjoyed it.''
Engram taught more than reading, writing and arithmetic in her classroom at S.P. Morton. She also tried to teach her students about life.
``I tried to help the boys and girls . . . in my classes grow up and become good, productive citizens in this community,'' Engram said. ``I told them they could be somebody . . . and that they need to work hard and keep in touch with the Lord.''
Engram graduated from Danbury State Teachers College in Connecticut and taught four years in Stafford, Conn., before taking the job in Franklin.
After the move back home, she married William Engram. The Brunswick County native owned and operated Engram Funeral Home in Courtland until his death 14 years ago.
Today, the couple's son, William Engram Jr., operates the business. Their daughter, Wanda Starkes, is a social worker at Fort Lee.
Being an educator has become increasingly difficult during the past three decades, Engram said. She attributes some of the change to obstacles encountered by today's youth, such as drugs and weapons.
Consequently, teachers are forced to assume responsibilities well beyond the boundaries of traditional instruction, she said.
``Also, types of teaching methods have changed,'' Engram said. ``There are more individual and group activities than teaching before the class.''
Engram's retirement is S.P. Morton's loss, said Thomas Whitley, assistant principal at the school.
``Mrs. Engram was a very loving teacher who really cared about her students,'' Whitley said. ``She definitely believed in going above and beyond the call of duty in order to meet the needs of her children.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by JOHN H. SHEALLY II
Dora Ingram retired from Franklin Public Schools
by CNB